Incorporating USAAF WWII Memorial Flight Issue 50 % Winter
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NEWS Incorporating USAAF WWII Memorial Flight Issue 50 % Winter/Spring 2012/13 OUR SPONSORS KEARSLEY AIRWAYS Paul Saunders Donate £395 (non-members £460) or more to help keep Sally B flying and have a name of your choice added to the prestigious Roll of Honour on the outside of Sally B’s fuselage for one whole year, AND spend a special VIP day with our B-17 at Duxford on SUNDAY 18th AUGUST 2013. We will recognise your generous support by: • adding your chosen name to the Roll of Honour for one whole year • inviting YOU AND ONE GUEST to join us on a special day at Duxford when your chosen name will be unveiled and you will have • the chance to see Sally B fly especially for you! • a buffet lunch in the company of Sally B’s operator, pilots and team leaders, with refreshments available throughout the day – PLUS talks on Sally B by her operator and crew • exclusive use throughout the day of the AirSide Suite in the superb “AirSpace”, with Sally B parked on the tarmac right outside. We will also • enter your name into a draw for the once-in-a- lifetime chance to be trained as a crew member, including an orientation flight in Sally B* and enter your name into a draw for a taxi ride in Sally B PLUS Present you with a Certificate in recognition of your Roll of Honour participation This is truly a day to be remembered and, most importantly, as a Roll of Honour participant you will be playing a vital part in helping to ensure that Sally B will continue to fly. For more details telephone (01638) 721304 or e-mail [email protected] Chris Riley Send your donation to: The B-17 Charitable Trust, PO Box 92, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk IP28 8RR, online via www.sallyb.org.uk ‘Have your name on Sally B’ * Participants must be 18 or over Dear Friends NEWS As you receive your copy of your favourite magazine, Sally B will have completed her 37th successful display season. It all began and ended at Sally B News is published by B-17 Preservation and is circulated Duxford where our aircraft is now tucked up, warm and among the Supporters Club membership, sponsors, patrons and other interested parties. It is also the voice of the B-17 Charitable Trust, cosy in her safe winter hangar, where she will remain Registered Charity 1079007. Contributions to Sally B News, i.e. letters, until spring is here again. articles, photographs etc, are always welcome. Please write to Editor Elly Sallingboe at B-17 Preservation, Do remember, that while Sally B is under cover, you P O Box 92, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk IP28 8RR. Tel: (01638) 721304. can still visit on any Sunday between 11am and 3pm E-mail: [email protected] when a team member will show you around the Website: www.sallyb.org.uk ongoing maintenance on Sally B. That is, unless she is supported by jacks, when the interior will be completely off limits for obvious health and safety reasons. The 2012 season – well, you will read much more about this elsewhere, but, in spite of having a fully serviceable and insured aircraft, it was most certainly not the best season we have ever had. With the economy in recession there were fewer shows for Sally B – and of those, we lost quite a few due to the TED WHITE – FOUNDER OF B-17 PRESERVATION Olympics air space restrictions and the unkindest Operator & Administrator Elly Sallingboe weather imaginable. Chief Engineer Peter Brown IWM Duxford has just released their show dates for Pilots 2013 and as Sally B is likely to be flying at these, I Training Captain Andrew Dixon thought you would appreciate this early notice: Training Captain Roger Mills Captain & B-17 Liaison Peter Kuypers Duxford will start the air show season in spectacular Pilot Daryl Taplin style at the Spring air show on the 26 May, Pilot Bill Tollett remembering the Mighty Eighth. The show Sally B Volunteer Support Team Leaders Engineering Supervisor Mike Stapley commemorates the 70th anniversary of the United Deputy Engineering Supervisor Steve Carter States Army Air Force arriving at RAF Duxford in April Sales Team Leader Derek Smith Deputy Sales Team Leader John Owen 1943 and will feature Historic US Warbirds as we Walk Through Team Leader Andy Jackson remember the time when the stars and stripes flew at Honorary Team Member Bertie Ashby DuxfordThis is one NOT to be missed! Flying Cover Photo: Sally with Snafu. Credit: Simon Reeves. Legends is on the 13 and 14 July and The Duxford Editor Elly Sallingboe Show on the 7 and 8 September. The season ends For advertising rates in Sally B News contact Elly Sallingboe with the Autumn Air show on the 13 October. Origination and Print: Cambridge Marketing Limited In the B-17 office there have been a few changes. Tel 01638 724100. www.cambridgemarketing.co.uk We said goodbye to Cathy Wecke, who has decided to return to her native South Africa, and we say a big Sally B is supported by its own registered charity, The B-17 Charitable Trust. Trustees of the B-17 Charitable Trust: “hello” and welcome to Karen Irons, your new Air Chief Marshal Sir John Allison (Patron), Elly Sallingboe membership secretary. (Chairman), Edward Inman OBE, Laurence G Chandler, Derek Smith Five Sally B team leaders have now reached the amazing milestone of 30 years with Sally B. They are Issue 50 % CONTENTS % Our Big Chief Peter Brown, Derek Smith, Mike Stapley, Sally B’s 2012 Display Season p 4 Steve Carter and Andy Jackson. In recognition of their From Concorde to Sally B p 7 professional enthusiasm and long term dedication, their Dad’s Story p 9 names have gone onto the Roll of Honour and will The Fondest Farewell p 11 remain there for as long as we fly. Roll of Honour unveiling p 12 This kind of team spirit together with your trusted Spanner time is here again p 14 continued support is what keeps Sally B flying.Thank A trip down memory lane p 16 you all. Our Thanks & List of Donors p 17 Your Letters p 18 Elly Sallingboe 3 s 2012 Sally B’ By B-17 Operator Elly Sallingboe DISPLAY SEASON In my 37 years of operating, I have never known a season like this one. We lost quite a number of venues because of weather or the Olympics and during the entire season flew only eleven hours – ELEVEN hours, which is the least we have ever flown with a fully insured and serviceable aircraft. Captain Peter Kuypers prepares to position Sally B for another Sally B over Madingley Cemetery pass for the crowds at the Lowestoft Seafront Air Display On reflection, in spite of the greatly to Cambridge for the mandatory crew For 30 years, Sally B has been an reduced number of appearances by training. At 1500 metres, while the runway integral part of the official Memorial Day Sally B and the blow of not being at Duxford is long enough for a normal Ceremony at Madingley. Indeed, this invited to participate at Madingley, we takeoff and landing, it is too short for has been our foremost annual did fly some memorable displays and training. That is why we train at engagement. So I was astonished when paid some iconic tributes – and Sally B Cambridge, where the runway is much we were not invited to participate this was, as always, worthy of a gold medal longer, and where Marshalls – the owners year – the 70th Anniversary of the B-17 in her own right. of Cambridge Airport – look after us very coming to the UK! On enquiring with the Sally B’s first flight of 2012 was at well indeed. Commanding Officers at Mildenhall and Duxford on 5th May with a combined crew After training circuits, it was back to Lakenheath, I was informed that training and test flight Duxford for a display rehearsal, spending cuts were to blame (even On board were Andrew Dixon, Peter whereupon Sally B was ready to start the though we had asked for neither money Kuypers, Daryl Taplin and Peter Brown. 2012 display season! nor fuel). You can imagine my extreme A few days earlier, Peter Brown had carried disappointment at this news, and yet I out engine ground test runs, checked the SALLY B HONOURS was determined that Sally B would pay aircraft over and replenished the oil tanks. her own independent tribute – after the Sally B was now ready to take to the skies THE FALLEN AT official flypast. for the start of the 2012 season. MADINGLEY At 12.30 on Monday 28th May I The test flight sees the pilots checking watched from among the Cambridge Newspapers Ltd various systems on the aircraft as well as Our first show was at Duxford on immaculate white crosses as performance such as the three engine 27th May. In brilliant sunshine the Peter Kuypers, with Daryl climb rate. Going through all the required massive crowd watched Sally B Taplin, made three circuits test items took a little while but it soon fly in the skilful hands of Andrew Dixon over the graves in honour of the fallen, became clear that Sally B was a healthy and Peter Kuypers. On the 28th it was on and I was moved beyond words lady even at 68 years of age! to the American Military Cemetery at Today, our young servicemen and With the test flight completed it was on Madingley for our annual tribute there women still put their lives on the line for 4 Sally B flies at one of her many tributes at Madingley, here for President Bill Clinton and Prime Minister John Major in 1994 us all.