B-17 Airframes and the Greeley B-17 fuselage

[aerovin2]

From the WIX site comes news that the B-17 fuselage in the Greeley bar may have been sold to a group from Southern California. More to follow on that.

However, an interesting bit of information comes to me from a knowlegable someone who might be able to shed some light on this B-17. It seems that back in 1976 there was a MGM movie studio storage lot in a canyon above Malibu that contained parts of a number of airplanes, including a P-51 and a PBY. There was also a mock-up of a Bf-109, some F-86 canopies, and the remains of the Tallmantz P-1 Phoenix that had crashed in July 1966. There were also movie sets and a big hangar on the lot.

Significantly, there were two intact camouflaged B-17s. They were both stock military with turrets, etc, and potions of the fuselage skins had been neatly cut with grips attached so they could be removed, presumably for interior filming. The lot was being cleared as the land was being donated to the state by the studio. Shortly afterwards the Mustang was somewhat covertly removed for safekeeping, but the B-17s and other airframe parts remained. Eventually the B-17s were found to be dismantled and, according to a guard at the storage lot, on their way to a restaurant owner in what he thought was Colorado.

This might tie together some of the pieces of the story, and also might suggest that these airplanes were once the property of 20th Century Fox, as that company also held the remains of the Tallmantz Phoenix. It might be that these B-17s had been obtained by the studio for the movie 12 O'Clock High in 1949, in which case the identity of at least one may be known. They may have remained with the studio and used for the later TV series also, but the last two items are purely conjecture.

It may also be that the better part of two other B-17s (less the fuselage hanging in the bar) may be out there somewhere.

The gentleman who passed along this information is trying to locate some photos and identification of these two airplanes and I will pass this along if they become available.

I'm planning on posting this information to B-17 News shortly, but it was interesting enough to me to get it out there right now.

[hang the expense]

Hey gang, didnt the Intact B-17 go to chino for sheet metal repairs and then to beale AFB by way of Hill AFB? Also it may be a lockheed built 17 as well as the greely bar fuselage. Whoever does end up with the greely fuselage you might like to know that frame one and two are available and the window frame stampings will be available soon. New F model nose plexiglass in the pipeline as well. The parts are for the F model only.

[OldBillB17F]

I was curious to know if the studio B-17 used for the 1990 "Memphis Belle" movie was really a B-17 or not? The fuselage was recently returned to Warner Broth. after spending the last decade as an attraction at Movie World-Australia.

[Dave]

It was a mock up, very well made i might add, got to see it at Pinewood studios. I have some pictures of it somewhere, but there is a good article in 'After the Battle' magazine number 69.

From the magazine

"The Construction Department under its manager Bill Welch, was the largest department on Memphis Belle with over 40 carpenters, 12 plasterers, 12 painters, 10 riggers and 10 stagehands. The departments crowning glory was the building of a full size replica of a B-17 fuselage to be used for close-ups of the crew inside the aircraft. Not onlt was its accuracy correct, right down to the last rivet, it was also made to come apart in six different places to facilitate various amera angles.

The nose section was farmed out to the Mo Gomme company ay Weybridge which spcialises in the construction of racing car body shells, and whose craftsmenare expert in fabricating in metal.
The final cost of the mock up was £420,000, from conception to completion the mock up took 12 weeks to build."

[Guest]

SO, this "movie prop" still exists??

If YES, where exactly is it located?

thanks.

[OldBillB17F]

It was in existance 6 months ago when I inquired MovieWorld about it. Here was the email reply:

The Memphis Belle attraction closed in January 2005 and all of the
plane
components were sent back to the Warner Bros. Studios.

If you require any further information please contact me direct on 07
5573 8497.

Kind regards


Guest Services
Warner Bros. Movie World

I am assuming that it is located in California.