B-17 "Liberty Belle" leaving USA & grounded? (

Robbie Roberts · **Posted:** Fri Jun 20, 2008 9:39 pm

Flying: The thrill of soaring suspended on a wing, using a map and landmarks to navigate to places unknown, or well known, and enjoying the calm, and exciting experience.

Commercial Flying: being crammed in a tin can with a bunch of other souls on the voyage of the dam*ed from one hub to another, with charges for every conceivable service, and the feeling that when you get home, you would rather stay there. See "Mexican Bus" or "Indian Passenger Train"

Robbie

Don Martin · **Posted:** Sat Jun 21, 2008 6:15 pm

Anyone have an itinerary and dates for the her trip?? I heard that she was going to pass through Bangor, Me. on the way and the Remnents of The Maine Snowball Militia still need to know.
Thanks
Don

JohnTerrell · **Posted:** Sat Jun 21, 2008 7:24 pm

I learned today that the plan is to land at Duxford on July 4th. Still no word on the exact departure date or in-between-dates, but it sounds like they will be able to be tracked online, just like the Bolero II mission, through the tracking systems provided by the Wingspeed Corporation.

muddyboots · **Posted:** Sat Jun 21, 2008 7:40 pm

Well, it's change is coming soon but it's going to be for the worse, IMHO. The only reason the industry has hung on THIS long is government subsidies and bailout after bailout. Eventually they'll start colapsing like the SNL's and we won't bail them out any more. Then we'll be back to (hopefully) smaller, fewer, more agile corporations that actually compete with each other instead of us.

Robbie Roberts · **Posted:** Sat Jun 21, 2008 11:41 pm

Bring back the passenger train, and leave the skies for PILOTS/Fliers/Aviators...

(See why I am not interested in commercial aviation as a career field?!)

Speaking of career fields- I am now an A&P Instructor at night at Aviation Institute of Maintenance, Philadelphia!

Robbie

Firebird · **Posted:** Sun Jun 22, 2008 6:00 am

JohnTerrell wrote:

I learned today that the plan is to land at Duxford on July 4th.

Thats more like it.

Their website had them finishing the trip at the former 390th base at Framlingham, which would be a touch difficult as the runways have long gone... :shock:

There are only two remaining former 8th AF B-17 WW2 bases left with original active runways, that's Deenthorpe and Glatton.

Alconbury still exists as a non-active USAFE station but has been hugely modified from it's wartime state.

Don Martin · **Posted:** Tue Jun 24, 2008 8:54 pm

I got the answer to my question at about 1300hrs today while I was eating lunch. I saw Liberty Belle turning final into BIA at that time. But no time to pick up my camera. I did get some after work, though. She's here for scheduled maintenance before crossing the pond, and is supposed to return sometime next month.
For your viewing pleasure..........................

TonyM · **Posted:** Tue Jun 24, 2008 10:53 pm

Bill Greenwood wrote:

I took a United flight out of Buffalo Wed afternoon at 2:19. As we taxied into position I saw out the right side Liberty Belle at Prior Aviation. It sure added some class to a ramp full of transportation airplanes. I wanted to reach out and pet it sort of like a golden retriever.
I will have to give the airlines credit for being safe and usually reasonably priced, but they sure aren't fun. I'd be embaressed to give what they call a snack to a street person. I got back to Denver about 6pm, but felt like I had been shipped in an aluminum tube with other sardines. No exaggeration, there is more leg room in a Spitfire than my seat in 26F. What a shame that for most people an experience like that is what they call flying and all they know of airplanes.

I've flown a lot, but I have never been in one of those jet powered buses. Thank goodness. I was hoping to live my entire life without getting into one of those monsters. Probably not possible though; my wife wants to travel to some places that a Cessna 150 won't make it to.

TonyM.

ZRX61 · **Joined:** Tue Jun 14, 2005 10:16 am **Posts:** 2309

Firebird wrote:

There are only two remaining former 8th AF B-17 WW2 bases left with original active runways, that's Deenthorpe and Glatton.

Alconbury still exists as a non-active USAFE station but has been hugely modified from it's wartime state.

Stansted? ok, that was a bit of a stretch.... :wink:

Doesn't Snetterton still have a runway? What about Norwich? (or *Narch* as the locals pronounce it).. ok, I'm not sure any of those were 17 bases, wasn't *Narch* B24's?

Randy Haskin · **Posted:** Tue Jun 24, 2008 11:49 pm

ZRX61 wrote:

What about Norwich? (or *Narch* as the locals pronounce it).. ok, I'm not sure any of those were 17 bases, wasn't *Narch* B24's?

It's a little more like "Nar-ich"

bomberflight · **Posted:** Wed Jun 25, 2008 7:01 am

Randy, are there plans to hook up and fly escort with the Liberty Belle when it arrives into Duxford ?

Stoney · **Posted:** Wed Jun 25, 2008 9:16 am

should depart Bangor on the 30th, arrive UK on the 4th

Canso42 · **Posted:** Thu Jun 26, 2008 10:06 pm

Don, that tail shot against the light is plumb artsy. Good work dude.

Robbie, As a former locomotive engineer (freight) pleeeez don't bring on any of those passenger things. You guys think AIRLINES are the voyage of the damned......

And I'm with Bill on jet travel. Sometimes necessary but hardly a meaningful experience. I flew from IAH to O Hare in an Embraer RJ with one foot on top of the other because the wall of the cabin slanted 45 degrees and there was no place for my right leg to occupy. Being over six feet, I passed down the aisle deplaning with my head leaned to one side. "Walk this way".

It's late and Im getting incoherent,
blue skies,
Doug

Firebird · **Posted:** Fri Jun 27, 2008 5:42 am

ZRX61 wrote:

Firebird wrote:

There are only two remaining former 8th AF B-17 WW2 bases left with original active runways, that's Deenthorpe and Glatton.

Alconbury still exists as a non-active USAFE station but has been hugely modified from it's wartime state.

Stansted? ok, that was a bit of a stretch.... :wink:

Doesn't Snetterton still have a runway? What about Norwich? (or *Narch* as the locals pronounce it).. ok, I'm not sure any of those were 17 bases, wasn't *Narch* B24's?

Snetterton was a B-17 base, but the runways are long gone, the back straight of the motor racing circuit was built out of part of the old main runway... :wink:

Norwich as is, or Horsham St.Faith as was, was a B-24 base.

No, only 'active' original B-17 runways left are Deenthorpe and Glatton.

There is one other one that could be active if it wasn't currently being used as open air storage for thousands of new unsold cars, and that's the former RAE airfield at Thurleigh in Beds.

RNDMTRS4EVR · **Posted:** Fri Jun 27, 2008 12:18 pm

I have a question,
was Biggin Hill (sp) a fighter or bomber base? I have flown into Biggin and Stansted before. I liked Biggin Hill better.
Scott.....

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B-17 "Liberty Belle" leaving USA & grounded? (

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