An Update on the Sally B Flying Fortress: January 2017

01/23/2017

2017-01-20 When we went to France in the summer of 2013 to witness a ceremony on honoring a B-17 crew, which crashed in France during the war, we had a chance to witness the flight of a B-17 thanks to the efforts of the Sally B team.

http://sldinfo.wpstage.net/a-sally-b-partnership-supporting-the-b-17-flying-in-europe/

http://www.sallyb.org.uk

We were impressed with their efforts and have supported them as a partner ever since.

Honoring a 70-Year Old Memory of a B-17 Crew Operating in France: The Sally B in France from SldInfo.com on Vimeo.

http://sldinfo.wpstage.net/honoring-a-70-year-old-memory-of-a-b-17-crew-operating-in-france-sequestration-is-not-the-only-reality/

http://sldinfo.wpstage.net/remembering-the-b-17-in-france-an-eyewitness-perspective/

http://sldinfo.wpstage.net/congressional-recognition-of-the-b-17-ceremony-in-france/

http://sldinfo.wpstage.net/a-70-year-remembrance-of-the-b-17-in-the-liberation-of-france/

The latest issue of the Sally B News is now available to provide our readers with an update on the past year of activities.

In the lead piece by Elly Sallingboe, the 2016 display season was highlighted and reviewed.

“In the five short months of our 2016 season – from May to September – I’m delighted to say that we managed to present Sally B at 31 displays, and those in just under 20 hours’ flying time.

This was achieved by flying at more venues within a shorter radius of Duxford, and on some weekends, coordinating participation at up to five different events in a single weekend.”

She concluded her overview by discussing the final display for 2016 as follows:

September saw Sally B’s last display of the season at Duxford’s Battle of Britain Air Show which incidentally was also FDD (Flying Display Director) Jeanne Frazer’s last one at the helm for all IWM’s annual events.

I wanted to do something special to mark the occasion, and say thank you to this remarkable woman for her help and support over these many years at Duxford.

A one-off formation with the two Norwegian Vampires was in the planning, but this proved unworkable due to timing constraints. So, we settled for a special dedicated turn with “smoke on”, trying to emulate the heart done by the Red Arrows.

It did not quite work like that, but it was spectacular as any of you there on the day will testify!

Thank you, Jeanne – and for being my friend.

And thus, the 2016 display season ended for Sally B. What the future will hold is anyone’s guess, with Brexit and all the other happenings in the world as I write this.

The future of our most precious and irreplaceable aircraft must always remain paramount, so it is essential that I maintain an optimistic outlook.

With your continued and much appreciated help and support, I will try to do this!

For the full year’s activities, please see the latest newsletter from Sally B:

Sally B News issue 54