Sad news hit the warbird community yesterday with the loss of one of the few remaining flyable Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers. The aircraft in question is B-17G N390TH Liberty Belle and what appears to be an exceptional forced landing on return to Aurora Municipal Airport, Illinois was made shortly after an early morning takeoff on 13 June. Early reports indicate that an engine fire developed and, indeed, the propeller of the port inboard Wright R-1820 (Number 2) seems to have been feathered. All seven on board – members of the crew and volunteers from the Liberty Foundation – made it out safely though one is reported to have been taken to a local hospital.
Unlike the mainstream media, I am not about to go out on a limb with regard to causes but here is a link to photos of the incident (click on Full Story):
(above) N390TH is seen in happier days. In this image, Liberty Belle climbs out from Nellis AFB, Nevada in November 2007. The markings are those of the 390th Bombardment Group which was part of the United Kingdom-based Eighth Air Force during the Second World War.
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