It would have been nice if they at least kept it airworthy and flew it
to airshows until the display space was ready. I remember seeing it
at Geneseo, NY in 1988, still in its fire bomber paint scheme. A year
later it was in its 'Memphis Belle' movie paint, ditto for 1990
season. When Bob Richardson passed it was flown to Seattle for good.
At least I can always see it in the air when I watch the movie.

Peter B

wrote in message . ..
Son of a bitch! Was I ever wrong... Dammit...

-j-

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Vintage B-17 bomber makes final flight
05:20 PM PST on Friday, December 12, 2003

By GLENN FARLEY / KING 5 News


A vintage World War II plane made its final flight Friday across
Western Washington Friday before settling at Seattle's Museum of
Flight.

The last B-17 F model bomber, also known as the "Flying Fortress" has
been in storage at Boeing in Renton, Wash. for years. It was one of
only a handful of WWII aircraft still able to fly.

During World War II, factories along Boeing Field in Seattle churned
out 16 B-17s every day.
After starring in four movies, including Memphis Belle, the plane
returned to Seattle in 1990.

By the mid-90s, volunteers were spending hundreds of hours restoring
the plane, complete with parts found all over the country, including
some pulled out of basements and barns.

But without an inside place to store it, the plane went back to
Renton. On Friday, however, it took its final flight back to Boeing
field and the Museum of Flight.

Capt. Buzz Nelson was at the controls for the 10-minute flight.

"It's wonderful, to hear those 18-20s out there roaring. It's good.
It's a little more complicated flying these airplanes than it is the
modern jets. This is a challenge," Nelson said.

A spokeswoman for the Museum of Flight says it is likely to be several
more years before the plane will be put on public display. The museum
needs more indoor space to protect it and other large planes in its
collection from the elements.

A Boeing B-17 F taxis after it's final landing at Boeing Field before
arriving at the Museum of Flight.
"It's just a blast. Its noise and vibration. Its power. It's just an
amazing sensation. Compared to the absolute smoothness of the modern
jet aircraft, the comfort in the passenger cabin, this is just all
business. It was built to do a job," says flight engineer Alan Peover.

Some 12,000 B-17s were built during the war, so many Boeing couldn't
even build them all. Factories along Boeing field cranked out 16 a
day.

Now, almost 60 years later. One is now home to stay.