Judging from the FAA airworthiness directive which TonyT linked to in another thread a couple of days ago, they could hardly do anything other than ground SallyB.  As the spar on airframe that gave rise to all this appears from the inspection done to be quite lterally coming apart, I think the tone in which the operator of SallyB seems to be keen to play down the seriousness of it is perhaps misplaced. 

FAA have stated that existing inspection procedures are insufficient to detect the cracking that has been found in the wing terminal-to-spar chord joints, and have specified the revised inspection procedures and areas to be examined.  I would think that SallyB has been previously examined under the existing inspection requirements, and may need to be examined under the newly specified procedures before her operators can be be quite so assured that their airframe is not adversely affected.  FAA have estimated the cost to US operators of doing the specified investigation and inspection work, and reporting back to them as being approaching $40k, and that is without any subsequent remedial work (the extent of which is not yet specified and will be decided after the FAA recieve the inspection reports back from the US operators). 

I would say the future for flying B17s is currently looking uncertain, and could involve some very expensive engineering work.

Well, that’s the end of that then:

https://www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk/news/local-news/government-confirms-raf-scampton-used-8302206

“Not even a slightly odd comment.

Put back together again is the operative term…”

On the contrary, in the light of the certainty that it is going to be dismantled, transported and re-assembled, it remains a very odd comment.  VTTS have already done the preliminary feasibility and costings, and as hypersonic has pointed out, work on dis-assembly is due to begin shortly.  You clearly haven’t been keeping up with what is actually going on. 

“BUILD HOMES NEXT TO THE OLD AIRFIELD AND KEEP IT LIVE, HMMM”

The WLDC proposal is for an airfield and aviation related industry/commercial/education.  There is nothing in the plan to suggest that there will much further residential provision beyond the RAF housing stock that is already present on site, so they won’t be building lots of homes next to an active airfield.  

If the Home Office to step in and pull the rug from under the feet of WLDC, there is no telling what the future might eventually hold, but is again likely to be houses or active airfield, not both.

There is an image on Alamy describes as “London Airport around 1953” in which there is a building in the centre background, the roofline of which (although seen from a different angle) does appear very similar to the building pictured in the scene from ‘TheLimping Man’, so I would inclined to think it possibly is at Heathrow.

However, that Alamy photo shows a Bedford CA van pulling the passenger steps, and they weren’t introduced until 1959, so clearly that photo was taken much later than 1953, and as has already been mentioned, much of the building development shown wasn’t there until the 60’s?

Although I am not terribly familiar with the Martlet and Hellcat, I would agree with Aerotony – from the pictures that I have looked at, they do appear to be Hellcats. 

The O on the aircraft code confirms the ship as HMS Ocean, and 892 Sqd FAA embarked Ocean in December 1945 prior to HMS Ocean being deployed to the Mediterranean Fleet (the squadron having been at Drem whilst training up as a night fighter squadron on the Hellcat – Ocean had been specially fitted out for night fighter operations).  Ocean was newly built and had been based at Rosyth prior to the Med deployment, which ties in with the Scottish appearance of the coastline in the background. 

From what I can find, 892 are listed as being on Ocean from 22nd November to 29th November 1945;  again from 7th December 1945 to 4th January 1946; and again from 18th February to 16th April 1946 (892 disbanded at Gosport on 19th April 1946).  There is another photo of an 892 sqn Hellcat on the flight deck of HMS Ocean on the History of War website which was taken in the Med in 1946; as with the OPs photo, HMS Meynell is in attendance, so I wonder if the OP photo was taken off Scotland either as they were preparing to depart for the Med’ or perhaps as they actually left?

The Firefly squadron was apparently 1792.

Perhaps I am missing something, but I can’t see anywhere that returning it to flight was even mentioned? 

No obstacle to ground running as far as I am aware; and there are plenty of ground running only aircraft which nonetheless have been put on the register and have a civilian registration allotted to them. 

People jumping to conclusions and making it up as they go along perhaps? 

It’s good to see one being kept in working order,  and if ever one were to be allowed to fly again, I would be very happy to see it.  Not going to hold my breath though!

“if TIGHAR/Gillespie has written Niku off, why does he come out so strongly against anyone else wanting to go there???”

What puzzles me is why does anyone else want to go there?    It was always a near certainty there was nothing to be found; even before tighar went there and found nothing!