smh@hpindda.cup.hp.com (Stephen Head) (06/29/90)
From: smh@hpindda.cup.hp.com (Stephen Head) ["Southern Belle"] I have heard the following (from a 388th BG association newsletter) about a movie about B-17s in action over Europe, called "Southern Belle". All dates appearing below are last year (1989). Can anyone supply any more recent information? Steve ---------- Formations of American bombers and fighters were a common sight over East Anglia during the Second World War. These wartime scenes were again recreated during the last weeks of June and early July as Duxford Airfield, near Cambridge, became the base for the production of a new feature film. "Southern Belle" will tell the story of 24 hours in the perilous life of a B-17 bomber crew. Five B-17 Flying Fortresses were brought together for the film, together with eight P-51 Mustang fighters and three Bf 109 Messerschmitt fighters. B-17s in the film will be: David Tallichet's B-17G 44-83546 from America; Bob Richardson's B-17F N17W (42-29782) from America; Jean Salis's B-17G 44-8846 "Lucky Lady" from France and IGN's B-17F from France. Sally B had a big modification for the filming: the removal of the chin turret, fitting new cheek guns, remaking the tail gun position to B-17F type, fitting new ball and upper turrets, removing waist gun windows and fitting new mounts, replacing radio aerials with type for the period. After the filming, the aircraft will be restored to present condition. .... On July 25th the B17-F from France ran off the runway on takeoff, crashed and burst into flames. All ten men got out before the plane caught fire. but five men, all from France, went to the hospital after the crash at RAF Binbrook. The most serious injury was a broken leg.
de@cs.rochester.edu (Dave Esan) (07/03/90)
From: moscom!de@cs.rochester.edu (Dave Esan) In article <1990Jun29.025448.6768@cbnews.att.com> smh@hpindda.cup.hp.com (Stephen Head) writes: > > >From: smh@hpindda.cup.hp.com (Stephen Head) >David Tallichet's B-17G 44-83546 from America; Bob Richardson's B-17F >N17W (42-29782) from America; I was recently at the National Warplane Museum in Geneseo, NY. They had one of these two B-17's on hand. I was informed that the plane had been left there by the owner for repairs, was used in the film (and had flown across the Atlantic - it is that good shape), and was now off to Seattle for the the Boeing Museum. The sad part is that is will be deactivated for a static display. I think that people in Seattle should protest the destruction of a dwindling aeronautic species. -- ______________________________________________________________________________ --> David Esan {rutgers, ames, harvard}!rochester!moscom!de ______________________________________________________________________________