Wings and Pixels

Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress

'Sally B'/'Memphis Belle'

The B-17 is the most famous US four-engined bomber of WW2 and made its first flight in July 1935.

G-BEDF was originally delivered to the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) in June 1945 as 44-85784, but did not see active service during WW2. It was taken off charge in 1954 and in the same year the Institut Géographique National bought it for use as a survey aircraft.

In 1975, it was moved to England and was registered as G-BEDF 'Sally B' and restored to its wartime condition.

In 1981, 'Sally B' was used in the TV series 'We'll Meet Again' and again in the 1990 film 'Memphis Belle'. The aircraft still wears the 'Memphis Belle' nose art on its starboard side.

Between 1983 and 1984 'Sally B' was repainted in an olive drab/grey colour scheme with markings of the 124485 of the 447th Bombardment Group.

'Sally B' is operated by B-17 Preservation Ltd, based at Duxford, Cambridgeshire and is the only airworthy B-17 in Europe.