Warbird Information Exchange

Thanks August, I saw the added contact. I am going to try them as well.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

Is there a 305th BG photo page anywhere? I didn't see anything on their site.

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Sure, Charles Lindbergh flew the plane... but Tom Rutledge built the engine!

Visit Django Studios online or Facebook!

Chris...at the beginning of this thread, there is a gentleman talking about sending some bits from MLB to Grissom and he got no response from the then curator.

Might be a long shot here, but I know Richard and I were going through some boxes of stuff in storage there one day and we found a box of bent and twisted aluminum pieces that Richard told me came from a B-17 crash site somewhere in England. I really don't remember if he told me they were the bits from MLB, but if you want to send me a PM, I will tell you where the pieces are/were, if Richard no longer works at Grissom. He also showed me some slides that were in storage boxes of the way the B-17 arrived at Grissom back in the 60s (???).

Personally, I had never heard the story of the original MLB either...what a sad and tragic story.

It is so wonderful that she will be brought indoors!!!

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Earn my respect and never lose it.
Demand my respect and never gain it. -Me

...just another plane dreamer.

Thanks for the P.M.. man. We found the pieces donated to the museum. They were in storage, and now we are designing a display for these items. It will be great to have the aircraft idoors this winter. We are going to have to remove the outer wing panels. First though we need to inspect the gear to make sure it can be moved. We are trying to locate the tools needed to remove the wheels.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

I have found some sites about the 305th, but no real photo site.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

So here is the thing that keeps me up at night, Miss Liberty Belle is a Boeing block 10 B-17G, with a production dates of Oct thru Dec 1943, putting the aircraft in combat service approx Jan 1943. We have a great idea of what MLB looks like, we know our code letters are XK-O. The real question is, what color were the code letters? We do have a photo of one code letter on the left side of the fuselage near the horizontal. As you have probably guessed this photo is black and white. Correct me if I am wrong code letters of the time were usually gray or yellow. The code letter visible appears to be white, which makes no sense at all. If anyone knows what color code letters were being applied as in Jan of 1943 for the 305th BG please let us know. We will even accept an educated guesss at this time. Thanks, "Silent Bob"

see photo here http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=5 ... 2473733391

Rob, did you see these from the other thread?

http://www.markstyling.com/3ad_b17s2.htm

http://www.markstyling.com/100th_b17s1.htm

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

I knew that Chris, I just wanted to see if you were paying attention. Good job, you passed!

Awesome maybe now I can win Jack Cook's horse.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

I would just like to thank everyone for remembering and honoring the crew of this B-17, my Uncle John was the navigator on Miss Liberty Belle, John Lawrence Rutherford Jr., my dad was in the USAAF at the same time, he was a tail gunner on a B-25, wish i could have been at the dedication of the memorial. I have lots of pictures taken of my Dad and Uncle right before he left for England, and many letters that my Uncle wrote home. The story of this crew and what they did should be told for all to hear as I consider them all hero's, from my understanding they had a chance to land, but another B-17 was coming in with wounded on board, and the pilot of my Uncle's plane and the crew decided to circle the landing strip so the other plane with the wounded on board could land first, even though they had at least one engine out and were shot up pretty good, the men of WWII, the last great generation of Americans.

Hello John
I am not sure if I met you or not, in 2001? Whilst at our Tulsa OK reunion for the 305thBG I paid a visit to the Rutherford family and met with Roy and his family. I had the greatest of pleasure in sharing time with them and looking over the letters and pictures they had. I also visited the GAR Cemetery and paid my respects to John Lawrence laid at peace there; a wreath of flowers placed upon his grave marker. I have not been in contact with Roy for a while, hope he is OK? If you mention me to them all, I'm sure they'll recall the visit in 2001.
Please get in touch if you wish to.
Best regards
Ian White - 305th BGMA
Originator-organiser of the MLB Memorial in 2000.
Email IW.305cando@googlemail.com

Very cool to see you here on WIX. Private Message sent.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

I flew about fifteen missions on the original Miss Liberty Belle serial number 42-31255. I have the original hand written form 1 listing the crew members for 42-31255's mission on June 14, 1944 (also have form ones from other 42-31255 missions). This mission was to Etampes, France (an airfield). The pilot was Harrison T Blakey from Donners Grove, Illinois. I mention this particular mission because the radio operator, Chester Jablonski and I (waist gunner) were wounded on it and I have a picture of me being taken off the airplane. Not much of the airplane shows in the photo but i'm wondering if it's the only known picture of the real Miss Liberty Belle.

Wow!! P.M. sent.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

We would love to see any pics you have or stories you have to tell.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager