The ''Memphis Belle'' is a
Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress used during the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
that inspired the making of two motion pictures: a 1944
documentary film
A documentary film or documentary is a non-fictional motion-picture intended to "document reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education or maintaining a historical record". Bill Nichols has characterized the documentary in te ...
, ''
Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress'' and the 1990
Hollywood
Hollywood usually refers to:
* Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California
* Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States
Hollywood may also refer to:
Places United States
* Hollywood District (disambiguation)
* Hollywoo ...
feature film
A feature film or feature-length film is a narrative film (motion picture or "movie") with a running time long enough to be considered the principal or sole presentation in a commercial entertainment program. The term ''feature film'' originall ...
, ''
Memphis Belle''. It was one of the first
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
B-17 heavy bombers to complete 25 combat missions, after which the aircrew returned with the bomber to the United States to sell
war bonds
War bonds (sometimes referred to as Victory bonds, particularly in propaganda) are debt securities issued by a government to finance military operations and other expenditure in times of war without raising taxes to an unpopular level. They are a ...
. In 2005 restoration began on the ''Memphis Belle'' at the
National Museum of the United States Air Force
The National Museum of the United States Air Force (formerly the United States Air Force Museum) is the official museum of the United States Air Force located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, northeast of Dayton, Ohio. The NMUSAF is the ...
at
Wright-Patterson AFB
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) is a United States Air Force base and census-designated place just east of Dayton, Ohio, in Greene and Montgomery counties. It includes both Wright and Patterson Fields, which were originally Wilbur W ...
in
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton () is the List of cities in Ohio, sixth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, Ohio, Montgomery County. A small part of the city extends into Greene County, Ohio, Greene County. The 2020 United S ...
where, since May 2018, it has been on display.
The B-17 used in the 1990 feature film is housed at the
National Warplane Museum in
Geneseo, New York
Geneseo is a town in Livingston County in the Finger Lakes region of New York, United States. It is at the south end of the five-county Rochester Metropolitan Area. The population of the town was 10,483 at the 2010 census.
The English nam ...
.
Crew
The crew for the ''Memphis Belle'' was as follows:
* Pilot: Captain
Robert K. Morgan
* Co-pilot: Captain James A. Verinis
* Navigator: Captain Charles B. Leighton
* Bombardier: Captain Vincent B. Evans
* The First Engineer/Top Turret Gunner: Leviticus "Levy" Dillon
* The Second Engineer/Top Turret Gunner: Eugene Adkins
* The Third Engineer/Top Turret Gunner: Harold P. Loch
* Radio Operator:
Robert Hanson
* Ball Turret Gunner: Cecil Scott
* Right Waist Gunner: E. Scott Miller
* Right Waist Gunner: Casmer A "Tony" Nastal
* Left Waist Gunner: Clarence E. "Bill" Winchell
* Tail Gunner: John P. Quinlan
* Crew Chief: Joe Giambrone
* Mascot: Stuka the Scottish Terrier
Combat history
The ''Memphis Belle'', a
Boeing
The Boeing Company () is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, telecommunications equipment, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and ...
-built B-17F-10-BO, manufacturer's serial number 3170, USAAC Serial No. 41-24485, was added to the USAAF inventory on 15 July 1942,
[Havelaar 1995, p. 211.] and delivered in September 1942 to the
91st Bombardment Group
The 91st Bomb Group (Heavy) was an air combat unit of the United States Army Air Forces during the Second World War. Classified as a heavy bombardment group, the 91st operated B-17 Flying Fortress aircraft and was known unofficially as "The Ragg ...
at
Dow Field
Bangor Air National Guard Base is a United States Air National Guard base. Created in 1927 as the commercial Godfrey Field, the airfield was taken over by the U.S. Army just before World War II and renamed Godfrey Army Airfield and later Dow Ar ...
,
Bangor, Maine
Bangor ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Maine and the county seat of Penobscot County. The city proper has a population of 31,753, making it the state's 3rd-largest settlement, behind Portland (68,408) and Lewiston (37,121).
Modern Bangor ...
.
[Bishop 1986, p. 133.] It deployed to
Prestwick
Prestwick ( gd, Preastabhaig) is a town in South Ayrshire on the west coast of Ayrshire in Scotland about southwest of Glasgow. It adjoins the larger town of Ayr to the south on the Firth of Clyde coast, the centre of which is about south, an ...
, Scotland, on 30 September 1942, moving to a temporary base at
RAF Kimbolton
RAF Kimbolton is a former Royal Air Force station located west of Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, England.
History
USAAF use
The airfield was originally built in 1941 for RAF Bomber Command, then expanded to Class A airfield standards for use b ...
on 1 October, and then finally to its permanent base at
RAF Bassingbourn
Royal Air Force Bassingbourn or more simply RAF Bassingbourn is a former Royal Air Force station located in Cambridgeshire approximately north of Royston, Hertfordshire and south west of Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England.
During the Second ...
,
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...
, on 14 October.
Each side of the fuselage bore the
unit and aircraft identification markings of a B-17 of the 324th Bomb Squadron (Heavy), with the squadron code "DF" and individual aircraft letter "A".
[Bishop 1986, p. 233.]
Captain
Robert K. Morgan's crew flew 25 combat missions with the 324th Bomb Squadron; all but four were in the ''Memphis Belle''. The bomber's 25 combat missions, during which eight German aircraft were shot down by its aircrew, were:
* 7 November 1942 –
Brest, France
Brest (; ) is a port city in the Finistère department, Brittany. Located in a sheltered bay not far from the western tip of the peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French ...
["25 Missions: The Story of the Memphis Belle."](_blank)
''Air Fronts.'' Retrieved: 12 August 2008
* 9 November 1942 –
St. Nazaire
Saint-Nazaire (; ; Gallo: ''Saint-Nazère/Saint-Nazaer'') is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France, in traditional Brittany.
The town has a major harbour on the right bank of the Loire estuary, near the Atlantic Oce ...
, France
* 17 November 1942 – St. Nazaire, France
* 6 December 1942 –
Lille
Lille ( , ; nl, Rijsel ; pcd, Lile; vls, Rysel) is a city in the northern part of France, in French Flanders. On the river Deûle, near France's border with Belgium, it is the capital of the Hauts-de-France region, the prefecture of the No ...
, France
* 20 December 1942
* –
Romilly-sur-Seine
Romilly-sur-Seine (, literally ''Romilly on Seine'') is a commune in the Aube department in north-central France.
Population
International relations
Romilly-sur-Seine is twinned with:
* Milford Haven, United Kingdom
* Gotha, Germany
* Lü ...
,
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
* 30 December 1942 –
Lorient
Lorient (; ) is a town ('' commune'') and seaport in the Morbihan department of Brittany in western France.
History
Prehistory and classical antiquity
Beginning around 3000 BC, settlements in the area of Lorient are attested by the presen ...
, France (flown by Lt. James A. Verinis)
* 3 January 1943 – St. Nazaire, France
* 13 January 1943 – Lille, France
* 23 January 1943 – Lorient, France
* 14 February 1943 –
Hamm
Hamm (, Latin: ''Hammona'') is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northeastern part of the Ruhr area. As of 2016 its population was 179,397. The city is situated between the A1 motorway and A2 motorway. Hamm railwa ...
,
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwee ...
* 16 February 1943 – St. Nazaire, France
* 27 February 1943
* – Brest, France
* 6 March 1943 – Lorient, France
* 12 March 1943 –
Rouen
Rouen (, ; or ) is a city on the River Seine in northern France. It is the prefecture of the region of Normandy and the department of Seine-Maritime. Formerly one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe, the population ...
, France
* 13 March 1943 –
Abbeville
Abbeville (, vls, Abbekerke, pcd, Advile) is a commune in the Somme department and in Hauts-de-France region in northern France.
It is the chef-lieu of one of the arrondissements of Somme. Located on the river Somme, it was the capital of ...
, France
* 22 March 1943 –
Wilhelmshaven
Wilhelmshaven (, ''Wilhelm's Harbour''; Northern Low Saxon: ''Willemshaven'') is a coastal town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the western side of the Jade Bight, a bay of the North Sea, and has a population of 76,089. Wilhelmsh ...
, Germany
* 28 March 1943 – Rouen, France
* 31 March 1943 –
Rotterdam
Rotterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Rotte (river), Rotte'') is the second largest List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the Netherlands. It is in the Prov ...
,
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
["Hells Angels vs. Memphis Belle, Historical Information."](_blank)
''303rd Bomb Group Association.'' Retrieved: 11 August 2008.
''91st Bomb group Association.'' Retrieved: 11 August 2008.
* 16 April 1943 – Lorient, France
* 17 April 1943 –
Bremen
Bremen ( Low German also: ''Breem'' or ''Bräm''), officially the City Municipality of Bremen (german: Stadtgemeinde Bremen, ), is the capital of the German state Free Hanseatic City of Bremen (''Freie Hansestadt Bremen''), a two-city-state cons ...
, Germany
* 1 May 1943 – St. Nazaire, France
* 13 May 1943 –
Meaulte, France (flown by Lt. C.L. Anderson)
* 14 May 1943 –
Kiel
Kiel () is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 246,243 (2021).
Kiel lies approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the southeast of the Jutland ...
, Germany (flown by Lt. John H. Miller)
* 15 May 1943 – Wilhelmshaven, Germany
* 17 May 1943 – Lorient, France
* 19 May 1943
* – Kiel, Germany (flown by Lt. Anderson)
* Sources disagree on which two of these three missions the ''Memphis Belle'' received mission credits.
Morgan's crew completed the following missions in B-17s other than the ''Memphis Belle'':
* 4 February 1943 –
Emden
Emden () is an independent city and seaport in Lower Saxony in the northwest of Germany, on the river Ems. It is the main city of the region of East Frisia and, in 2011, had a total population of 51,528.
History
The exact founding date of ...
, Germany (in B-17 DF-H 41-24515 ''Jersey Bounce'')
* 26 February 1943 – Wilhelmshaven, Germany (in B-17 41-24515)
[Morgan, pp. 177 and 384.]
* 5 April 1943 –
Antwerp
Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504, ,
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to ...
(in B-17 41-24480 ''Bad Penny'')
* 4 May 1943 – Antwerp, Belgium (in B-17 41-24527, ''The Great Speckled Bird'')
The ''Memphis Belle'' was flown back to the United States on 8 June 1943 by a composite crew chosen by the
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force (Air Forces Strategic) is a numbered air force (NAF) of the United States Air Force's Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The command serves as Air Forc ...
, airmen who had flown combat aboard; they were led by Capt. Morgan for a 31-city
war bond
War bonds (sometimes referred to as Victory bonds, particularly in propaganda) are debt securities issued by a government to finance military operations and other expenditure in times of war without raising taxes to an unpopular level. They are ...
tour. Morgan's original co-pilot was Capt. James A. Verinis, who himself piloted the ''Memphis Belle'' for one mission. Verinis was promoted to aircraft commander of another B-17 for his final 16 missions and finished his tour on 13 May. He rejoined Morgan's crew as co-pilot for the flight back to the United States.
The B-17 ''
Hell's Angels'' (41-24577) of the
303rd Bomb Group completed 25 combat missions on 13 May 1943, becoming the first to complete the feat, one week before the ''Memphis Belle''.
Source of the name
The B-17 was named after pilot Robert K Morgan's sweetheart, Margaret Polk, a resident of
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the seat of Shelby County in the southwest part of the state; it is situated along the Mississippi River. With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 U.S. census, Memphis is the second-mo ...
. Morgan originally intended to call the bomber ''Little One'', which was his pet name for Polk. After Morgan and copilot Jim Verinis viewed the
feature film
A feature film or feature-length film is a narrative film (motion picture or "movie") with a running time long enough to be considered the principal or sole presentation in a commercial entertainment program. The term ''feature film'' originall ...
''
Lady for a Night'', in which the leading character owns a
riverboat
A riverboat is a watercraft designed for inland navigation on lakes, rivers, and artificial waterways. They are generally equipped and outfitted as work boats in one of the carrying trades, for freight or people transport, including luxury un ...
named the ''Memphis Belle'', he proposed that name to his aircrew. Morgan then contacted
George Petty
George Brown Petty IV (April 27, 1894 – July 21, 1975) was an American pin-up artist. His pin-up art appeared primarily in ''Esquire'' and Fawcett Publications's ''True'' but was also in calendars marketed by ''Esquire'', ''True'' and Ridgid T ...
at the offices of ''
Esquire'' magazine and asked him for a
pinup
A pin-up model (known as a pin-up girl for a female and less commonly male pin-up for a male) is a model whose mass-produced pictures see widespread appeal as part of popular culture. Pin-up models were variously glamour models, fashion models ...
drawing to go with the name, which Petty supplied from the magazine's April 1941 issue.
The 91st's group artist, Corporal
Tony Starcer, copied, then transferred the
Petty girl artwork to both sides of the forward fuselage, depicting her swimsuit in blue on the aircraft's port side and in red on the starboard side. The
nose art
Nose art is a decorative painting or design on the fuselage of an aircraft, usually on the front fuselage.
While begun for practical reasons of identifying friendly units, the practice evolved to express the individuality often constrained by ...
later included 25 bomb shapes, one for each mission credit, and eight Nazi
swastikas, one for each German aircraft claimed shot down by the crew. Station and crew names were stenciled below station windows on the bomber after its tour of duty was completed.
Postwar history
In his memoirs Morgan claimed that during his publicity tour he flew the ''Memphis Belle'' between the
Buncombe County
Buncombe County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is classified within Western North Carolina. The 2020 census reported the population was 269,452. Its county seat is Asheville. Buncombe County is part of the Ashevill ...
Courthouse and the City Hall of
Asheville, North Carolina, his home town. Morgan wrote that after leaving a local airport he decided to buzz the town, telling his copilot, Captain Verinis, "I think we'll just drive up over the city and give them a little goodbye salute". Morgan turned the bomber down Patton Avenue, a main thoroughfare, toward downtown Asheville. When he observed the courthouse and the city hall (two tall buildings that are only about 50 ft (20 m) apart) dead ahead, he lowered his left wing in a 60 degree bank and flew between the structures. He wrote that the city hall housed an AAF weather detachment, whose commanding officer allegedly complained immediately to the
Pentagon, but was advised by a duty officer that "Major Morgan...has been given permission to buzz by General
Henry "Hap" Arnold
Henry Harley Arnold (June 25, 1886 – January 15, 1950) was an American general officer holding the ranks of General of the Army and later, General of the Air Force. Arnold was an aviation pioneer, Chief of the Air Corps (1938–1941), ...
".
On 23 Dec 1943, the ''Memphis Belle'', having completed its combat assignment with the Eighth Air Force (8 AF), 91st Bombardment Group (91 BG) in Europe, and its subsequent stateside war bond drive, was assigned to
MacDill Field
MacDill Air Force Base (MacDill AFB) is an active United States Air Force installation located 4 miles (6.4 km) south-southwest of downtown Tampa, Florida.
The "host wing" for MacDill AFB is the 6th Air Refueling Wing (6 ARW), assig ...
, Florida. It became a B-17 aircrew and ground crew training aircraft, remaining at MacDill Field until after Victory in Europe Day (VE Day). After VE Day, the aircraft was flown to
Altus AAF, Oklahoma for storage and eventual reclamation.
Display in Memphis
After the war, the ''Memphis Belle'' was saved by the mayor of
Memphis
Memphis most commonly refers to:
* Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt
* Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city
Memphis may also refer to:
Places United States
* Memphis, Alabama
* Memphis, Florida
* Memphis, Indiana
* Memp ...
,
Walter Chandler
Walter "Clift" Chandler (October 5, 1887 – October 1, 1967) was an American politician from Tennessee and a Representative for the ninth district of Tennessee. He served as mayor of Memphis, Tennessee from 1940 to 1946 and in 1955.
Biograph ...
, from Altus Army Airfield where it had been consigned since 1 August 1945. He arranged for the city of Memphis to buy the B-17 for ().
It was flown to Memphis in July 1946 and stored until mid-1949, when the bomber was placed on display at the
National Guard
National Guard is the name used by a wide variety of current and historical uniformed organizations in different countries. The original National Guard was formed during the French Revolution around a cadre of defectors from the French Guards.
Nat ...
armory near the city's fairgrounds. It sat out-of-doors into the 1980s, slowly deteriorating from weather and
vandalism
Vandalism is the action involving deliberate destruction of or damage to public or private property.
The term includes property damage, such as graffiti and defacement directed towards any property without permission of the owner. The term ...
. Souvenir hunters removed almost all of the interior components. Eventually, no instruments were left in the cockpit, and virtually every removable piece of the B-17's interior had been scavenged, often severing the wiring and control cables in the process.
In the early 1970s another mayor donated the historic B-17 back to the custody of the United States Air Force, but they allowed it to remain in
Memphis
Memphis most commonly refers to:
* Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt
* Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city
Memphis may also refer to:
Places United States
* Memphis, Alabama
* Memphis, Florida
* Memphis, Indiana
* Memp ...
, contingent on it being maintained. Efforts by the locally organized ''Memphis Belle'' Memorial Association, Inc. (MBMA) saw the bomber moved to
Mud Island
Mud Island is a small peninsula located in Memphis, Tennessee. It is bordered by the Mississippi River to the west and the Wolf River and Harbor Town to the east. Mud Island River Park is located within the Memphis city limits, 1.2 miles fr ...
in the
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it fl ...
in 1987 for display in a new pavilion with large tarp cover.
It was still open to the elements, however, and prone to weathering. Pigeons would also nest inside the tarp, and their droppings were constantly needing removal from the bomber. Dissatisfaction with the site led to efforts to create a new museum facility in
Shelby County. In the summer of 2003 the ''Memphis Belle'' was disassembled and moved to a restoration facility at the former
Naval Air Station Memphis
Naval Support Activity Mid-South (NSA Mid-South, NAVSUPPACT Mid-South, NSAMS), in Millington, Tennessee, is a base of the United States Navy. A part of the Navy Region Southeast and the Navy Installations Command, NSA Mid-South serves as the Navy ...
in
Millington, Tennessee
Millington is a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, and is a part of the Memphis metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 10,176. Millington was granted the title "Flag City Tennessee" by the Tennessee Stat ...
for the work needed. In September 2004, however, the
National Museum of the United States Air Force
The National Museum of the United States Air Force (formerly the United States Air Force Museum) is the official museum of the United States Air Force located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, northeast of Dayton, Ohio. The NMUSAF is the ...
, apparently tiring of the ups-and-downs of the city's attempts to preserve the B-17, indicated that they wanted it back for restoration and eventual display at the museum at
Wright-Patterson AFB
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) is a United States Air Force base and census-designated place just east of Dayton, Ohio, in Greene and Montgomery counties. It includes both Wright and Patterson Fields, which were originally Wilbur W ...
near
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton () is the List of cities in Ohio, sixth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, Ohio, Montgomery County. A small part of the city extends into Greene County, Ohio, Greene County. The 2020 United S ...
. ''The Memphis Belle-The Final Chapter in Memphis'', a documentary film by Ken Axmaker, Jr., focuses on the history of the ''Belle'' in Memphis, emphasizing the final days and the volunteers who tried to keep one of the most famous aircraft in the world and another Memphis icon from disappearing.
Move to Dayton
![Memphis Belle - 180514-F-IO108-003](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/43/Memphis_Belle_-_180514-F-IO108-003.jpg)
On 30 August 2005, the MBMA announced that a consultant that they hired determined that the MBMA would not be able to raise enough money to restore the ''Belle'' and otherwise fulfill the Air Force's requirements to keep possession of the bomber. They announced plans to return the B-17 to the
National Museum of the United States Air Force
The National Museum of the United States Air Force (formerly the United States Air Force Museum) is the official museum of the United States Air Force located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, northeast of Dayton, Ohio. The NMUSAF is the ...
at
Wright-Patterson AFB
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) is a United States Air Force base and census-designated place just east of Dayton, Ohio, in Greene and Montgomery counties. It includes both Wright and Patterson Fields, which were originally Wilbur W ...
near
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton () is the List of cities in Ohio, sixth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, Ohio, Montgomery County. A small part of the city extends into Greene County, Ohio, Greene County. The 2020 United S ...
, after a final exhibition at an airshow in
Millington, Tennessee
Millington is a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, and is a part of the Memphis metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 10,176. Millington was granted the title "Flag City Tennessee" by the Tennessee Stat ...
from 30 September–2 October 2005. The ''Belle'' arrived safely at the museum in mid-October 2005 and was placed in one of the museum's restoration hangars.
Restoration of the ''Memphis Belle'' was put near the top of the museum's priorities. In ''Friends Journal'', the magazine of the museum's foundation, director Major General
Charles D. Metcalf, USAF (Ret), stated that it might take eight to 10 years to fully restore the bomber.
By the spring of 2009, considerable preparatory work had been accomplished, but the fuselage and wings were still disassembled.
After stripping the paint from the aft fuselage, hundreds of names and personal messages were found scratched in the aluminum skin. It turned out that, during the B-17's war bond tour, people were allowed to leave their marks. Footage of people writing on the bomber can be seen in the documentary film ''
The Cold Blue
''The Cold Blue'' is a 2018 documentary composed from 90 hours of "lost" footage director William Wyler used for his 1944 documentary '' The Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress''.
The ''Memphis Belle'' documentary was very highly regarded. ...
''.
In May 2017 the museum announced the goal of completing the restoration and putting the ''Memphis Belle'' on display by 17 May 2018, the 75th anniversary of the aircraft completing its 25th mission.
On 14 March 2018, the ''Memphis Belle'' was moved into the museum's WWII Gallery in a private event and was officially unveiled two months later on 17 May 2018.
''Memphis Belle'' film (1990)
Five airworthy B-17s were used in the filming of the 1990 British-American war drama ''Memphis Belle''. Two were from the US B-17G serial number 44-83546 and B-17F serial number 42-29782 and one from the United Kingdom, B-17G serial number 44-85784. Two French geographic survey B-17Gs were also used: serial number 44-85643 (French civilian registration F-BEEA), which crashed on take-off near the end of filming, and serial number 44-8846 (French civilian registration F-AZDX; ''
The Pink Lady'').
The B-17Gs had some sections converted for the film into the B-17F configuration. Serial number 44-83546 was converted by installing a Sperry top turret, early-style tail gunner's compartment, and waist gunner's positions; it also had its chin turret removed. After appearing in the film, the bomber continued to make air show appearances in that configuration. Originally painted with the Warner Bros. film versions of the nose art and markings, this plane (owned by
restaurateur David Tallichet
David Compton Tallichet Jr. (December 20, 1922 – October 31, 2007) was an American businessman who started, but did not originate, themed restaurants. He also owned scores of classic military aircraft.
Early life
Born in Dallas, Texas, Tallich ...
until his death in 2007) now carries the historic markings found on the real ''Memphis Belle''. It is currently leased by the
National Warplane Museum in
Geneseo, New York
Geneseo is a town in Livingston County in the Finger Lakes region of New York, United States. It is at the south end of the five-county Rochester Metropolitan Area. The population of the town was 10,483 at the 2010 census.
The English nam ...
, and provides historical flight experiences to the public.
[National Warplane Museum](_blank)
Retrieved Jul. 18, 2018. It carries civilian registration N3703G and is colloquially known as "the movie ''Memphis Belle''".
Serial number 44-85784 is the last airworthy B-17 in the United Kingdom and is based at the
Imperial War Museum Duxford
Imperial War Museum Duxford is a branch of the Imperial War Museum near Duxford in Cambridgeshire, England. Britain's largest aviation museum, Duxford houses the museum's large exhibits, including nearly 200 aircraft, military vehicles, artill ...
. It is part of the USAAC World War II Memorial Flight and makes dozens of appearances across the United Kingdom and Northern Europe. It is maintained and run by volunteers, relying solely upon donations to keep it restored and flying. It carries UK civilian registration G-BEDF and is known as ''
Sally B''.
In addition to the airworthy B-17s used for the taxiing and flying sequences, others were used as background aircraft for scenes shot at the film's airbase; these were not used to portray the ''Memphis Belle''. Serial number 42-29782 is now located at the
Museum of Flight
The Museum of Flight is a private non-profit air and space museum in the Seattle metropolitan area. It is located at the southern end of King County International Airport (Boeing Field) in the city of Tukwila, immediately south of Seattle. ...
, in Seattle, Washington. It carries civilian registration N17W and is now known as the ''Boeing Bee''.
Other aircraft named ''Memphis Belle''
* A
Republic F-105D Thunderchief (AF Ser. No. 60-0504) from
357th Tactical Fighter Squadron
The 357th Fighter Squadron is part of the 355th Fighter Wing at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. It operates Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft training pilots for close air support missions.
The squadron was first acti ...
of the
355th Tactical Fighter Wing 355th may refer to:
Aviation
* 355th Fighter Squadron, an inactive United States Air Force unit
*355th Fighter Wing 355th may refer to:
Aviation
*355th Fighter Squadron, an inactive United States Air Force unit
*355th Fighter Wing, a United States ...
based at
Takhli Royal Thai Air Base
Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base is a Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) facility in central Thailand, approximately 144 miles (240 km) northwest of Bangkok in Takhli District, Nakhon Sawan Province.
Units
Takhli is the home of the Royal Tha ...
during the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam a ...
was named ''Memphis Belle II'' in honor of the original B-17F. The aircraft claimed two
MiG-17
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 (russian: Микоян и Гуревич МиГ-17; NATO reporting name: Fresco) is a high-subsonic fighter aircraft produced in the Soviet Union from 1952 and was operated by air forces internationally. The MiG-17 w ...
kills in addition to numerous bombing missions, and was the last F-105 to fly. It is currently preserved at the
National Museum of the United States Air Force
The National Museum of the United States Air Force (formerly the United States Air Force Museum) is the official museum of the United States Air Force located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, northeast of Dayton, Ohio. The NMUSAF is the ...
at
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) is a United States Air Force base and census-designated place just east of Dayton, Ohio, in Greene and Montgomery counties. It includes both Wright and Patterson Fields, which were originally Wilbur Wr ...
near
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton () is the List of cities in Ohio, sixth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, Ohio, Montgomery County. A small part of the city extends into Greene County, Ohio, Greene County. The 2020 United S ...
. It was donated in April 1990.
* A
Rockwell B-1B Lancer
The Rockwell B-1 Lancer is a supersonic variable-sweep wing, heavy bomber used by the United States Air Force. It is commonly called the "Bone" (from "B-One"). It is one of three strategic bombers serving in the U.S. Air Force fleet along with ...
(AF Ser. No. 86-0133) was named ''Memphis Belle''. In 1996, Colonel
Robert K. Morgan, pilot of the original ''Memphis Belle'', received the opportunity to fly in this aircraft, while it served with the
Georgia Air National Guard
The Georgia Air National Guard (GA ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of Georgia, United States of America. It is, along with the Georgia Army National Guard, an element of the Georgia National Guard.
As state militia units, the units in ...
's
116th Bomb Wing at
Robins AFB
Robins Air Force Base is a major United States Air Force installation located in Houston County, Georgia, United States. The base is located just east of the city of Warner Robins, south-southeast of Macon and approximately south-southeast ...
, Georgia.
* A
General Dynamics FB-111A Aardvark
The General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark is a retired supersonic, medium-range, multirole combat aircraft. Production variants of the F-111 had roles that included ground attack (e.g. interdiction), strategic bombing (including nuclear weapons c ...
(AF Ser. No. 68-0267) was also nicknamed ''Memphis Belle II'' for a period during the 1980s. It is currently located at the
Strategic Air Command Museum, located in Ashland, Nebraska.
![General Ronald Fogleman flying a Boeing B-52 Stratofortress](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dd/General_Ronald_Fogleman_flying_a_Boeing_B-52_Stratofortress.jpg)
*Two
Boeing B-52 Stratofortresses have carried the name ''Memphis Belle''. B-52G (AF Ser. No. 59-2594) was named ''Memphis Belle III'' and took part in the 1991
Gulf War
The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a Coalition of the Gulf War, 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Ba'athist Iraq, ...
. That aircraft was retired from active service as the B-52G was phased out of USAF service and sent to the
AMARC
The World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (french: link=no, Association Mondiale Des Radiodiffuseurs Communautaires, AMARC) is the international umbrella organization of community radio broadcasters founded in 1983, with nearly 3,000 m ...
at
Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona in October, 1992. The first B-52H (AF Ser. No. 60-0001) was named ''Memphis Belle IV'' and is currently assigned to the
2nd Bomb Wing
The 2nd Bomb Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Force Global Strike Command and the Eighth Air Force. It is stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The wing is also the host unit at Barksdale. The wing was a ...
at
Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, having seen action in both Iraq and Afghanistan in support of Operations
Iraqi Freedom
{{Infobox military conflict
, conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق ( Kurdish)
, partof = the Iraq conflict and the War on terror
, image ...
and
Enduring Freedom
Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) was the official name used synonymously by the U.S. government for both the War in Afghanistan (2001–2014) and the larger-scale Global War on Terrorism. On 7 October 2001, in response to the September 11 at ...
.
* A McDonnell Douglas F-15E (AF Ser. No 89-0485) from the 336th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Wing, flew with the nose art "Memphis Belle III" during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003.
* A
Lockheed C-141 Starlifter
The Lockheed C-141 Starlifter is a retired military strategic airlifter that served with the Military Air Transport Service (MATS), its successor organization the Military Airlift Command (MAC), and finally the Air Mobility Command (AMC) of the ...
(AF Ser. No 67-0024) became the ''Memphis Belle V''. It was transferred to the AMARC inventory upon the retirement of all C-141s from active service in the
U.S. Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Sign ...
, to include the
Air Force Reserve and the
Air National Guard.
* A
Lockheed C-5 Galaxy (AF Ser. No. 69-0025) was named the ''Memphis Belle X'' was assigned to the
164th Airlift Wing
The 164th Airlift Wing is a unit of the Tennessee Air National Guard, stationed at Memphis Air National Guard Base, Tennessee. If activated to federal service in the United States Air Force, the 164th is gained by Air Mobility Command.
The wing ...
of the
Tennessee Air National Guard at
Memphis Air National Guard Base
Memphis International Airport is a civil-military airport located southeast of Downtown Memphis in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States. It is the primary international airport serving Memphis. It covers and has four runways., effective Au ...
.
* A
Boeing C-17 Globemaster III (AF Ser. No. 93-0600) is named the ''Memphis Belle XI'' assigned currently to the
164th Airlift Wing
The 164th Airlift Wing is a unit of the Tennessee Air National Guard, stationed at Memphis Air National Guard Base, Tennessee. If activated to federal service in the United States Air Force, the 164th is gained by Air Mobility Command.
The wing ...
of the
Tennessee Air National Guard at
Memphis Air National Guard Base
Memphis International Airport is a civil-military airport located southeast of Downtown Memphis in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States. It is the primary international airport serving Memphis. It covers and has four runways., effective Au ...
.
*
Pinnacle Airlines
Endeavor Air is an American regional airline that operates as Delta Connection for Delta Air Lines. The airline was founded as Express Airlines I in 1985 and was renamed Pinnacle Airlines in 2002. In 2012, Pinnacle's parent company filed for Cha ...
' first
Bombardier CRJ
The Bombardier CRJ or CRJ Series (for Canadair Regional Jet) is a family of regional jets introduced in 1991 by Bombardier Aerospace. The CRJ was formerly manufactured by Bombardier Aerospace with the manufacturing of the first CRJ generation, ...
(N8390A) is named ''Spirit of Memphis Belle''.
[Derden, Jonathan]
"Picture of 'Spirit of Memphis Belle'."
''airliners.net,'' 6 November 2003. Retrieved: 1 December 2012.
See also
*
Veterans' Museum (Halls, Tennessee)
*
Strategic bombing during World War II
*
''Memphis Belle'' Memorial
*
Pin-up girl
A pin-up model (known as a pin-up girl for a female and less commonly male pin-up for a male) is a model whose mass-produced pictures see widespread appeal as part of popular culture. Pin-up models were variously glamour models, fashion models ...
*
Alberto Vargas
Joaquin Alberto Vargas y Chávez (9 February 1896 – 30 December 1982) was a Peruvian-American painter of pin-up girls. He is often considered one of the most famous of the pin-up artists. Numerous Vargas paintings have sold and continue to se ...
*
The Cold Blue
''The Cold Blue'' is a 2018 documentary composed from 90 hours of "lost" footage director William Wyler used for his 1944 documentary '' The Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress''.
The ''Memphis Belle'' documentary was very highly regarded. ...
References
Notes
Citations
Bibliography
* Bishop, Cliff T. ''Fortresses of the Big Triangle First''. Bishops Stortford, UK: East Anglia Books, 1986, pp. 133, 135, and 233. .
* Freeman, Roger A., ''The Mighty Eighth War Diary''. London: Jane's, 1990, pp. 36, 59. .
* Havelaar, Marion H., and Hess, William N. ''The Ragged Irregulars of Bassingbourn: The 91st Bombardment Group in World War II''. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer, 1995, pp. 38–40, 211, 212. .
* Morgan, Col. Robert K., Ret., with Ron Powers. ''The Man Who Flew the Memphis Belle''. New York: Dutton, 2001. .
* Thompson, Scott A. ''Final Cut – The Post-War B-17 Flying Fortress: The Survivors, Second edition''. Missoula, Missouri: Pictorial Histories Pub. Co., 2000. .
External links
''Memphis Belle'' National Museum of the USAF Fact Sheet''Memphis Belle'' National Museum of the USAF FAQvia
Wayback Machine
The Wayback Machine is a digital archive of the World Wide Web founded by the Internet Archive, a nonprofit based in San Francisco, California. Created in 1996 and launched to the public in 2001, it allows the user to go "back in time" and see ...
B-17F Memphis Belle Moved to WWII Galleryat dvidshub.net
''Memphis Belle'' Memorial Association(former custodian of the Memphis Belle)
at ChrisKern.Net
''Memphis Belle'' 1943 color documentary from inside bombing run over Germanyvia
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...
{{B-17 family
Individual aircraft of World War II
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Collection of the National Museum of the United States Air Force