News items....

[Royzee617]

Spotted this on the wires....
'Memphis Belle' to Dayton

Meg Godlewski

10/6/2005

After 59 years in her namesake city, the B-17 "Memphis Belle" is on the move.

The Memphis Belle Memorial Association is giving the airplane to the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio.

The first B-17 to complete 25 missions during World War II, the "Memphis Belle" was named after a girlfriend of pilot Robert Morgan.

Technically, the airplane has always belonged to the Air Force, although its location in Memphis was a point of pride and honor since it flew into town in 1946 after having been rescued from a boneyard, according to Andy Pouncey, president of the association. The aircraft spent four years in restoration.

"First it was out in the open and then later it was moved to Mud Island, under the shelter," Pouncey said. "It was a Memphis landmark."

The elements took their toll on the grand dame of the air, and a drive was started to get her into a climate-controlled museum. A study done at the request of the Air Force determined, despite best efforts, the money to build a museum could not be raised in an expedient manner.

The move is in the best interest of the airplane, Pouncey noted.

Once the airplane is at the Air Force museum, it will be restored, a task expected to take several years, according to Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Charles D. Metcalf, the museum's director. He that the "Memphis Belle" will be the centerpiece of the museum's World War II collection.

http://www.WPAFB.af.mil/museum
http://www.MemphisBelle.com

 

[evangilder]

I think that is a good idea. I know the folks in Memphis might disagree, but the AF museum has quite a collection of historic aircraft, and the Belle will make a nice addition. They take good care of the aircraft at the AF Museum.

 

[trackend]

I had a look on the MB site the old girl certainly needs a few parts.

 

[hellmaker]

Even though people may not agree with the relocation of their pride, it is in my oppinion the best thing that could have happened to the old lady... It's a must to preserve those ww2 masterpieces...

 

[pilotman]

dayton is a fantastic museum and ultimately if not well preserved, memphis belle will dissappear for all of us, and that would truly be a shame.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

I agree totally!

Since Working at the Air Force Academy, I am told that Steve Ritchie's F-4 is on display somewhere on the grounds - this is the aircraft he became an ace in and I was told it was on display out side! A REAL ACE'S AIRPLANE! How many aces's actual aircraft are still in tact?!?! This aircraft should also be in Dayton....

 

[Nonskimmer]

Static aircraft outside, whether they're on sticks or not, make good showpieces until either the weather takes a toll or someone defaces or otherwise damages them. They'd be much better off being looked after inside. The Belle will be better off this way, I'm sure.

 

[hellmaker]

I wanted to go to an Aviation Museum in France, but when I got there I was very disappointed. All the airplanes were left outside to the elements, and more, it had a f****d up programm from 2 o'clock to 6, ot something like that... SO not all museums take their mission seriously...

 

[evangilder]

Sometimes it's a matter of space. IN Camarillo, we have a couple of large transports, several trainers and fighters and a bomber that are all taking space. The C-46 and C-131 have to sit outside because there is no room for them. They are well maintained and flown regularly though, so that makes a difference. If they were out on sticks, it would likely be another story.

 

[hellmaker]

I am shure that most museums take their mission serious. That doesn't mean that there are those few that forget the meaning of the word "museum". And that is sad...

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

you guys are lucky, in the south west of england we have 1 aviation museum at yeovil and that's too far away for me!

 

[cheddar cheese]

When I get my Scooter...

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

 

[Gnomey]

When I get my Scooter...

You'll what sort the problems of congestion in every city just by appearing with your scooter

 

[cheddar cheese]

Congestion? PAH! Ill go straight between everyone. And I can burn around Tavvy before ATC on a Tuesday and Thursday

 

[Gnomey]

by solve I mean all traffic clears off the road in fear.
Tavvy better start praying...

 

[cheddar cheese]

Hell yeah, there will be 4 of us...Damn we'll look hardcore!

Maybe after 25 successful ATC journeys I'll name it the "Memphis Belle" in honour before retiring it in favour of a car

(See, thats on topic!)

 

[trackend]

mmmmm Hardcore Hairy Dryer's interesting CC

 

[wmaxt]

I saw the bell in '98 she was being slowly restored even at that time, and it was in a semi enclosed dome. In Memphis the weather is good year round and the 3/4 cover was pretty good but the expert restoration (not to be slighting the 3 or 4 guys trying to do it on their own) in the AF muesum will make a huge difference. I think the Memphis folk will hate losing it but will also be very glad it will live again.

wmaxt

 

[Royzee617]

Aerospace Notebook: 800 orders set Boeing record

By JAMES WALLACE
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

It's official. The men and women who sell commercial jetliners for The Boeing Co. have set a record for most orders ever won in any year by Boeing, Airbus or the late McDonnell Douglas.

With the 42-plane firm order announced Sunday by Emirates Airlines at the Dubai Air Show, Boeing now has 800 gross orders for 2005, or 775 net orders, which includes cancellations.

That shatters the previous jetliner order record set by Boeing in 1996, when it won gross orders for 668 jetliners.

Some recent media reports have said Boeing's best year came in 1986, when it won orders for 877 planes. But that number is misleading because it includes planes sold by McDonnell Douglas.

After the 1997 merger, Boeing added its former competitor's order totals to its own for each year starting in 1955 -- the dawn of the jet age. In 1986, McDonnell Douglas won 279 orders, including 209 for its D-9. Boeing had 405 orders in 1986.

In 1996, Boeing won 668 orders to only 44 for McDonnell Douglas. Those 668 orders have stood as a record for any manufacturer of commercial jetliners with 100 or more seats -- until now.

The best year for Airbus was 1998 when it won 556 orders. Airbus should easily beat that total this year but appears unlikely to match Boeing's 2005 total, which is going even higher.

At this week's Dubai Air Show, the always-entertaining John Leahy, Airbus' supersalesman, said Airbus will pull even with Boeing in orders by the end of the year -- it now trails by about 200 planes.

Not likely, John.


Still to be decided are three major airline campaigns in which Boeing and Airbus both have a shot -- Qantas, Singapore and Cathay Pacific.

Qantas, whose board could announce a decision Dec. 7, has said it is considering a $16 billion order for up to 100 widebody jets. It has been evaluating the Boeing 777, 787 and 747-8, as well as the Airbus A340, A350, and more A380s.

The Qantas competition is considered too close to call and the airline could end up splitting its order with both manufacturers. It is unclear if Qantas will announce all its orders at once, or have some spill over into 2006.

Singapore Airlines is considering an order for as many as 60 widebody jets and, like Qantas, is evaluating the 777, 787, 747-8 as well as the Airbus A340, A350 and more A380s. Boeing is the front-runner. Singapore Airlines is the biggest 777 operator in the world.

A decision by Singapore could come in December or may be delayed until early 2006.

Cathay Pacific is expected to announce its choice soon for as many as two dozen widebody jets. It is considering the 777 and A340. Although the Hong Kong-based airline has a mixed fleet, those planes mostly have Rolls-Royce engines. This could give Airbus the advantage. The 777-300ER that Boeing hopes to sell Cathay Pacific only comes with a General Electric engine.

Another hard-fought competition that is likely to be decided soon is in Russia, where Aeroflot has said it could order around 22 787s or A350s.

To match Boeing in orders this year, Airbus would probably have to roll the table on Boeing and win all those orders, and then sign contracts before the end of the year so the orders could be counted as firm for 2005.

And Boeing still has more than 60 commitments for the 787 Dreamliner that it is working to turn into firm orders by the end of the year.

Boeing last beat Airbus in orders in 2000. Scott Carson, Boeing's jetliner sales chief who took over that job in late 2004, had vowed early on in 2005 that Boeing would win back the annual order trophy that had found a home with Airbus the past five years.

Regardless of what happens with orders between now and the end of the year, Airbus will deliver more planes than Boeing in 2005, just as it did the past two years and is likely to do in 2006 and 2007.

With Boeing and Airbus both having banner order years, is anything left for 2006?

Boeing has said it expects to have a solid 2006, but has acknowledged orders are likely to be fewer than in 2005.

Some industry analysts are expecting a sharp drop in orders next year. "We believe this represents the end of the order boom and expect 2006 to be much weaker," Merrill Lynch analyst Charles Armitage wrote in a recent report.