B17 The Pink Lady

[Johan Willaert]

Took this picture today at the Wings&Wheels Show in Belgium... Just wanted to share this beautiful sight...

 

 

Enjoy,

 

Johan

[Jim Baker]

BEAUTIFUL!!

 

Thanks!!

[IMPERIAL QUEST]

There is no sound on earth that is more beautiful than the distinctive chorus of four Wright R1820's singing a 4,800hp symphony.

[Costa]

what a real beauty. just imagine a sky full!!!

[Oldcop]

When I first moved back to Redding, about 25 years ago, there was a B17 flying out of the Redding airport as a water bomber. It was later sold to a consortium that restored it to mil spec. It's one of the few left flying. Don't know what its name is now. Dave

[A/517]

I was lucky enough to spend a whole weekend acting as a ground crew for 3 B-17s at an Airshow at Duxford here in the UK. One of them was Pink Lady, the second was "Sally B" which played Memphis Belle in the film, and finally The Liberty Belle (US based). Unfortunately Sally B had suffered an Engine Failure and was left on the flight line with only 3 Engines, but it made for some good ground crew shots. We were allowed in and around the other two B-17s, The Liberty Belle being a stunningly restored example.

 

Not sure if many know but the pink lady was manafuctured as a G model and of the 3 at Duxford that day was the only genuine combat veteran B-17, having flown on missions over Germany with the 305th Bomb Group out of Chelveston under the name "Half Pint". The Chin turrett was removed, like on many others, as a way of saving on weight and the plane was repainted OD after its restore. It flew in combat as an unpainted model. Unfortunately this plane is on the verge of being grounded "For good" due to the costs of running it, and we were also told The Liberty Belle will never make a return trip to the UK again.

 

Our group and its very well represented 10 man bomber crew. I was a ground crew member, "grease monkey" not in this shot.

Out of the Pilots window of The Liberty Belle, looking at The Pink Lady.

All three together, the tail of Sally B closest, The Liberty Belle, and then The Pink Lady furthest.

 

Regards, Bez

[m1ashooter]

Well if a fort can't come home to the states then the next best place for her is in the UK its kinda fitting.

[FightenIrish35]

Great shots!!!!! Loving them!

[A/517]

Thanks!

 

We weren't there just to take photos, we were also there to ensure people didn't cross the barriers to get closer photos of the planes. It's the first year Duxford have incorperated reenactors into the security of the flight line. They figured that not only does it make the flight line look authentic it also gives people a good idea of what crews and ground crews wore back in those days. Also on the flight line we were patrolling was a B-25, an A-26 Avenger and a C-47, we were looking after the multi-engined planes. On the flightline opposite were 16 spitfires, 5 Mustangs, i think a Hellcat, a couple of Hurricanes, a P40 Kittyhawk that flew against Japanese fighters at Pearl Harbor, the only Pearl Harbor veteran still flying, and god knows how many other planes or all shapes and size, but all WWII. It was one hell of a weekend, but it desperately missed having a Thunderbolt and a Lightning there. The only remained Thunderbolt left in the UK was sold to the states, but Duxford are currently in the process of restoring a very early razorback model of the plane, which i simply cannot wait to see Airborne. The last time a Lightning flew in the UK it crashed doing a barrell roll at Duxford in the most spectacular but devastating way. Not only was it horrible watching a crash in which you KNOW the pilot is killed, but seeing a war-bird like that go up in a ball of flames and end up a mass of twisted metal, is just..............depressing. Videos of the crash can be seen on the Internet.

 

For all those Air force enthusiasts in the states, it comes highly recommended that you at least once make a flight over to attend the Duxford Flying Legends air display which is held every July. It show cases the very best the UK has to offer when it comes to warbirds and i can just about Guarantee that if you like the Spitfire, you'll never see so many in one place again (It can, and has, had as many as 18/19)! Not only that but Duxford itself is a legendary Airfield, it was used as a Battle Of Britain airfield operating Spitfires before being handed over to the USAAF who housed a group of Thunderbolts at the Airfield. It was also used for the filming of the film The Battle Of Britain and many of the locations seen in the film are fave photos spots (They did however completely destroy one of Duxfords original hangers in a bombing scene . It is also probably the UK largest Air museum, with a dedicated USAF hanger, housing another B-17, a B-29, a B-24, a C-47, F-111, SR-71, Mustang, and of course, a B-52 (When you see the building you'll wonder how they got it in there!).

 

Regards, Bez

[Paul]

 

Hi,

Another shot of "Pink Lady" a couple of years ago in Duxford.

 

/Paul

[Dirk]

We weren't there just to take photos, we were also there to ensure people didn't cross the barriers to get closer photos of the planes

 

How right you are. In 1987 during my first visit to Duxford after wondering around the hangers and museum I went inside the control tower thinking it was just another part of the museum complex, and not seeing any signs saying not to.....there were a number of period unmarked buildings around the base so I figured I'd go in. When I saw the controllers at work the clue light came on and I started to leave when one of them saw me and asked what I was doing in there....needless to say I left in a hurry....I think the following year signs were put up.

 

I must agree Duxford is an amazing place and I always enjoyed watching aircraft fly in to the base from my house up the A-1....I remember seeing a Lancaster, both alone and with the Battle of Britain memorial flight and a B-17 pass overhead.