Memphis Belle (B-17)
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Memphis Belle was the nickname of a B-17 Flying Fortress during the Second World War that inspired the making of two motion pictures: a 1944 documentary film: and a 1990 Hollywood feature film: Memphis Belle.
Wartime history
The actual Memphis Belle, a Boeing-built B-17F-10-BO, serial 41-24485, was delivered in September 1942 to the 91st Bomb Group at Dow Field, Bangor, Maine. It deployed to Prestwick, Scotland, on September 30, 1942, and then to its permanent base at Bassingbourn, England, on October 14. Captain Robert Morgan's crew flew 25 combat missions with the 324th Bomb Squadron, all but four in the Memphis Belle:
- '''7 November 1942 - Brest, France
- '''9 November 1942 - St. Nazaire, France
- '''17 November 1942 - St. Nazaire
- '''6 December 1942 - Lille, France
- '''20 December 1942 - Romilly-sur-Seine, France
- '''3 January 1943 - St. Nazaire
- '''13 January 1943 - Lille
- '''23 January 1943 - Lorient, France
- '''4 February 1943 - Emden, Germany
- '''14 February 1943 - Hamm, Germany
- '''16 February 1943 - St. Nazaire
- '''26 February 1943 - Wilhelmshaven, Germany
- '''27 February 1943 - Brest
- '''6 March 1943 - Lorient
- '''12 March 1943 - Rouen, France
- '''13 March 1943 - Abbeville, France
- '''22 March 1943 - Wilhemshaven
- '''28 March 1943 - Rouen
- '''5 April 1943 - Antwerp, Belgium
- '''16 April 1943 - Lorient
- '''17 April 1943 - Bremen, Germany
- '''1 May 1943 - St. Nazaire
- '''4 May 1943 - Antwerp
- '''15 May 1943 - Wilhelmshaven
- '''17 May 1943 - Lorient
The plane was named for pilot Robert K. Morgan's sweetheart, Margaret Polk. The famous Petty girl nose art was painted by the 91st's group artist Tony Starcer.
Postwar history
After the war the Flying Fortress was saved from reclamation at Altus, Oklahoma by the efforts of the mayor of Memphis, the Hon. Walter Chandler, and the city bought the plane for $350. It was flown to Memphis in July 1946 and stored until the summer of 1949 when it was placed on display at the National Guard armory. It sat out-of-doors into the 1980s, slowly deteriorating due to weather and occasional vandalism.In the early 1970s another mayor had donated the historic plane back to the Air Force, but they allowed it to remain in Memphis contingent on it being maintained. Efforts by the locally-organized Memphis Belle Memorial Association, Inc. (MBMA) saw the aircraft moved to Mud Island in the Mississippi River in 1987 for display in a new pavilion with roof cover. It was still open to the elements, however, and prone to weathering. Dissatisfaction with the site led to efforts to create a new museum facility in nearby Shelby County. In the summer of 2003 the Belle was disassembled and moved to a restoration facility in Millington, Tennessee for work. In September 2004, however, the National Museum of the United States Air Force, apparently tiring of the ups and downs of the city's attempts to preserve the aircraft, indicated that they wanted it back for restoration and eventual display at the museum near Dayton, Ohio. On August 30, 2005 the MBMA announce 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 aircraft. They announced plans to return the aircraft to the National Museum of the United States Air Force near Dayton, Ohio after a final exhibition in Millington, Tennessee on September 30 - October 2 2005. The Belle arrived safely at the museum in mid-October 2005 and was placed in one of the Museum's restoration hangars.
Upon examination it was determined that the aircraft was far less complete than originally thought. The interior had been completely gutted by vandals and souvenir hunters. No instruments were found in the cockpit, and virtually every removable piece of the aircraft's interior had been scavenged, often sacrificing of the aircraft's wiring and control cables in the process. In addition a coat of green paint had been liberally applied to the aircraft's interior and throughout the inside of its wings. The Museum has placed restoration of Memphis Belle near the top of its priorities. In the magazine Friends Journal of the museum's foundation, Major General Charles D. Metcalf (USAF-Ret.), the director of the museum, stated that it might take 8-10 years to fully restore the aircraft.
Film portrayal
A former firebomber B-17G-85-DL, serial 44-83546, registered N3703G, was converted into a B-17F configuration by removal of its chin turret for the 1990 fictionalized version of the Memphis Belle story and continues to make air show appearances in that guise. Originally painted with the Warner Bros. movie version of the nose art and markings, the B-17 (owned by David Tallichet) now carries the historic markings found on the actual Memphis Belle. It currently operates out of Floyd Bennett Field, New York.Other Planes Named \"Memphis Belle\"
A Republic F-105D-10-RE Thunderchief (60-0504) from 357th Tactical Fighter Squadron of the 355th Tactical Fighter Wing based at Takhli Royal Thai Air Base during the Vietnam War was named Memphis Belle II in honor of the original B-17F. The aircraft claimed two MiG-17 kills in addition to numerous bombing missions. It is currently preserved at the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio. It was donated in April 1990.There was also a General Dynamics FB-111 (68-0267) named Memphis Belle II for a time during the 1980s. Presumably, those naming it were unaware of the F-105D that flew in Vietnam with the same number.
A Boeing B-52 Stratofortress (59-2594) was named Memphis Belle III. It was sent to the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center (AMARC) in October, 1992, in compliance with the START I treaty.
The first B-52H constructed (60-0001) is named the Memphis Belle IV. It is currently based at Barksdale Air Force Base, flying for the 2nd Bomb Wing.
A Lockheed C-141 Starlifter (67-0024) is named the Memphis Belle V. It has recently been transferred to the AMARC inventory.
A Lockheed C-5 Galaxy (69-0025) is named the "Memphis Belle X". [Picture of the Memphis Belle X]
References
- Bishop, Cliff T., Forresses of the Big Triangle First, East Anglia Books, Bishops Stortford, 1986, pp. 133, 135, and 233. ISBN 1869987004
- Havelaar, Marion H., and Hess, William N., The Ragged Irregulars of Bassingbourn: The 91st Bombardment Group in World War II, Schiffer, Atglen, 1995, pp. 38-40, 211, 212. ISBN 0887408109
- Freeman, Roger A., The Mighty Eighth War Diary, Jane's, London, 1990, pp. 36, 59. ISBN 0879384956
- Morgan, Col. Robert K., Ret., with Power, Ron, The Man Who Flew the Memphis Belle, Dutton, New York, 2001, ISBN 0-525-94610-1.
- 25 Missions - The Story of the Memphis Belle, published by the authority of the Commanding General, Army Air Forces - Training Aids Division, Army Air Forces, New York City, July 1943 - reprinted by the Memphis Belle Memorial Association, Inc., 1977.
- Thompson, Scott A., Final Cut - The Post-War B-17 Flying Fortress : The Survivors, Second edition, 2000, ISBN 1-57510-077-0.
External links
- [Website of the Memphis Belle Memorial Association (former custodian of the MB)]
- [Website of the 91st Bomb Group Memorial Association] Daily reports of the 324th Bomb Squadron can be viewed at this site detailing the history of plane and crew
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