"The Pink Lady" B-17 Bomber

The Pink Lady is the current nickname of a B-17G Flying Fortress bomber. It is one of the few B-17s still in flying condition, and the only flying survivor to see action in Europe during World War II.

Rolled out of the Lockheed-Vega production facility in Burbank, California in December, 1944, The Pink Lady was then only known as a B-17G-85-VE Fortress, serial number 44-8846. On March 1, 1945, 44-8846 was flown to RAF Polebrook, England, and assigned to the 511th Bomb Squadron, 351st Bomb Group. Since she entered active service so close to the end of the war, 44-8846 only flew six missions over Germany, the last one being on April 20, 1945, when the 351st ended combat operations. She was transferred to the 365th Bomb Squadron, 305th Bomb Group, based at RAF Chelveston, England, when the rest of the 351st returned to the United States.

She featured as the fictional B-17F Mother and Country, in addition to The Pink Lady, in the film, Memphis Belle, being painted on one side to resemble the older B-17F. The The Pink Lady was kept at Paris - Orly Airport, France, just to the south of Paris, until its hangar was listed for demolition. It is currently being stored in a hangar in St Yan, (Saône et Loire), France.