Flying Programme

One of our most important events in the flying calendar is our annual tribute flypast following the Memorial Day service at Madingley American Military Cemetery, Cambridge. This takes place over the May Bank Holiday weekend and has been a key event for Sally B for 35 years now, along with flypasts over former Eighth Air Force bases which we carry out whenever possible during the summer months.

This is what Sally B is really all about, paying tribute to all those young airmen who gave their lives during the Second World War.

The aircraft’s mission was eloquently portrayed by team member Richard Bird, who wrote down his reflections after flying in Sally B for the very first time:

“Flying over Madingley and the Eighth Air Force bases was an extremely humbling experience for me. Looking back now on that warm, sunny day, I realise why it is so important to keep Sally B flying.

You can only understand so much from reading about the history of these aircraft and the men who flew in them. When you experience actually flying in a B-17, it takes on a whole new meaning.

Sitting in the nose, or standing at the waist, and scanning the sunny countryside below was amazing, and all those bases scattered across East Anglia, just a stone’s throw from each other, made me realise for the first time the enormity of what Sally B represents.

As the aircraft swept over East Anglia on this glorious afternoon, I thought about what happened all those years ago and the young guys who made up the crews of B-17s and went into battle, not knowing if they would ever return. Just like me they were flying in these great Flying Fortresses, but doing so while frozen at 35,000 feet, trying to avoid the fields of flak, and looking out for enemy fighters. It was quite a different matter altogether.

I don’t know how those guys did it.”

 

Sally B Air Shows and Flypasts

The list will be regularly updated, so do visit this page again for the very latest information.

Displays and Venues 2010

Venues printed in bold* are confirmed therefore, subject to unforeseen cicumstances such as weather etc, Sally B Should appear.

Full display BNL = Full display but no landing at venue

  April    
  29 Thu Duxford & Cambridge* Crew Training
     
  May  
  10 Mon Duxford & Cambridge* Crew Training
  16 Sun Duxford* Spring Air Show
  16 Sun Horham* Memorial Flypast
  31 Mon Madingley Military Cemetary* US Military Cemetary Memorial Flypast (1140hrs)
     
  June  
  4 Fri Duxford* Depart for Denmark early afternoon
  5 Sat Skrydstrup* Denmark
  6 Sun Skrydstrup* Denmark
  13 Sun RAF Bentwaters Sally B still in Denmark due to weather
  17 Thu Duxford* Return from Skrydstrup early afternoon
  26 Sat Biggin Hill* International Air Fair
  27 Sun Biggin Hill* International Air Fair
     
  July  
  4 Sun RAF Feltwell* Full Display BNL
  4 Sun Old Warden* Shuttleworth, Full Display BNL
  10 Sat Duxford* Flying Legends Air Show
  11 Sun Duxford* Flying Legends Air Show
  24 Sat Glemham Hall* Nr Woodbridge. Full Display BNL
  25 Sun Glemham Hall* Full display BNL
       
  August  
  8 Sun Damyn's Hall* Upminster, Essex. Full Display BNL
  11 Wed RAF Odiham* Land am, depart out of slot
  15 Sun Rougham* Full display BNL
  20 Fri Duxford* American Air Day
  21 Sat Bournemouth* Full display BNL
  22 Sun Bournemouth* Full display BNL
  21 Sat Shoreham* Full display BNL
  22 Sun Shoreham* Full display BNL
     
  September  
  4 Sat Duxford* Main Air Show and Official Roll of Honour
  5 Sun Duxford* Main Air Show and Members Party
  11 Sat Cosby Full display BNL  cancelled
  12 Sun Cosby Full display BNL  cancelled
  18 Sat Wissant Full display BNL Cancelled
  18 Sat Ede* The Netherlands -  Jan Hilgers Memorial airshow, Full display BNL
  19 Sun Hechtel* Belgium - 33rd Sanicole Air Show, Full display BNL
  19 Sun Wissant Full display BNL cancelled
     
  October    
  10 Sun Duxford* Celebrates Sally B's birthday

Please note that full details on the Members party, how to obtain tickets etc will be sent to all members in late June.

 

Displays and Venues 2009

Please note

* For technical reasons, Sally B will now not be appearing at: Biggin Hill, RAF Waddington and Flying Legends. Please read the statement from the B-17 Operator Elly Sallingboe.

Venues printed in bold are confirmed so, subject to unforeseen circumstances such as weather etc, Sally B should appear.

Confirmed venues are in bold
Flypast = Full display but no landing at venue

  May    
  14 Thu Duxford / Cambridge Crew Training 1300 approximately
  17 Sun Duxford Spring Air Show
  17 Sun Horham 95BG Memorial Flypast - nr Eye
  24 Sun Thurleigh Commemorative Flypast 40th Combat Wing nr Bedford 14:30
  25 Mon Madingley American Military Cemetery Cancelled due technical
       
  June    
  14 Sun Cosford * Cancelled due technical
  27 Sat Biggin Hill * Cancelled due technical
  28 Sun Biggin Hill * Cancelled due technical
     
  July  
  4 Sat RAF Waddington * Cancelled due technical
  5 Sun RAF Waddington * Cancelled due technical
  11 Sat Duxford * Static only
  12 Sun Duxford * Static only
  19 Sun Chester * Cancelled due technical
  22 Wed RAF Odiham * Cancelled due technical
       
  August  
  16 Sun Rougham Flypast
  21 Fri Duxford American Air Day
  22 Sat Shoreham Flypast
  22 Sat Bournemouth  
  23 Sun Bournemouth  
  23 Sun Shoreham Flypast
  28 Fri Duxford Crew Training - postponed until September
  29 Sat Duxford Crew Training - postponed until September
       
  September  
  05 Sat Duxford Main Air Show & Official Roll of Honour unveiling
  05 Sat Cosby Flypast
  06 Sun Duxford Main Air Show & Members Party
  06 Sun Cosby Flypast
  19 Sat Duxford Training & flight to Belgium
  20 Sun Hechtel Belgium - 33rd Sanicole Airshow
  20 Sun Cambridge Flypast for Marshalls Anniversary
     
  October  
  11 Sun Duxford Autumn Air Show

 

Displays and Venues 2008

There was no flying in 2008 due to a series of engine problems.

Displays and Venues 2007

  May    
  07 Mon Duxford Crew Training
  08 Tue Duxford Crew Training
  08 Tue RAF Wyton Crew Training
  20 Sun Duxford May Air Show
  27 Sun Southend Sea Front Flypast
  28 Mon Southend Sea Front Flypast
  28 Mon Madingley American Military Cemetery USAAF Memorial Flypast (1200hrs)
       
  June    
  02 Sat Biggin Hill International Air Fair 2007
  03 Sun Biggin Hill International Air Fair 2007
       
  July    
  07 Sat Duxford Flying Legends Air Show
  08 Sun Duxford Flying Legends Air Show
  28 Sat Duxford 10th Anniverary of the AAM
       
  August    
  18 Sat Elvington Night Stop Elvington
  19 Sun Elvington Night Stop Elvington
       
  September    
  01 Sat Lydd Night Stop Lydd
  02 Sun Lydd Night Stop Lydd
  08 Sat Duxford September Air Show & Official Roll of Honour unveiling
  09 Sun Duxford September Air Show and Members Party
  08 Sat Cosby Nr Leicester - Flypast
  09 Sun Cosby Nr Leicester - Flypast
  15 Sat Shoreham Flypast
  16 Sun Shoreham Flypast
       
  October    
  14 Sun Duxford Autumn Air Show

 

Displays and Venues 2006

  May    
  10 Wed Duxford Crew Training
  21 Sun Duxford AirSpace Air Show
  28 Sun Southend Sea Front Flypast
  29 Mon Southend Sea Front Flypast
  29 Mon Madingley American Military Cemetery USAAF Memorial Flypast (1200hrs)
       
  June    
  01 Thu Aldergrove Flypast (c. 1230hrs) over Belfast Zoological Gardens to honour fallen airmen
  03 Sat Biggin Hill International Air Fair 2006
  04 Sun Biggin Hill International Air Fair 2006
       
  July    
  08 Sat Duxford Flying Legends Air Show
  09 Sun Duxford Flying Legends Air Show
  15 Sat Duxford Lunchtime Flight for Trustees of AMM
  27 Thu RAF Marham Display at 15.20 then on to..
  27 Thu Lowestoft Sea Front Flypast 15.52 - Night Stop Norwich
  28 Fri Lowestoft Sea Front Flypast at 15.18 then onto Scotland
  29 Sat East Fortune Scotland Flypast
  29 Sat Sunderland Flypast
  29 Sat Middle Wallop Music in the Air - late Flypast 20.52
       
  August    
  6 Sun Woodchurch Flypast
  20 Sun Rougham Flypast
       
  September    
  02 Sat Duxford Main Duxford Air Show & Corporate day
  03 Sun Duxford Main Duxford Air Show and Members Party
  09 Sat Lydd Night Stop Lydd
  10 Sun Lydd  
  16 Sat Shoreham Flypast - Night Stop
  17 Sun Shoreham Flypast
       
  October    
  08 Sun Duxford Autumn Air Show

 

Displays and Venues 2005

  June    
  04 Sat East Fortune B-17 Grounded - EU Charges
  05 Sun East Fortune B-17 Grounded - EU Charges
  26 Sun Old Buckenham B-17 Grounded - EU Charges
       
  July    
  02 Sat Kimbolton Castle Flypast over school 11.30, then onto RAF Waddington
  02 Sat RAF Waddington  
  03 Sun RAF Waddington  
  07 Thu Duxford Practice Special Flypast over London 1400
  09 Sat Duxford Flying Legends Airshow
  10 Sun Duxford Flying Legends Airshow
  10 Sun Duxford Flypast over London & Buckingham Palace
  16 Sat Walney Airfield Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria - Flypast
  28 Sat RAF Marham RAF Family Day
  28 Sat Lowestoft Seafront Air Festival - Flypast
  29 Sun Lowestoft Seafront Air Festival - Flypast
  31 Sun Sandown – Isle of Wight End of War Display
       
  August    
  06 Sat Jurby – Isle of Man  
  07 Sun Woodchurch Flypast
  14 Sun Blenheim Palace Concert - Flypast
       
  September    
  03 Sat Biggin Hill Air Fair
  04 Sun Biggin Hill Air Fair
  03 Sat Shoreham RAFA Airshow Flypast
  04 Sun Shoreham RAFA Airshow Flypast
  10 Sat Duxford
© B-17 Preservation Limited