[tanknetter]

Several years ago we boarded the B-17 “Liberty Belle” in Addison, Tx for a flight of a lifetime, but as it taxied down the runway the right outside engine began to spew plumes of white smoke and the bird began shaking... I have some pics around here somewhere and she was a real beauty.

Liberty Belle was destroyed in a fire a year or two back. From the first notice of smoke (while in the air) to the plane being on the ground (in a freshly-plowed field) and her crew and passengers deplaned was somewhere in the neighborhood of a minute or two.

Fire apparatus showed up in time to save her, but couldn't traverse the field to actually get to her. Absolutely heartbreaking.

She was a pretty special plane - sent to Pratt & Whitney as an engine testbed, had a massive engine (prop) installed in the nose that could maintain the aircraft in flight with the other four engines off and feathered. After being retired from P&W she went to the New England Air Museum, where she was heavily damaged during the 1979 Hartford tornado. She sat semi-crumpled for over 10 years (maybe close to 20) before she was bought and restored to flying condition.

[Dysart]

Yep, 2011, in Illinois. I wondered at the time if she had the same 2-man crew.

[jaydubya2]

Liberty Bell survived the forced landing with little damage, but the fire crew were afraid their truck would get stuck in the wet field, and after they heard all the passengers had gotten out, they decided not to risk getting their truck stuck and just let her burn.