Liberty Belle Update...
Mon Nov 29, 2004 3:57 pm
Looks Like Dec 7 is to be her first flight...
Found it here:
http://www.tampatrib.com/FloridaMetro/MGBFX4K142E.html
KISSIMMEE - The warbird bug bit Tom Reilly the first time he climbed into the cockpit of one.
A few months later, he bought his first - a derelict B- 25 Mitchell.
``I thought it would be a neat airplane to toy with,'' the 62- year-old Philadelphia native says.
``I bought it for $700 or $800 in storage costs, worked on it for two years and sold it in flyable condition for $17,500. I thought I was getting rich.''
What he was getting was hooked.
In the 3 1/2 decades since that first step, Reilly has restored 31 vintage warplanes, including nearly a dozen B-25s.
``Numbers 32 and 33 are being worked on now,'' he says.
A B-17 bomber dubbed Liberty Belle is one of the latter. It was used for various purposes for years after the war, but was left to decompose in a Connecticut field after a tornado ravaged it in 1979.
``She was built at the end of World War II and never saw combat,'' Reilly says.
``She's very heavily modified. [A previous owner] cut the cockpit and mounted a fifth engine in the nose for [flight] tests.''
B-17s usually have four 1,200-horsepower engines capable of flying them at 200 miles per hour.
``It and the B-24 were the mainstays of [the war in] Europe. There were 13,000 built and 5,000 or 6,000 were shot down. There are 26 known to exist now and 13 that fly. This will be the 14th.''
He hopes to fly it Dec. 7, Pearl Harbor Day.
To date, ``we've put 80,000 hours into'' the bomber, which he sold to Boeing, then resold it for the aircraft maker.
``Today, it's worth $4 million.''
On The Sidelines
Reilly once restored and sold old homes.
He made the switch to warbirds in the 1960s.
Some jobs are smaller than others, but none are a cake walk.
Restorations can take years because Reilly and his crew have to make most of the parts.
There also are occasional interruptions, such as this year's storm season.
``The hurricanes weren't very kind to us,'' Reilly says. ``Charley, Frances and Jeanne all came within three miles of us. The eye of Charley came right over us. A tornado took us out.''
While his restoration business is back on course, his Flying Tigers Warbird Restoration Museum remains closed with a projected reopening on Dec. 7. Museum admission ($9 adults, $8 seniors and children 8 to 12) gives you a look at exhibits ranging from wood propellers and parachutes to antique radios and other memories of 1930s through 1960s aviation.
It also includes tours of the restoration area and about 40 parked exhibits, including a 1965 Mig 21 MF, 1966 A-7 LTV Corsair II and 1944 North American B-25J.
A Lengthy Resume
Maryland resident Larry Kelley bought his B-25 based on Reilly's reputation.
``I bought it only because I had Tom to maintain it,'' Kelley says, adding Reilly also restored it in the mid-1980s.
``He's the best I've ever known. He knows B-25s better than anyone.''
John Ware of Georgia is another admirer, though not yet a buyer, of Reilly's work.
``Tom was one of the first ones to get involved in warbirds, at a time when they were not in vogue,'' Ware says.
Reilly says he's never had enough money to buy an air- worthy warbird.
``Just derelicts and then I spend years restoring them,'' he says.
``Warbirds reflect a time in the 1940s when our way of life was being challenged by the Axis powers.''
Unlike more recent wars in Southeast Asia and the Persian Gulf, ``if we didn't win we were going to be speaking German or Japanese. Warbirds represent our country at a time when there was no question who won the war.
``And we have them today to fly and show them and not let people forget.''
You can learn more on the Internet at
You can learn more on the Internet at www.warbirdmuseum .com. .com.Reporter Jim Tunstall can be reached at (352
Found it here:
http://www.tampatrib.com/FloridaMetro/MGBFX4K142E.html
KISSIMMEE - The warbird bug bit Tom Reilly the first time he climbed into the cockpit of one.
A few months later, he bought his first - a derelict B- 25 Mitchell.
``I thought it would be a neat airplane to toy with,'' the 62- year-old Philadelphia native says.
``I bought it for $700 or $800 in storage costs, worked on it for two years and sold it in flyable condition for $17,500. I thought I was getting rich.''
What he was getting was hooked.
In the 3 1/2 decades since that first step, Reilly has restored 31 vintage warplanes, including nearly a dozen B-25s.
``Numbers 32 and 33 are being worked on now,'' he says.
A B-17 bomber dubbed Liberty Belle is one of the latter. It was used for various purposes for years after the war, but was left to decompose in a Connecticut field after a tornado ravaged it in 1979.
``She was built at the end of World War II and never saw combat,'' Reilly says.
``She's very heavily modified. [A previous owner] cut the cockpit and mounted a fifth engine in the nose for [flight] tests.''
B-17s usually have four 1,200-horsepower engines capable of flying them at 200 miles per hour.
``It and the B-24 were the mainstays of [the war in] Europe. There were 13,000 built and 5,000 or 6,000 were shot down. There are 26 known to exist now and 13 that fly. This will be the 14th.''
He hopes to fly it Dec. 7, Pearl Harbor Day.
To date, ``we've put 80,000 hours into'' the bomber, which he sold to Boeing, then resold it for the aircraft maker.
``Today, it's worth $4 million.''
On The Sidelines
Reilly once restored and sold old homes.
He made the switch to warbirds in the 1960s.
Some jobs are smaller than others, but none are a cake walk.
Restorations can take years because Reilly and his crew have to make most of the parts.
There also are occasional interruptions, such as this year's storm season.
``The hurricanes weren't very kind to us,'' Reilly says. ``Charley, Frances and Jeanne all came within three miles of us. The eye of Charley came right over us. A tornado took us out.''
While his restoration business is back on course, his Flying Tigers Warbird Restoration Museum remains closed with a projected reopening on Dec. 7. Museum admission ($9 adults, $8 seniors and children 8 to 12) gives you a look at exhibits ranging from wood propellers and parachutes to antique radios and other memories of 1930s through 1960s aviation.
It also includes tours of the restoration area and about 40 parked exhibits, including a 1965 Mig 21 MF, 1966 A-7 LTV Corsair II and 1944 North American B-25J.
A Lengthy Resume
Maryland resident Larry Kelley bought his B-25 based on Reilly's reputation.
``I bought it only because I had Tom to maintain it,'' Kelley says, adding Reilly also restored it in the mid-1980s.
``He's the best I've ever known. He knows B-25s better than anyone.''
John Ware of Georgia is another admirer, though not yet a buyer, of Reilly's work.
``Tom was one of the first ones to get involved in warbirds, at a time when they were not in vogue,'' Ware says.
Reilly says he's never had enough money to buy an air- worthy warbird.
``Just derelicts and then I spend years restoring them,'' he says.
``Warbirds reflect a time in the 1940s when our way of life was being challenged by the Axis powers.''
Unlike more recent wars in Southeast Asia and the Persian Gulf, ``if we didn't win we were going to be speaking German or Japanese. Warbirds represent our country at a time when there was no question who won the war.
``And we have them today to fly and show them and not let people forget.''
You can learn more on the Internet at
You can learn more on the Internet at www.warbirdmuseum .com. .com.Reporter Jim Tunstall can be reached at (352
Tue Dec 07, 2004 11:09 am
Any updates out there as to if today is the day we get a new B-17 in the air?
Tue Dec 07, 2004 11:21 am
I'm also very interested in this flying memorial to the 390th BG...had a relative MIA with this unit in '44.
Any idea on a tour schedule for 2005?
Any idea on a tour schedule for 2005?
Tue Dec 07, 2004 11:58 am
Nothing on the official web-site....
http://www.libertyfoundation.org/member.php
Any WIXers in Kissimee today?
http://www.libertyfoundation.org/member.php
Any WIXers in Kissimee today?
Tue Dec 07, 2004 12:24 pm
What do you mean "any WIXers at Kissimmee?" That is where I am based. You guys know that you will be the first to here ANY news about Liberty Bell from me.
It is supposed to fly today and I will update you this afternoon. There is a flurry of activity at the field and its kinda nuts. I personally think the first flight should be done without prior announcement just in case something doesnt go well.
Stay tuned.........
It is supposed to fly today and I will update you this afternoon. There is a flurry of activity at the field and its kinda nuts. I personally think the first flight should be done without prior announcement just in case something doesnt go well.
Stay tuned.........
Tue Dec 07, 2004 3:22 pm
It has been towed down to the Stallion 51 area to start engines. We will see how it goes in the next hour or so.
Chuck
Chuck
Tue Dec 07, 2004 3:30 pm
Thanks for the update Chuck! Glad you are willing to be our man on the spot!!!
Tue Dec 07, 2004 4:30 pm
The Liberty Bell started all four engines and taxied out to the runway. The left strut collapsed and #1 engine continued to backfire. They did a lengthy runup and then a high speed taxi. At 4:15 local, the Bell rolled down runway 15 and the tail lifted into the air.
The B-17 will be repaired to fly another day.
Chuck
The B-17 will be repaired to fly another day.
Chuck
Tue Dec 07, 2004 4:41 pm
Thanks for the play by play!
Tue Dec 07, 2004 5:11 pm
Chuck Gardner wrote:The Liberty Bell started all four engines and taxied out to the runway. The left strut collapsed and #1 engine continued to backfire. They did a lengthy runup and then a high speed taxi. At 4:15 local, the Bell rolled down runway 15 and the tail lifted into the air.
The B-17 will be repaired to fly another day.
Chuck
OK... I'll stick my neck out an ask a question which my highlight my ignorance.
When you say the strut collapsed you don't mean the left main gear collapsed do you? That doesn't make sense from the context of your posting since it looks like the taxi run was carried out afterwards. What exactly is the damage? Is the "strut" collapse related to the #1 engine performance.
Go easy on me!
Mike
Last edited by mrhenniger on Wed Dec 08, 2004 12:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Tue Dec 07, 2004 10:16 pm
Mike
You are far braver then I
I was afraid to ask and jusr assumed that it was not "that bad"
Tim
You are far braver then I
I was afraid to ask and jusr assumed that it was not "that bad"
Tim
Wed Dec 08, 2004 12:28 pm
Perhaps Mr Gardener is refering to the oleo strut?. Whilst it's a problem, it's only a minor one. (Well it isn't on the Boeing's I work on!).
Hope every thing goes well, I saw the aircraft in August (Pre hurricane) and she looked beutiful.
Rgds Cking
Hope every thing goes well, I saw the aircraft in August (Pre hurricane) and she looked beutiful.
Rgds Cking
Wed Dec 08, 2004 4:02 pm
The left main strut collapsed and all of the fluid came out onto the ground. It had happened previously duirng the last few weeks. The engines were already running and there was a crowd there to watch after it happened. The B-17 taxied out to the runway with the collpased strut and a few of the engines not running up to par. Systems were checked for at least 10 minutes and then the high speed taxi was preformed down the runway. Then it was taxied back to the ramp. There are a few bugs to work out (as to be expected) on a plane that has been completely rebuilt and not flown for 45 years.
I have to say that it was stunning to see it with all engines running and rolling down the runway. I really didnt get to watch it too much since I was busy taking pictures and couldn't just look at it with bare eyes. Other photographers will understand that perspective.
I would also like to thank my employer Warbird Adventures for providing the Bell 47 helicopter for a photo platform for me.
I have to say that it was stunning to see it with all engines running and rolling down the runway. I really didnt get to watch it too much since I was busy taking pictures and couldn't just look at it with bare eyes. Other photographers will understand that perspective.
I would also like to thank my employer Warbird Adventures for providing the Bell 47 helicopter for a photo platform for me.
Wed Dec 08, 2004 4:18 pm
Chuck Gardner wrote:Other photographers will understand that perspective.
Amen. I pass time at most airshows with the camera body in front of my face.
Chuck Gardner wrote:I would also like to thank my employer Warbird Adventures for providing the Bell 47 helicopter for a photo platform for me.
Are you teasing us?!?!
Not a very nice thing to write without a link to an album or something.
Mike
Wed Dec 08, 2004 5:35 pm
Maybe Scott will post some photos when I send him some tonight (in a few hours)