Liberty Belle (B-17)

The Liberty Foundation’s B-17G Liberty Belle is a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber made near the end of the World War II. She has been restored and now tours air shows. [cite web|url=http://www.libertyfoundation.org/history-libertybelle.html|title=What is the Story Behind the Liberty Belle B-17?|work=Liberty Bell B-17 Flying Fortress|accessdate=2008-03-03|publisher=The Liberty Foundation, Inc.]

Aircraft History

The B-17G (SN 44-85734)cite web|url=http://home.att.net/~jbaugher/1944_6.html|title=1944 USAAF Serial Numbers (44-83886 to 44-92098)|work=Encyclopedia of American Aircraft|accessdate=2008-03-03|publisher=Joseph F. Baugher
*NOTE: [http://www.airwarweb.net/usaaf/8af_1944-09.php The AAF combat history for September 9, 1944 does not have this article's history for the Liberty Belle.] ] flown by the Liberty Foundation did not see combat in World War II. Originally sold on June 25, 1947 as scrap to Esperado Mining Co. of Altus, OK, it sold again later that year to Pratt & Whitney for $2,700. Pratt & Whitney operated the B-17 from November 19, 1947 to 1967 as a heavily modified test bed for their P&W T-34 and T-64 turboprop engines. It became a “5-engine aircraft”, having the powerful prototype engine mounted on the nose. The aircraft was flown “single-engine,” with all four radial engines feathered during test flights. Following this life as a test platform, it was donated in the late 1960s to the Connecticut Aeronautical Historic Association (now the [http://neam.org New England Air Museum] in Windsor Locks, CT. During a tornado on October 3, 1979 another aircraft was thrown onto the B-17’s mid-section, breaking the Fortress's back.

The B-17 was eventually purchased by aviation enthusiast Don Brooks who formed the [http://www.libertyfoundation.org/ Liberty Foundation] to restore and exhibit the plane as the "Liberty Belle." Restoration of 44-85734 began in 1992 with parts from another damaged B-17 (44-85813). Restoration by Tom Reilly and company/Flying Tigers Museum (aka "Bombertown USA") located at that time at Kissimmee Gateway field Kissimmee, FL. She returned to the air December 8 2004 and has been touring the air show circuit since then. The Liberty Foundation also has a historic overseas tour planned in July of 2008 for the Liberty Belle along the northern ferry route to England. The promotional video can be found on YouTube under Liberty Belle B-17 Overseas Tour.

B-17 Flying Fortress 42-30096

On 9 September 1944 the real Liberty Belle and eleven other B-17s were flying over their target. As the Liberty Belle dropped a 1,000-lb bomb, the bomb was hit by flak. This caused an explosion that damaged the Liberty Belle and destroyed or damaged nine of the twelve B-17s. Six of these fell on the target. One flew on only a single engine all the way back to Paris, adding another "crippled" bomber to the list. The Liberty Belle was the last one to make it back to the airbase.Fact|date=March 2008

References and Footnotes

External links

* [http://www.libertyfoundation.org/ The Liberty Foundation]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1rZ5M2Qty8 Promotional video for the Liberty Belle B-17 Overseas Tour]