While we have seen a plethora of similar announcements from around the warbird world in recent weeks, we thought the recent announcement from Elly Sallingboe concerning the status of Britain’s only airworthy Flying Fortress, B-17G 44-85784, was of note. Sallingoe is the Operator and Chairman of Trustees for the B-17 Preservation Trust, and has been a fierce champion of the aircraft and its operation since she and her late partner, Ted White, acquired the aircraft from the Institut Géographique National (IGN) in France during the mid-1970s.
“Due to the spread of the devastating Coronavirus, Sally B’s 45th display season now looks extremely uncertain.
When IWM closed its doors to the public on the 18th March, I had to make the upsetting decision to suspend all work on Sally B by our superb engineering team until things change.
As I write this, it is impossible to predict how long it will be until it is safe for any of us to continue with our work on Sally B or indeed when or if she will fly this season.
While we wait for better times, it is good to know that our B-17’s maintenance work has almost been completed and that Sally B is safe under cover in hangar T2 North at Duxford where she will remain till things improve.
Thank you, our dear members and friends, for your invaluable help throughout the past many years.
Keep well, keep healthy…”
Elly Sallingboe
B-17 Operator & Chairman of Trustees
Richard Mallory Allnutt's aviation passion ignited at the 1974 Farnborough Airshow. Raised in 1970s Britain, he was immersed in WWII aviation lore. Moving to Washington DC, he frequented the Smithsonian’s National Air & Space Museum, meeting aviation legends.
After grad school, Richard worked for Lockheed-Martin but stayed devoted to aviation, volunteering at museums and honing his photography skills. In 2013, he became the founding editor of Warbirds News, now Vintage Aviation News. With around 800 articles written, he focuses on supporting grassroots aviation groups.
Richard values the connections made in the aviation community and is proud to help grow Vintage Aviation News.
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