124485 DF-A "Sally B"

G-BEDF

Boeing B-17G-105-VE c/n 8693 ex N17TE, F-BGSR, 44-85784

Originally built as a Boeing B-17G-105-VE c/n 8693, as one of the last to be constructed by the Lockheed-Vega plant at Burbank, California. Accepted by USAAF with serial 44-85784 19.6.45. Obviously too late to see war service, and was flown to Nashville for modifications. With 2750th Air Base Group, converted for training purposes and re-designated EB-17G 1949 it was based at Wright Field (now Wright-Patterson AFB), Ohio from November that year. As such it was used in a variety of research roles, one of the most bizarre being the addition of a man-carrying pod on the starboard wingtip. Also fitted at the time was an infra-red tracking device in place of the Perspex nose. 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, at Hill AFB in Utah From there she was posted to a number of other USAF bases for weather research work including Schenactady, New York, Hill, Utah & Olmstead, New Jersey, during which time her turrets were removed and wore fuselage Code BA-784. In France the Institut Geographic National (IGN) had purchased several B-17s after the war for survey and mapping work, and added others as necessary; ‘784 arrived in November 1954 and Re-Regd as F-BGSR. Based at Creil, these aircraft faithfully carried out work for the French government, and others, 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. 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 (IWM), Duxford, as N17TE, on 16.3.75 , 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. Re-Regd 5. 8.76 (CofR No: G-BEDF/R1) as G-BEDF to Mark Howard Campbell, Biggin Hill. 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 World War Two, but retaining her original serial number 485784. By 1982, plans were well underway for the first Great Warbirds Air Display at West Malling when tragedy struck. Ted was killed when his T-6 Harvard G-ELLY crashed during an air rally in Malta. Devastated by the disaster, Elly and the team nonetheless pulled themselves together to hold the air display, and to continue flying Sally B as Ted would have wished. In his memory, Sally B’s starboard inner engine cowling will always carry the same black and yellow chequered markings as his Harvard. Cld & Re-Regd 27.6.84 (CofR No: G-BEDF/R2) to Patricia Susan Campbell & David Gold. Cld & Re-Regd 30.4.85 (CofR No: G-BEDF/R3) to B17 Preservation Ltd. Last Permit expires 22.5.09.

Sally B Supporters/owners history at http://sallyb.dcgservices.com/history