Liberty Belle B-17G (SN 44-85734)

any update if the money has been raised to bring the belle over this summer?

Afternoon All,

I’ve just been emailed with a link to youtube for the promotional teaser for the Liberty Belle historic overseas tour to England and France.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmMZBYUYTko

Enjoy………

Regards,

Pat.

Afternoon All,

Your help and assistance and is required with the following please. A fellow forum member over at http://www.wildbillguarnere.com/ has posted a topic about the above aircraft. Here is Alan’s post (and the link to the original post) http://forums.wildbillguarnere.com/index.php?showtopic=10788&pid=185084&st=0&#entry185084

Calling All Aviators,

A recently-restored B-17G Liberty Belle is planning a monumental flight to Duxford, England this June for the big air show. The Belle will be taking the same ferrying pattern used by all bomber and fighter crews during WWII over Greenland and Iceland, etc. B-17s don’t do this very often anymore for obvious reasons – they’re too valuable to risk. Well, the Belle is going to take the leap of faith and appear at Duxford if it can in early July.

Here’s the deal: I have proposed to them the idea of filming a documentary about the historic flight. So far, the Liberty Foundation has been VERY WARM to this idea. I have a filmmaking and journalism background, I grew up in Surrey and have been to the Duxford airshow and I’m a B-17 freak, so this is completely in my element. HOWEVER, I NEED YOUR HELP.

This documentary is aimed to be an eventual DVD that the Liberty Foundation can sell to raise money to keep her flying. I have proposed a comprehensive documentary, complete with veteran interviews, a showcase of life in a B-17, what it is like to fly one in the 21st century, etc, etc. What I DON’T have are people ON THE GROUND for the Belle’s takeoff in the U.S. and the eventual landing at Duxford.

IF the Liberty Foundation decides to accept my proposal and do this documentary, I need to have people on the ground in June/July (exact dates not pinned down yet) with digital video cameras in hand ready to catch her taking off and touching down in England. Anyone who could do this is will immediately be given “Second Unit” credit on the documentary. I’ll be getting footage throughout inside the ol’ bird, but I need people waiting on the ground to catch the seminal moments from the outside!

At the same time, the Foundation is trying to raise money for the trip. They need $275,000. They are a non-profit – all the money given is tax-exempt. This is a chance to help MAKE HISTORY. If you guys know of other WWII forums with members that would be willing to donate money to the Foundation or you know you’ll be at the Duxford air show maybe we can work it out to get you there a day or so early to catch the Belle’s touchdown.

Guys, you know I only post when it’s something important, interesting or big and this has the potential to be BIG. It might never happen again. Even if you only have $5 to spare, I have pasted the information below. ANYONE interested in helping catch the Belle’s landings in Northeast U.S., Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Scotland and Duxford, PLEASE contact me now. While there is officially no confirmation yet if any of this will happen, when it comes to a video shoot, four months is the blink of an eye.

And remember, tell your WWII friends to jump over to www.libertyfoundation.org and give a few bucks to the “B-17 Overseas Tour.”

The Liberty Foundation is a non-profit, 501 © (3) organization, and all donations are tax-exempt to the fullest extend allowed by law. Donations can be made for the Liberty Belle “Oversea tour” and mailed to:

B-17 Overseas Tour
11564 east 7th street
Tulsa, OK 74128

This would probably be a good start. Scroll down to the bottom of the page for a brief. The rest is self explanatory.
http://www.libertyfoundation.org/index.php

It would also seem that Mike, the initiator of the thread, could use some assistance as well. You’ll have to become a member of the Fedora Lounge forum to contact him. Once in, scroll down to the WWII section, then look for his thread. You can contact him through that I’m sure.

Sounds quite exciting.

If anyone is able to help in any way then I’m sure it would gratefully appreciated.

Kind Regards,

Pat.

I may be interested, by all means direct him to my site, www.electricegg.co.uk and he can find contact details on there.

best wishes, steve

we should be in for quite a summer, with both glacier girl and liberty belle hopefully making the trip over the pond! when was the last time 3 b17’s flew together over the uk? must be 1989 during ‘memphis belle’ i would imagine

Of Course, there’s always a B-17 that already lives here, that always needs constant donations either small or large just to keep her going.

Anyway, a little bird told me last year that the french may stop flying Pink Lady.
You know the old spiralling insurance costs and hangerage issues etc.
Naturally I’d like this not to be the case!!!!!!

Of course in the last 20 years, this trek has been made by three B-17s.
Thunderbird on a one way trip, Dave Tallichet’s 17 and the late Bob Richardsons 17 that’s now with Boeing I believe.
It was also made by LB 30 Diamond Lil.

Prior to this the now Kermit weeks B 24 and Duxfords B 29 both made one way journeys accross the pond.

Bomberboy

Wonder what the foundation would charge for a trans-Atlantic passage?
That would be cool…retracing the delivery flights of WWII.

Right forgive me for being blonde, but, which airshow @ Duxford are we on about here please? I havent been to airshows for some time, but now my step son is 4 Im going to try and introduce him to them, preferable without scaring the pants off him. :diablo: Bex

If theyre gonna fly the thing over, even the gate prize at Duxford is worth it! 😀

This sounds amazing! Hope it happens, but the Liberty Foundation website doesn’t have too many details. I would certainly give a donation but it can only be done by mail, and I don’t trust the mail enough for a cheque to make it from the UK to the US. Potentially there could be 3 B-17s at Flying Legends this year if Pink Lady comes over as well!

Have you contacted forum member SConner?