Liberty Belle' Lives On

Liberty Belle’ Lives On

Editorial Staff

Thursday, June 23, 2011 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

The B-17 *Liberty Belle* was lost near Chicago after an on-board fire forced an off-airport landing.
All seven people aboard the aircraft escaped safely without injury.
The aircraft was ultimately destroyed because fire trucks could not reach it in time due to muddy field conditions.
Despite the loss, parts of the *Liberty Belle* are being salvaged, suggesting its legacy will continue in other B-17s.

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As we reported last week, the Liberty Foundation’s pristine B-17 Liberty Belle was lost near Chicago in an unfortunate set of circumstances that started with a fire on board. It became an injury-free off-airport landing (all seven on board got out safely) and ended with the loss of the aircraft because fire trucks couldn’t get to it fast enough in the muddy conditions on the field. Thanks to AVweb reader Lee Hogan, here’s an oddly hopeful photographic chronology of the event’s aftermath that shows Liberty Belle will live on in other B-17s. Thanks, Lee.