Lady Be Good

Pat Carry · **Posted:** Mon Aug 22, 2011 10:22 am

With things in Libya apparently coming to a conclusion, I wonder if there is a chance the US can finally bring Lady Be Good home?

TAdan · **Posted:** Mon Aug 22, 2011 11:08 am

I was wonderng that very same thing last evening. It sure would be nice to have it on display in Dayton.

I would be pretty surprised to see that it has survived the revolution in Libya. I know it was stored in a police yard in Tripoli but given the amount of unrest in the past six months who knows it if it was left unscathed...

If it survived then the chances of it coming to the U.S. are greatly improved... Although I am sure the Libyan people will have much bigger things to worry about for the time being.

JohnB · **Posted:** Mon Aug 22, 2011 11:28 am

I'm sure it's down on the list of priorities.

Perhaps keep in Libya as a properly maintained/secured memorial.

But, with a new regime looking to make nice with the U.S. (smelling foreign aid?) it might even come home.
(Calls of cultural imperialism can start now).

Steve Nelson · **Posted:** Mon Aug 22, 2011 11:30 am

Quote:

who knows it if it was left unscathed...

Well, quite frankly there wasn't that much left to "scathe" in the first place. What was hauled out of the desert in the 90s was a battered hulk that had been thoroughly stripped and hacked apart by souvenir hunters over the years. Of course that doesn't diminish its historical significance, and I would like to see what's left preserved..either at the NMUSAF or even a suitable museum display in Libya (once things (hopefully) eventually calm down.)

As mentioned above, the Libyan people have a lot more to worry about right now than some old airplane.

SN

TAdan · **Posted:** Mon Aug 22, 2011 12:54 pm

Looks like the folks over on Flypast are asking the very same question...

http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?t=111417

marine air · **Posted:** Mon Aug 22, 2011 1:13 pm

Once the Rebel forces put together a new provisional govt. it would be a nice goodwill gesture for them to present it to the U.S. as a gift for all of our help the last 6 months. A transport could bring it back home.
My vote would be for it to end up at Pima as an outdoor display in the sand. This would be a lot easier and cheaper than restoring it to full static display indoors. Set it up in an outdoor diorama.

marine air · **Posted:** Mon Aug 22, 2011 1:17 pm

Come to think of it, I wish David Tallichet were still alive. He would figure out a way to purchase it , or at least have papers drawn up, from the new or old govt. at this time of confusion!

marine air · **Posted:** Mon Aug 22, 2011 2:04 pm

Thanks TriangleP. I have seen the Betty at Planes of Fame. It looks good and if they wanted, they could reattach the tail to make it even more complete. It definitely gave me a sense of shape, and size of a real G4M Betty. There are plenty of B-24 wrecks and pieces to fill in what's missing on "The Lady Be Good."

P51Mstg · **Joined:** Tue Jan 25, 2005 11:36 am **Posts:** 1202

Steve Nelson hit it pretty good.... Libyans have other things to worry about. Once they get stable I'm sure they'd send the LBG back... Say for $100million in US aid.... There is always a price.

THe legend is bigger than the airframe will ever be. Better it stay there....

Mark H

JDK · **Posted:** Tue Aug 23, 2011 9:36 am

Steve Nelson wrote:

Well, quite frankly there wasn't that much left to "scathe" in the first place. What was hauled out of the desert in the 90s was a battered hulk that had been thoroughly stripped and hacked apart by souvenir hunters over the years.

However the airframe is essentially complete, although dismembered, according to Peter A's photos published a year or so back.

We should also remember that the vast majority of the "stripping and hacking by souvenir hunters" was western tourists, rather than locals or Libyans, and some of those souvenirs have ended up in the NMUSAF. Without Lybian intervention it would have been dispersed into western enthusiast dens and without the option of all ending up at Dayton, either.

Personally (and I agree there's far more urgent and important priorities in Libya currently) it would be more appropriate for it to stay there, ideally in the planned museum (who knows? It could happen) than be returned to the USA. It would then serve as a reason to travel, and maybe see more of the world, rather than trying to keep all of the toys back in the toybox at home.

Regards,

gale_dono · **Joined:** Mon Sep 08, 2008 2:32 pm **Posts:** 328

I posted this question on another board; Tobruk is far to the west of the fighting right now so it should be relatively quiet. Don't know what her being on a military base would do to effect her condition, but I rather doubt the rebel forces who seized to base were too concerned with her at the time. I'm just glad to see the Libyan people are close to freedom.

before

after:

phil65 · **Posted:** Tue Aug 23, 2011 10:32 pm

Freedom?

Meet the new boss
Same as the old boss.......

P51Mstg · **Joined:** Tue Jan 25, 2005 11:36 am **Posts:** 1202

Phil65 beat me to it..... so

Different Dog Same Fleas

or

Same Dog Different Fleas

Mark H

Fishing · **Posted:** Tue Aug 23, 2011 11:24 pm

huummm,note to self:go wreckhunting this spring in Libya

PeterA · **Posted:** Wed Aug 24, 2011 5:25 am

gale_dono wrote:

I posted this question on another board; Tobruk is far to the west of the fighting right now so it should be relatively quiet. Don't know what her being on a military base would do to effect her condition, but I rather doubt the rebel forces who seized to base were too concerned with her at the time. I'm just glad to see the Libyan people are close to freedom.

Well, far to the East actually, and away from the main problem area.

Since my visit in 2007 the LBG has been moved from the police compound to a much more secure venue - The former El Adem RAF base.

PeterA

http://www.rommelinlibya.com/ladybegood/lbgphotos.html

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