The Belle has engines

[mustangdriver]

I was in the shops on Monday. Man does it look sweet.

[cooper9411]

Said it before and I'll say it again, some people have all the fun

[Steve Nelson]

Fantastic! She's really starting to look like an airplane again!

SN

[gary1954]

Fantastic! She's really starting to look like an airplane again!

SN

Amen Brother...Aaaaamen

[mustangdriver]

It is really sweet. The engines are zero timed engines. The thing I think is really cool is that as damage is repaired, it is first researched to see if it is from the combat tour or it's later display years. If it is from the display years it is repaired, but if it is from it's missions it is left. So there will be combat repairs, and flack damage left as is.

[Steve Nelson]

I must admit I'm a bit surprised they're doing so much assembly before painting..it's gonna require a lot of masking later. Naturally, the blotch camo and personal markings that were added during service would be more accurately replicated if they're applied after final assembly, but it seems like a lot of components would be easier to paint the basic OD and Neutral Gray prior to being assembled (just as many subassemblies were prepainted at the factory.)

SN

[cooper9411]

Doesn't matter how it's done, I'd still give anything to be a part of it.

[B 25 C]

My sister in law lived in Memphis for a number of years and I made a beeline to the Belle every time we went to visit. The Belle is a long way from me now but I'm glad because she is getting the correct attention she needed. I'm going to get up that way someday to see her again.

[cooper9411]

The Belle is about 2 hours from me and when time permits I try and get there to see the plane coming together.

[Pat Carry]

Great news Chris. Thanks for the update. Has it been decided yet who will have the honor of replicating the nose art? It would be a very cool thing if the museum had some kind of contest (contest might be the wrong word here) to determine who gets to apply the art work!

[mustangdriver]

They have alot of pieces already painted like the turrets and such. As for nose art, well I have someone we all know and love in mind!

[Clifford Bossie]

Thanks for posting those photos Chris! She has come a long way from when I saw her two years ago.

[Pat Carry]

They have alot of pieces already painted like the turrets and such. As for nose art, well I have someone we all know and love in mind!

Is that someone a person who recently painted the nose art on a certain C-47 in Indiana?

[mustangdriver]

[Pat Carry]

:D

I'm sure he would be honored to do that!