A Real Movie Star Is In Town....

The B-29, "FiFi" was in Fort Myers last weekend. I am in Pensacola, house hunting, until this coming Thursday...:running: NC
 
Great photos, Ed!

Not many know this, but the top turret (basically just a shell right now) that is fitted to the "Movie Belle" currently, came from the B-17E "Big Stoop", which is one of the two B-17E's that crash landed in Greenland along with "Glacier Girl", discovered buried under the 250+ feet of ice. Although the B-17 was considered too crushed to be worthy of recovery, the top turret was one of several components that were recovered at the time. The turret itself is slated to eventually be fitted to Don Brooks' Dyke Lake B-17 project, which is being restored as a B-17F (complete with an early tail stinger).

The aircraft's "other" turret, which it had up until being put on tour, is perhaps even more interesting. The aircraft's usual turret is a fully complete example, which was removed to provide much needed room for paying passengers (a full upper turret takes up most all of the room in the area aft of the cockpit cabin). That turret, which is currently on display until it is eventually put back in the aircraft, came from the very historic "Black Cat Pass" B-17E wreck. That turret was fully restored and is functional when plugged-in/powered up.

These style of upper turrets, built by Sperry, are today considered more rare than the Sperry ball turrets.
 
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Glad you got to come out and see us this weekend Panther! Next stop is San Antonio I believe.... I can't believe touring season is here already, seems like we just stopped.
 
Ooops Sorry Panther. I thought you were stationed at Barksdale. Nope, I don't get to travel with her. I have been encouraged to come out to a stop or two throughout the season, but with a wife & 3 kids, it's tough to get away like that for 4 days. I typically just help out when she's within a few hours driving distance.
 
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