Just e-mailed all seven (!) of my MEPs. I agree that mass identical e-mails are not as good as individually written letters but not everyone has the time to compose one. However, sending something is better than nothing so if anybody would like to cut/paste/amend/borrow some or all of my attempt below then feel free. In fact my e-mail is an amended version of Darren’s, so just change the wording around a bit or add and delete some bits and it will appear original enough (old trick learned in school!).

Stuart

Dear……..

I am writing to request your support in a major issue that is about to affect the UK preservation of a very important flying vintage aircraft.

New European insurance legislation (see link) regarding minimum insurance requirements for large aircraft, unfortunately classifies the UK’s last flying example of the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bomber, known as Sally B, in the same category as commercial airliners. This has had the direct result of grounding the aircraft due to the insurance premium rising 500%.

Sally B is the flagship of the Imperial War Museum and the USAAF memorial flight and flies in tribute to the 30,000 US airmen who died in the second world war flying from British airfields. The aircraft is operated by a group of volunteers and funded by charitable donations. This weekend’s Duxford airshow sees the beginning of this year’s 60th anniversary commemorations of VE day. Sally B has been withdrawn from flying at this and all other events and is grounded until further notice due to the increased premiums.

An exemption to this European law exists for “state aircraft and certain other aircraft” (see link). The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Lancaster bomber operated by the RAF as a memorial to the British airmen qualifies for the exemption as a state owned aircraft and is funded by the MoD. In order for Sally B to continue to carry out her very important role for future generations as a flying memorial to the US airmen, an exemption as “certain other aircraft” needs to be obtained.

Myself, the 12,000 or so other members of the Sally B supporters club, the hundreds of thousands of airshow spectators and of course the 30,000 US airmen whose memorial aircraft is threatened, need as much help as possible in raising awareness of Sally B’s plight and to lobby the authorities to gain the necessary exemption. Anything that you can do to help the cause would be greatly appreciated.

http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/pri/en…0en00010006.pdf

Yours sincerely,

……..

A great project!
I realise the project will take years to complete but what are the plans for the aircraft once finished? Has an agreement been reached to display the aircraft at Hendon/Duxford/elsewhere? Do the RAFM or IWM have any Whitley parts in store that would help the project? I understand from the website that the MOD have been very cooperative in the various recovery operations, will they also provide assistance or accommodation to help the restoration like they are with the Stirling project?

Best of luck to Elliot and his team
Stuart

No, got to be the B17 – tiny bomb load for a large aircraft with a large crew.
Got to be the worst in terms of bomb load per crew member (ie what it might cost to deliver the bombs).

Stuart

Wasn’t the Whitley the first aircraft to raid Germany?

Stuart

Thanks for that Mark, I’d never seen such a comparison before.
Twice the weight and twice the power…..impressive.
The undercarriage loading statistic is interesting, I thought that Seafires had a reputation for having a weak undercarriage and frequent collapses from the violence of carrier landings, yet in the table is rated at three times the loading of the Spitfire mk1. Was this a problem with earlier Seafires that was fixed by beefing up the undercarriage on the 47?

Stuart

I’ll try to answer my own question, is it the fuselage of the Barracuda? The high wing and undercarriage position looks right for this type. I thought this was under restoration at the moment rather than in store. Anybody know any details? Anybody wish to point out that this isn’t, in fact, the Barracuda but something completely different!

Thanks
Stuart

Would have made an ideal candidate for that restoration program that was on tv last year. Will there be another series? I vaguely recall that last year’s was the second series, perhaps this could be put forward for the third series – would get my vote.

Stuart

Oh, I need to learn to fly as well. A mere detail 😉

Stuart