On board the Liberty Belle

[darrenharbar]

With Flying Legends just a few days away, The Fighter Collection and IWM Duxford laid on a press day today to promote the show with the Liberty Belle taking centre stage. I was offered the chance to join a select few on a flight in this quite remarkable bomber across the countryside of Cambridgeshire and over the Madingley cemetery over which the Belle will again fly later today.

The crew of the Liberty Belle deserve great credit for flying her so far for us to see, and it is a great tribute to the men and women who served in these aircraft from East Anglian airfields of whom some who paid the ultimate price is doing this. This weekends show at the IWM Duxford airfield will see Liberty Belle display alongside many other classic fighters in the Flying Legends spectacular air show. Visitors to the show will have the chance to walk through Liberty Belle and see at close hand the conditions her crew endured during her journey and the conditions the men she honours, used to fight in.

[darrenharbar]

Our ‘little friend’ was flown by Steve Hinton

[darrenharbar]

And on the ground we had some other friends

[pagen01]

You lucky, lucky - so and so!
How do you manage to arrange these things?!
Superb shots, and thanks for sharing with us

[John Cooper]

Darren

Lucky you eh?? Wow what an experience and those photos are a fitting tribute to all those who worked on, flew in and maintained by a dedicated team. Thanks for sharing your experience I feel as if I was up there with you and all those other 'angels' floating about the big blue yonder.

Lest we forget............

[DocStirling]

Great photos - thank you very much for sharing.

I am tempted to say you are 'lucky' - but without being such a talented photographer you would not get opportunities like this - well done.

DS

[Pete Truman]

Darren
Your wonderful photos have been a pleasure to us for a while, a unique trip that you fully deserve, and our rewards were some breathtaking photographs.
I hope that these may get into the media, I'm ashamed at the lack of coverage that this event has received over here, everyone seems to have been obsessed with Wimbledon and the Grand Prix over the weekend.
The fact that this aircraft has been brought over here, not only for our pleasure, but to honour those that died in order that I could write this or even have the freedom to critisize that 'Damn Yank Hinton' for coming over here and taking over one of our a/c, is quite an achievement that should be told to everyone, not just our lot on the Forum.
Good for you, I look forward to having a good look round LB over the weekend, perhaps our local media at least will publisise the event at the expense of some crass article on pig farming in Halesworth, but I doubt it, they obviously know what the general public are really interested in, or do they.
I would have loved to have gone to DX today but my dog is very ill, madam has taken her to the vets, she may not return.

[J Boyle]

Nice shots!
Flying in a B-17 anywhere is a great experience, but flying over East Anglia would be very moving.

I love seeing the UK from the air...whether it be a look out the window while landing in London taking a pleasure flight from Duxford.
No place looks quite like it.

[laviticus]

Im tempted to go down the lucky so and so line,but with photos like that ,your tallent really earned you the trip.
Thanks for sharing and taking us along with you even if it was photographically.
thanks
dave

[DazDaMan]

Bloody hell, now I'm truly jealous, and truly mad that I didn't pay much attention in my photography classes in high school!

Excellent stuff, DH.

[*Zwitter*]

Awesome stuff!

[GliderSpit]

Everything I wanted to say, has been said: You are lucky and I'm a bit jealous. But thanks for sharing these excellent pictures!!

[darrenharbar]

It is very kind of you all to make the comments you have, and I appreciatte them all. The fact that Liberty Bell is here doing her tour is fantastic, and I am so pleased to be able to show you guys the pictures, as that's what her crew wanted. The more people who know about Legends the better for the Warbird community in the UK.

The BBC had a film crew on board, so keep your eyes peeled.

[T-21]

Darren, Thanks for the nice photos , I sent an e-mail to BBC Look East this morning asking if they could do a feature programme on the Liberty Belle with Stuart Smith presenting as he seems interested in the 8th Air Force.

[Propstrike]

Some of those shots aren't too bad. Were they taken on your phone?

[Skyraider]

I can't really add to what has already been said so will just say you have brought a huge smile to my face. Thank You.

[hunterxf382]

Stunning shots - and yes a fitting tribute too... Thankyou so much for sharing these with us.

[Tango Charlie]

Quite fantastic pictures and a technicolur throwback to those dark war years. Praise indeed to the team behind Liberty Belle in making the massive effort in getting her across the pond for Legends, no mean feat when you consider the finances and distance involved. I am looking forward to seeing her this coming weekend and admiring her. Living in Suffolk i am surrounded by memories of the American occupation with old bases aplenty and its fitting that the "Belle" is here to display at Legends and fly over some of the old stations. My late father was an evacuee, from 43 to 45 and told me how as a 14 year old lad he witnessed the 1000 bomber raids forming overhead Suffolk a spectacle that both frightened and left him with a lifelong memory. Lets pray the weather gods will be kind this coming weekend and a great spectacle for all takes place.

[Aerial]

Darren, those photos are absolutely superb! I particularly like those of the crew under the nose. The first one of those would make a great poster I'm sure!
Could I ask (as you were there!): do the crew actually operate the aircraft in WWII flying clothing or do they change into something more modern when they fly?
Thank you very much for letting us see this great work. Aerial

[tbyguy]

One of the most amazing aspects of the B-17 (Model 299) is that the design first flew in 1935. Here's a quick chronological review of some corresponding first flights:

Vickers Wellesley: First flight June 19, 1935





Boeing Model 299: July 28, 1935





Whitworth Whitley: March 17, 1936





Vickers Wellington: June 15, 1936





Handley Page Hampden: June 21, 1936




Amazing...

[GASYD]

Great Photos Darran,

BBC Breakfast just had article on Liberty Bell, nice film but persisited in calling it a replica !! Typical!!..

[Onthecrowdline]

Originally Posted by GASYD

Great Photos Darran,

BBC Breakfast just had article on Liberty Bell, nice film but persisited in calling it a replica !! Typical!!..

I just saw the same report at 7.50 am and was baffled why they twice referred to Liberty Belle as a replica!

[Mondariz]

I'm sorry, but envy prevents me from saying how much I enjoyed those great pictures.

Is that the British reenactment group, that normally attend Duxford, or do the Yanks have their own group (or even crew in WWII gear)?

[tankbarrell]

I would imagine it's because she is restored as a replica of Don Brooks fathers aircraft. I have read at least one posting on the net where someone thinks it is the original Liberty Belle returning to the UK!

[Onthecrowdline]

Originally Posted by tankbarrell

I would imagine it's because she is restored as a replica of Don Brooks fathers aircraft. I have read at least one posting on the net where someone thinks it is the original Liberty Belle returning to the UK!

I'm sure thats what they intended to mean, but when one of the presenters said something along the lines of "A replica world war two bomber...." it sure gives a different impression.

[Pen Pusher]

Originally Posted by Onthecrowdline

I just saw the same report at 7.50 am and was baffled why they twice referred to Liberty Belle as a replica!

Is it the 'Original' Liberty Belle?

Brian

[John Cooper]

I have heard from a friend that she may well be overflying these Control Towers today [Wednesday], fingers crossed

Bentwaters/Debach/Parham/Thorpe Abbotts and Horham

Can anyone confirm, if so timing would be great

[Pete Truman]

I saw the BBC coverage this morning at 6:50, yes the mention of LB as a replica was very misleading for the uninitiated.
On the other hand it was a really nice unexpected start to the day, I only put the TV on for the weather forecast and got lucky.
Hopefully, BBC Look East will make a contribution to publisizing Legends and LB's efforts prior to the show, as long as we aren't faced with those traffic problems that arose out of the pre show TV coverage of the Spifire event.
I think it will be an early start on whichever day we choose to go, I would never buy an advanced ticket with our climate, my brother did that for Waddo and had the misfortune to have to go on the sunday, he's not repeating that disaster this weekend.
As for todays apparent flight round the East Anglian airfields, forget it, the weather is appalling down here today, I doubt whether they would even be happy about flying out of neccessity in 1943.
Incidentally, was anyone on the ground at the US cemetery at Madingley during the flypast.
By the way, the dog came home, she's ok for the moment.

[neil osborne]

Excellent shots there.

I saw both of them flying round the M11 near to Madingley late yesterday afternoon. Even the traffic on the M11 was slowing down to watch.

[Atcham Tower]

Glad to hear about the dog, Pete. Some of us care!