Memphis Belle to fly again

[bazzar]

Well, at least virtually.

B17F-10-BO and B17F-20-series about to take to the skies.

[stansdds]

Nice!

[PRB]

B-17F? That would be nice. Wasn't aware that there was one. Aeroplane Heaven making an -F? Is that what I'm to read into this? That would be borderline awesomeness.

[Roger]

I predict much joy from SOH for an "F" Baz

[jankees]

OW, cool, an F!

[Dutcheeseblend]

Wow! Just out of the blue: "Hey mates, I forgot to say, but we also made B17."

Fantastic work!

[bazzar]

It's been on slow simmer (sic) for a while, time to bring it to the boil. Won't be long.

[stovall]

What a great surprise. Something definitely to look forward to. Thanks Baz.

[fsxar177]

You guys are just full of surprises!

[Shylock]

Take my money now!!!!.... It would nice if they contacted the folks at VRS. From what John said, its easy to TacPack old WWII birds and would only take a week or two to pull it off. I for one will be plunking my money down either way. You guys just made my weekend. I don't the lady would feel the same, but I have been wanting a true FSX F model for a long time. Can't thank you enough.

[manfredc3]

AAWWEESSOOMME !!

[Dutcheeseblend]

Yep, TacPacking the bird won't be difficult for the people of AH, and at the other hand it's VRS's chance to get into full WWII warbird simulations (I'm thinking of a rotating, shooting turret, which would be possible for them according to what I've heard there).

[huub vink]

Based on the many calls for a FSX native B-17F I have seen over the years, I think this thread will create many smiling faces.

Cheers,
Huub

[Bomber_12th]

What a nice surprise, Baz! The B-17F, to me, is the most classic variant. There are so many great and historic paint schemes that belong on a true F-model.

The last true B-17F to fly was the late Bob Richardson's example, N17W, now permanently loaned to the Museum of Flight as "Boeing Bee". It flew as a fire bomber, and also participated in the filming of movies such as "Tora, Tora, Tora", and "Memphis Belle", in which it was the only true F-model of all five of the B-17's in that movie (the others being disguised as F-models).

The aircraft was restored to original Boeing factory specifications, though there are errors in the external paint scheme, with demarcation lines between OD and Grey being too high-up, and where as the rear fuselage would have been left bare metal during original production, it was primered with interior green instead for preservation, and the cockpits were originally finished in dark dull green/bronze green rather than black, as seen in the restored aircraft. A ton of photos of the interior of the aircraft can be seen on these pages (this is just page 1): http://flickrhivemind.net/Tags/n17w/Timeline

And a couple more shots of the cockpit: http://www.airplane-pictures.net/pho...ying-fortress/ and http://www.airplane-pictures.net/pho...ying-fortress/








Just one of the several different nose arts carried by N17W during the filming of "Memphis Belle".

[Ian Warren]

Golly Superb

[Alan_A]

Nice one - looking forward to it!

I don't want to be one of those "but-what-about-what-I-want" types, and I'll definitely be in on this one. But... ... in the future, any chance of some early postwar variants, maybe some civilianized ones? Have always wanted a B-17 fitted out for SAR or salmon-hauling or what have you. It came to mind only because the absence of a chin turret put me in mind of some of the turret-less conversions. Again, this is not an "instead of" request, more a matter of, if you ever do it, I'll be in on that one, too...

[heywooood]

Well I'm a big fan of the earlier Forts

when I was a kid watching 12'clock High and whatnot I thought the B17 was a big aircraft...
many years later when I finally saw one (Chino Ca) I was struck by how much smaller it was than
what I expected...9 men jammed in there with all that fuel and explosives flying for hours through flak and fighters - day in/day out weather permitting.
there are no words for what that must have been

[bazzar]

I have read that ironically, the place to be was of all places, the ball turret. This was because the enemy fighters were focused on knocking out the pilots and bombardier so concentrated their fire on the nose in head-on attacks. The courage these men displayed is quite extraordinary.

It was so sad to see how the "Belle"had suffered over the years. Thank goodness she's now in firm and safe hands. These iconic aeroplanes must be treasured. We will never see the like of them again.

[roger-wilco-66]

Great news! A sure buy!

[Dumonceau]

An F version!!! My paypal is ready and charged!!

And that VC looks yummie!!

[Shylock]

Is it wierd for me to keep checking and seeing if its out yet??? lol

[PRB]

Is it wierd for me to keep checking and seeing if its out yet??? lol

Nope, I just did the same thing, lol.

Here's a couple pics I shot in 1981, near the National Guard base at the airport in Memphis. I was in Millington, TN attending navy "A School". I was wandering around the airport, as airplane geeks do, and found this. I remember thinking, "surely, this isn't THE Memphis Belle...(?)"

[bazzar]

Interesting shots. Not sure of the identity though. The original Belle being a B17f-10-BO had a much flatter profile mid upper turret and twin 30 cal machine gun ports molded into the perspex nose. It might have been modified over the years of course but the aircraft in your shots looks like an E model.

[Dumonceau]

Is it wierd for me to keep checking and seeing if its out yet??? lol

Nothing wrong with that! But, for sanity's sake we should start "FSaholics Anonymous".

"Hello, my name is Johan, and I can't stop flying aircraft simulations"...

Johan

[PRB]

Interesting shots. Not sure of the identity though. The original Belle being a B17f-10-BO had a much flatter profile mid upper turret and twin 30 cal machine gun ports molded into the perspex nose. It might have been modified over the years of course but the aircraft in your shots looks like an E model.

Certainly possible. But the presence of that plane there at that time matches the Wikipedia history of the real Memphis Belle. And so does the sad condition... It looks like an F to me. I didn't know the Memphis Belle had the old E style top turret. But this plane does have the pointy node glass associated with the F. Here's an "E" nose.