Warbird Information Exchange

Was wondering what this is all about?

Liberty Belle.

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Olivier Lacombe -- Harvard Mk.4 C-GBQB

This aircraft currently flies as 'Liberty Belle'.

This link will answer your question about the fifth engine...

http://home.att.net/~jbaugher2/b17_25.html


Fade to Black...

I was an Associate Curator at the time the New England Air Museum when we made the decision and traded the B-17, or 299Z as we would call it, to Reilly.

We (NEAM) took a lot of flak about the trade and sending the "Pratt & Whitney B-17" out of the state, but all I can say is that we now have a restored B-25H on display in the museum AND a flying B-17 in the skies, which, by the way has spent the last two weeks in the State of Connecticut flying rides.

None of that would have ever happened if we didn't trade the B-17 for the restoration of the B-25H. Knowing the extent of the damage to both aircraft first hand, I can say that if that trade was not made back in the late 1980's, both aircraft would still be sitting in the storage yard at the museum, crumpled and suffering 16 plus years of futher decay.

I miss the 299Z in CT, but I'm happy it's flying again.
Blue skies,
Jerry O'Neill

PS: You shold see the photos of it with all four Wright engines feathered and just the T-34 Turbo in the nose running!
Jerry

It was an attempt to break the 5-engined aircraft speed record, a record the aircraft holds to this day.

There has to be at least one wise-guy around here, right?

I'm on the road at the moment and don't have access to my library, but...if I am wrong, I am sure that I will be corrected within this forum.

C&W also had a 5 engine B17, which after "conversion" back to a 4 engine was used as a fire-bomber and crashed...the partial remains of which were combined with the P&W B17 to make Liberty Belle.

Is my memory correct? or...do I go sit in the corner?

You are correct ww2John.
The C-W 299Z was converted back many years ago to a standard B-17 config. It crashed in North Carolina and some of it was incorporated into "Liberty Belle".
Amazing the two, 5 engined B-17's became one, so many years later!
Jerry

Here is a photo of the NEAM a/c soon after it arrived at Tom Reilly's. (1990?)
Over the years I enjoyed watching the restoration progress and
very happy she is back flying.

Yeah, I know, we were all much younger then.

Bill