B17 Liberty Belle | FerrariChat

B17 Liberty Belle

Discussion in 'Aviation Chat' started by sowest, Oct 10, 2010.

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  1. sowest

    sowest Formula Junior

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    A friend of mine on the East Coast sent me a copy of one of those local, free, newspapers. It had an article about the B17 that is now flying as the "Liberty Belle". The airplane was built at the very end of the war and never saw combat. It was sold as scrap, but was never cut up as it was sold to Pratt and Whitney Aircraft. It was flown as an experimental 5 engine aircraft with a powerful prototype test engine mounted in the nose.

    When Pratt and Whitney was finished with it, the plane was donated to the Connecticut Aeronautical Historical Association for display at the newly founded Bradly Air Museum. It was there, outside, until 1979 when a freak tornado came through the area and tore the plane in half. A new air museum in the same area had the wreckage for a few years until an individual bought it, formed the Liberty Foundation and restored the aircraft to flying condition.
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  2. ND Flack

    ND Flack Formula 3

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    That's a new one on me -- very cool -- thanks for sharing.
     
  3. MarkPDX

    MarkPDX F1 World Champ Lifetime Rossa

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    Just saw it this weekend at the Little Rock airshow. Didn't take any pictures of it though.
     
  4. Gatorrari

    Gatorrari F1 World Champ Silver Subscribed

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    Today, at the Great Georgia Airshow in Peachtree City, I saw the Liberty Foundation's newest warbird, an immaculate P-40E Warhawk which was resurrected from a 1941 wreck to become essentially an entirely new airplane. (The announcer said that it had but 18 hours in its logbook!) It flew in conjunction with a Supermarine Spitfire IXe from the Fighter Factory in Virginia Beach.

    The P-40 will be resident here through the winter and will reside adjacent to the 57th Fighter Group restaurant near Dekalb-Peachtree Airport. As you can tell, it does have a second seat, and they say that rides will be available at PDK.
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  5. sowest

    sowest Formula Junior

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    Wow! That P40 is beautiful...and pristine. The Spitfire too. Great pics!

    I passed over the B17 photos again and had to smile, imagining a student pilot showing up for lessons in the thing: but sir, it IS single engine, centerline thrust....;>)
     
  6. RacerX_GTO

    RacerX_GTO F1 World Champ Silver Subscribed

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    Gabe V.

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