IWM Duxford

The unmistakable "Sally B", the last remaining airworthy B17 Flying Fortress in Europe. I was thrilled to get so close to this remarkable airframe. Built as a Boeing B-17G-105-VE c/n 8693, the airframe was one of the last to be constructed by the Lockheed-Vega plant at Burbank, California. Accepted by the United States Army Air Force (USAAF) as 44-85784 on June 19 1945 it was too late to see war service, and was flown to Nashville for modifications. Converted for training purposes and re-designated TB-17G, it was based at Wright Field (now Wright-Patterson AFB), Ohio from November that year.

Continuing in the care of 2750th Air Base Group (ABG), ‘784 was selected for use as a research vehicle and in 1949 allocated EB-17G status. As such the B-17 was used in a variety of research roles, these trials continued for some years in a variety of guises and it was not until 1954 that ‘784 was returned to standard configuration, less armaments. In France the Institut Geographic National (IGN) had purchased several B-17s after the war for survey and mapping work, ‘784 arrived in November 1954 and was given the French registration F-BGSR. Based at Creil, these aircraft carried out work for the French government, and others, faithfully for many years. As they entered the 1970s it was apparent that the cost of operating the Flying Fortresses was getting prohibitive, also spares were becoming something of a problem so the IGN replaced the B-17s with other aircraft.

Businessman and pilot, Ted White brought F-BGSR to Britain via Biggin Hill to the Imperial War Museum Duxford in March 1975, to begin a new life as Sally B, named after Ted’s long-time companion Elly Sallingboe. Sally B made her debut at the 1975 Biggin Hill Air Fair, flying as the USAAF World War Two Memorial Flight. Kept in flying condition by volunteers from the newly formed Duxford Aviation Society, the Fortress was painted in the 457th Bomb Group, USAAF 8th Air Force, based at Glatton during the Second World War, but retaining her original serial number 485784. Sadly in 1982 Ted was killed when his T-6 Harvard crashed during an air rally in Malta. In his memory, Sally B’s starboard inner engine cowling will always carry the same black and yellow chequered markings as his Harvard. Sally B continues to be flown at displays as a memorial to the 79,000 US airmen who died fighting in the skies over Europe between 1942 and 1945. Lest We Forget. Sally B was used in the Hollywood movie "Memphis Belle" and carries the nose art on her starboard side.