This snippet appears in the current issue of "8th AF News", I thought some others might be interested to hear this.
The Pink Lady is one of two remaining B-17 Flying Fortresses still flying in Europe. The aircraft flew combat missions in the spring of 1945. Now based at a museum hangar at Orly Airport near Paris, France the B-17 attends miltary and civilian airshows and other commemerative events on the continent. Recently two supporters of this aircraft visited the Mighty Eightsth AIr Force Museum in Pooler, Georgia. The occasion was teh annual reunion of the 351st BG (H), whos insignia the Pink Lady proudly flies.
This year, European law decreed that maximum insurance must cover all flights and crew/ground liabilities for all appearances. The cost is about 60,000 Euros per year. Additionally, gas consumption for flights is over 1,000 liters per hour of flight. Without means to maintain the aircraft, it will be stood down.
Jean-Paul Andre, one of the aircraft's ground crew and Gerard Gehin, now living in New Jersey, spent several days discussing ways to support this aircraft and keep it flying, in remembrance of the Second World War. Jean-Paul states that "Maitenance and organization costs, oil and teh consequences of the terrorist attacks have doomed our Pink Lady, the guardian of an historical memorym, to a second class funerla which will not delight the Veterans."
For information on how to support this historical flying treasure, contact Gerard Gehin at: GerGeh@comcast.net
The support organization for the aircraft is the France-based Fortresse Toujours Volante, which translates into Fortresses Always Flying.
For those not familiar with this aircraft, it is an actual combat veteran of the 8th AAF, tail number 48846, and is well known in aviation circles for its appearance as "Mother and Country" in the film "Memphis Belle". It is certainly the only combat veteran 'Fort still flying in Europe, if not the world. It will be a sad day when another piece of history is plucked from the skies.
I'm currently checking around to find out if its support organization is set up to receive tax-deductible donations like the American Air Museum in Britain is, I'll post further info on here when I find out (or anyone who knows can feel free to beat me to it).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDj584f72Dk
