Liberty Belle Flys B-17 Bomber

[Andykev]

December 8, 2004, 2:40 EST - the B-17 “Liberty Belle� was taken airborne for the first time in over 45 years! Following an extensive 15-year restoration, our B-17’s first test flight was a huge success! While there is still much to do to prepare the Liberty Belle for her extensive 2005 tour schedule, the aircraft flew effortlessly around the Kissimmee Airport and was a pleasure to fly. This now brings the number of airworthy B-17s to 14 in the world.

http://www.libertyfoundation.org/index.php

 

[MikeyB17]

Fantastic!

Always great to see another B-17 in the air where it belongs. Wish there was an outfit in the UK that did passenger flights in a B-17-I'd kill for a flight in my favourite aircraft.

 

[Brad A. Cox]

The B-17 Bomber is true poetry and grace in motion. They have awaken another angel and given back her wings. It kind of brings a tear to my eye seeing one rise like the eagle into flight.

 

[WWII crusher]

Liberty Belle

Really love the nose art!

 

[PADDY]

B-17..poetry in motion..

Another Phoenix rises from the ashes then! Amazing that there are only 14 now, when after the war there were almost brand new ones out in the likes of the desert lined up in their hundreds, waiting to be scrapped! What I wouldn't give to be able to clamber over those babes, maybe get one of the Boeing hubs off the steering column before they get cut up!! but those chances seem to have gone now. What a sad, but inevitable end. I guess, they are just pieces of metal to most folk, but to the crews, when you read some of their combat stories, these inanimate objects were almost personified as a living breathing part of the team! Which is hardly surprising, considering the mental torture these guys went through on each mission, where the plane took them into the mouth of Hades, and back again to mother earth.

 

[BellyTank]

Paddy-

You'll like this site then Paddy-
http://www.aviation-antiques.com/

Wasn't the bomber at Duxford called Liberty Belle?

B
T

 

[PADDY]

Bombers at Duxford..

Wasn't the bomber at Duxford called Liberty Belle?

B
T

Mmmmm, there was obviously the Sally-B (B-17 in the background of our group shot); there was a B-17 from France, and there 'may have been' a B-24 with that name at the Flying Legends, but not sure. Going to have a quick peek at that web link you gave me...

 

[scotrace]

Sixty and Still Dangerous

http://outsidethefence.typepad.com/walking/2005/05/i_was_the_last_.html

 

[SpykiE]

I was really bummed this year, b/c I'm out at school in Minnesota and I wanted to go with my dad and my brothers to Redding, PA's airshow 2 weekends ago... unfortunately, being almost 1300 miles away from New Jersey right now makes that close to impossible. Last year however, was a different story. It would have been a really good show, except we went on the day that it decided to rain all day (go figure), but I did get to see the one B-17 that was at the show.... as it was flying away ... I was really surprised to see they had a B-29 there (which was just amazing to see in person), a B-24 and B-25, and various other planes (P-47, P-51, Boomerang, Spitfire, etc) and they even had this fake Jap Zero. Aside from the planes, they had a lot of WWII reenactors there and they did a little scenario out on the grassy area between the runways which was cool. I really wanted to go to Osh Kosh (as I've never been there), but maybe next year....

-=SpykiE=-

 

[Hondo]

B-17

I finally got my life time wish and rode in B-17 Nine O Nine over the Memorial Day weekend near Sacramento. Ever since I was a boy, I loved this bombers and all the WW2 films like Gregory Pecks 12 O’clock High, to TV’s 12 O’Clock High, with Robert Lansing , it’s a love affair only a few of you know.
The Nine O Nine was great so smooth from take off to landing, it was even better flight than some of the major airlines like Southwest. Even met a few vets who were a part of the B-17 crews in WW2, it was an honor to meet, God bless them all, long may the live.
I sure bet the Liberty Bell was an awesome ride, and Mike I want an uniform like yours but they don’t make caps for fat heads like me, still, I’m searching, thanks to all of you for keeping the B17 alive.