good news for B-17 "the Pink Lady"

Old SAR pilot · **Posted:** Wed Apr 11, 2007 6:39 pm

Great news, Cedric!!

With the EU and it's rulings, you have to take what you can get, I suppose..

However....One year at a time...Good for 2007, let's see what 2008 brings..

And post on WIX when the association's website is up!

FWV · **Joined:** Sat Oct 28, 2006 2:39 pm **Posts:** 24

there is no "Official" website for Forteresse Toujours Volante :wink:

Iclo · **Posted:** Wed Feb 10, 2010 4:49 pm

This time, the news about "Pink Lady" are very sad: It looks confirmed that the plane will definitely grounded this spring, after landing on the short runway of la Ferté Alais, just enough long to land but too short for take off (in normal operation for sure)

The official reason of the grounding is cost insurance increase and too few peoples to fly and maintain the plane.

Holedigger · **Posted:** Wed Feb 10, 2010 8:50 pm

Dig up a few JATO bottles and help get her off the ground! I'm sure we could find someone here in the States that would love to take care of her!

ww2John · **Posted:** Wed Feb 10, 2010 9:23 pm

So Sorry to hear this, but that was what I expected when they told me she was headed there.
A real nice group of people, truly dedicated & talented volunteers, who treated me very well when I stopped by their former home in the industrial section of Orly back in '99. The Pink Lady was kept in terrific condition by their hard work.
Good Wishes to them and her.

CrewDawg · **Posted:** Wed Feb 10, 2010 9:52 pm

Does anyone have any good contact information with the crew of the Pink Lady? I will be going to France on business in March and I want to go see her. From what I can see on Google Earth, it's about a 3/12 hour drive from Paris. It would be great to go see the only other Pathfinder left and trade info.

PM or email me.

Thanks in advance.

BTW, here are two websites that I know of for Pink Lady, somebody earlier said that there wasn't an official website.

http://www.thepinklady.fr/

http://pink.lady.free.fr/

Warbird Kid · **Posted:** Thu Feb 11, 2010 9:11 am

I bet Jerry Yagen would be willing to keep this one aloft. But I think she's made quite a home for herself in France. I hope this isn't the end for her.

Warbird Kid · **Posted:** Thu Feb 11, 2010 9:11 am

Delete DP

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Thu Feb 11, 2010 11:40 am

As you guys know I am a fan of static and flyers, but I think it stinks when a flyer is parked static for these types of reasons. The crew in France did a great job with her for a very long time.

Holedigger · **Posted:** Thu Feb 11, 2010 11:49 am

Well, if she is going to be permanently grounded, I hope they build up a nice museum around her, INDOORS and well kept. The B-17's played a pivotal role in the airwar over France in those dark days. Many crewmen were killed and wounded in the liberation of France. An appropriate monument and museum to keep their memory alive.

Pat Carry · **Posted:** Thu Feb 11, 2010 5:08 pm

Holedigger wrote:

Well, if she is going to be permanently grounded, I hope they build up a nice museum around her, INDOORS and well kept. The B-17's played a pivotal role in the airwar over France in those dark days. Many crewmen were killed and wounded in the liberation of France. An appropriate monument and museum to keep their memory alive.

Lets hope its doesnt go into storage like the other B-17 in France.

Fortress Fan · **Posted:** Fri Feb 12, 2010 6:20 am

Iclo wrote:

This time, the news about "Pink Lady" are very sad: It looks confirmed that the plane will definitely grounded this spring, after landing on the short runway of la Ferté Alais, just enough long to land but too short for take off (in normal operation for sure)

The official reason of the grounding is cost insurance increase and too few peoples to fly and maintain the plane.

Is this the official reason, as this has been said before and did not happen, appologies to you if you are part of the Pink lady team, its just its nice to know if this is rumour or fact.

Iclo · **Posted:** Tue Feb 16, 2010 5:38 pm

The official reason says that "not enought money to continue to pay the insurance, and lack of people involved (this team maintained the plane for a long time)

In the rumor part, people who wanted to be help, received a polite but ending "No thank you".
So, there are different people who think that the team prefer to ground the plane and use her as a master piece of the museum, than try to renew the team and try again to keep her in skies. Visibly, some people from 'your side of the pond" have offered their help also, but receive the same negative answer.

Warbird Information Exchange

good news for B-17 "the Pink Lady"

Who is online