The RAF Cosford 75th Anniversary Air Show team is excited to announce that the last remaining airworthy B-17 Flying Fortress in Europe will be joining the packed line-up at this year’s event on Sunday 9th June.

Flying Fortress G-BEDF, affectionately known as ‘Sally B’, is housed at the Imperial War Museum Duxford and will make her way to RAF Cosford to wow the crowds with her nostalgic beauty and increase the length of the flying display to almost 6 hours.

Used primarily as a memorial to the World War II United States Army Air Force (USAAF) airmen in Europe, ‘Sally B’ has successfully remained in the air for the last 38 years thanks to the efforts of the B-17 Preservation Group, which aims to preserve, operate and exhibit this living piece of aviation history. No stranger to Hollywood fame, ‘Sally B’ played the starring role in the 1989 re-make of William Wyler’s ‘Memphis Belle’, telling the story of the first B-17 to complete twenty-five missions over enemy territory during World War II.

As Europe’s last flying example of the aircraft, ‘Sally B’ will join a plethora of other historically significant aircraft. Just last week, the RAF Cosford Air Show team confirmed the appearance of Avro Vulcan XH558 to the exciting list of flying displays. The RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight will also provide a poignant display as a memorial to the many servicemen who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. The World famous RAF Red Arrows, as well as the RAF Typhoon and Tucano display teams have also been confirmed for the event, with many more providing a hugely diverse selection of aircraft on show throughout the day.

Air Show spokesman Flying Officer Sam Jewell says “The RAF Cosford Air Show team warmly welcomes ‘Sally B’ to this year’s Air Show, building on the exciting list of iconic aircraft on display. The non-stop airborne entertainment paired with the extensive activity on the ground will provide visitors with a truly fun-filled day. This year’s flying schedule is one of our best ever and we are very pleased to be adding Sally B to an already star studded display.”

The RAF Cosford Air Show team have also introduced several new hospitality enclosures for the 2013 Air Show including the popular ‘The Cosford Club’ sponsored by Nikon. With a dedicated crowd line spot, private domestic and catering facilities as well as the opportunity to trial exclusive Nikon equipment and the chance to win a taxi ride in a Jaguar aircraft, ‘The Cosford Club’ offers its members a fantastic enhancement to the Air Show experience. For details of the full range of packages on offer to suit all requirements and budgets, please visit the air show website at www.cosfordairshow.co.uk.

All profits made from the RAF Cosford Air Show are donated to service and local charities.

Air show tickets can be purchased online at www.cosfordairshow.co.uk, by calling the 24-hour ticket line on 0871 230 1083 (10p/min plus network charges), or at various other outlets details of which can be found on the website. Advance adult tickets are priced from £20, representing a 20% discount on tickets bought on the day and FREE admission for children under-16 accompanied by an adult as well as FREE car parking.

Tags: 2013, April, News, RAF Cosford Airshow