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The story of Achilles, our Liberator

 
   

In 2002, FlyPast magzine reported the rebuild project of a B-24 Liberator, which had to be used for the filming of the movie "Resistance". The replica was built in the Netherlands, based on the drawings and the plane on display in the RAF Museum at Cosford. The total cost of this project was about 200 000 euro. The huge replica was transported towards the village of Kettenis, where the shots were made. One of the actors in the film is Bill Paxton, who played a role in the blockbuster "Titanic". For the film, the plane was called "Achilles". A winged boot was painted on the nose section.

After the filming, the replica was bought by the "101 AB 326E", an enthousiastic club of people, stationed in Chimay who have an impressive arsenal of wartime American vehicles. They organised a major meeting arround the wreckage, this time in Luxembourg with military vehicles.

 

 

Once this meeting was over, BAHAAT bought the replica to use for display. This was done in September 2002, when Achilles was transported through Brussels (imagine the expressions on the faces of the people in the street when a B-24 Liberated flies very low - but kindly stops at the traffic lights). That Sunday, the Liberator was on show at the Parc du Cinquantenaire, being a favourite subject for tourists from over the whole world.

Achilles was also a guest at other manifestations in Geraardsbergen and Erembodegem. His next spectacular appearance will be on May 10, 2003, when BAHAAT organises the memorial service of a B-24-crew of 392 BG who crashed at Denderwindeke in winter 1944. Our Lib will be placed exactly on the spot where almost sixty years ago a real one came down in similar circumstances as shown in the film "Resistance".