FastEd
Hunter
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- City & State/Province
- RIVERSIDE, OH, Home of the Air Force Museum
In the Air Force Museum Restoration Area.
The Memphis Belle is making progress
- Thread starter FastEd
- Start date
RugerHound
Hunter
Great photo! Thanks for posting!
Bob Wright
Hawkeye
I have seen that airplane in flight, and walked through her!
Looks like a Beaufighter in the background.
As displayed on Mud Island Theme Park in Memphis a few years ago:
When she was placed on Mud Island she was bombarded by these B-17s, with rose petals:
The city of Memphis paid $300 for her years ago, but the Air Force still repossessed her.
Bob Wright
Looks like a Beaufighter in the background.
As displayed on Mud Island Theme Park in Memphis a few years ago:
When she was placed on Mud Island she was bombarded by these B-17s, with rose petals:
The city of Memphis paid $300 for her years ago, but the Air Force still repossessed her.
Bob Wright
Looking GOOD,
Bob you have a VERY GOOD eye. Not many would recognize a little known Britt plane.
Now for the rest of the story. :D :wink:
Memphis Belle vs. Hot Stuff: How history came to celebrate the wrong WWII airplane
I guess everything has always been POLITICAL. WHAT a shame. It is always the common man that takes the beating.
Scott Orr
The Daily Courier
PRESCOTT - If you've seen the 1990 film "Memphis Belle," you know the story of the B-17 and her trusty crew, the first heavy bomber of World War II to complete 25 missions and return home.
It's a stirring tale and the movie included an all-star cast.
Only problem is, it isn't true.
Memphis Belle was not the first to complete the required number of missions. In fact, she may have been the third.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Professor William Waldock, an accident investigator and "aviation archaeologist," has studied the history and explained why that myth has persisted Wednesday night at ERAU's Davis Learning Center as part of the school's Aviation History series.
Once an aircrew wrapped up 25 missions, the War Department, predecessor to the Department of Defense, would bring the bomber home and have the plane and crew do a nationwide promotional tour to sell war bonds to fund the war effort, Waldock said.
But Memphis Belle was beaten to the punch by another B-17, six days earlier.
It was named "Hell's Angels," Waldock said, and "there was a little bit of concern about promoting 'Hell's Angels' and trying to promote war bonds with it."
That airplane is listed in some publications as the first to complete 25 missions.
"But that's not right, either," Waldock said.
The very first was a B-24 named "Hot Stuff," he said.
"Hot Stuff flew her 25th mission on the 7th of February, 1943. It's well-documented. That was three-and-a-half months before Memphis Belle," he said. "So how come we haven't heard of her? Why isn't she in the movies? Why isn't the crew the famous folks?"
The answer, Waldock said, is because the B-24 crashed and was destroyed, and this is where the story takes a strange turn.
Hot Stuff was set to return to the U.S. on May 3, 1943. But first, the plane was set for an "inspection tour" of Iceland with a VIP aboard: Lt. Gen. Frank Andrews, the commander of all U.S. forces in the European Theatre.
Andrews, an experienced, instrument-rated pilot, bumped the normal co-pilot off the plane and flew in his place.
Also aboard were Andrews' staff and four clergymen, who bumped five other crewmen.
"There are plenty of anecdotal sources that say the real purpose of General Andrews' travel was that he was going back to Washington, D.C., to be blessed by Congress and the president, awarded his fourth star, and formally named Supreme Allied Commander in Europe," Waldock said.
But he didn't make it. The plane skipped a scheduled stop at which the crew would have learned the weather at their destination in Iceland was miserable, with zero visibility. And the aircraft's radio was apparently not working.
Because the B-24's commander was a captain and the co-pilot was a three-star general, it's likely that Andrews was making the decisions, Waldock said.
The plane made it to their destination airfield, but couldn't land, and headed for another airfield. It, too, was socked in, so Andrews decided to turn back to the original field.
The plane climbed to 900 feet, and, slightly off course, Hot Stuff crashed into a 1,100-foot mountain. Fourteen of the 15 people aboard were killed.
U.S. officials, hoping to divert attention from the crash and death of a high-ranking military official, decided to promote Memphis Belle as the first airplane to complete 25 missions and sent the crew on the promotional tour, Waldock said.
After Andrews' death, Dwight D. Eisenhower was named Supreme Allied Commander, and went on to become president.
In 1948, the base for the president's airplane was named after Andrews.
Bob you have a VERY GOOD eye. Not many would recognize a little known Britt plane.
Now for the rest of the story. :D :wink:
Memphis Belle vs. Hot Stuff: How history came to celebrate the wrong WWII airplane
I guess everything has always been POLITICAL. WHAT a shame. It is always the common man that takes the beating.
Scott Orr
The Daily Courier
PRESCOTT - If you've seen the 1990 film "Memphis Belle," you know the story of the B-17 and her trusty crew, the first heavy bomber of World War II to complete 25 missions and return home.
It's a stirring tale and the movie included an all-star cast.
Only problem is, it isn't true.
Memphis Belle was not the first to complete the required number of missions. In fact, she may have been the third.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Professor William Waldock, an accident investigator and "aviation archaeologist," has studied the history and explained why that myth has persisted Wednesday night at ERAU's Davis Learning Center as part of the school's Aviation History series.
Once an aircrew wrapped up 25 missions, the War Department, predecessor to the Department of Defense, would bring the bomber home and have the plane and crew do a nationwide promotional tour to sell war bonds to fund the war effort, Waldock said.
But Memphis Belle was beaten to the punch by another B-17, six days earlier.
It was named "Hell's Angels," Waldock said, and "there was a little bit of concern about promoting 'Hell's Angels' and trying to promote war bonds with it."
That airplane is listed in some publications as the first to complete 25 missions.
"But that's not right, either," Waldock said.
The very first was a B-24 named "Hot Stuff," he said.
"Hot Stuff flew her 25th mission on the 7th of February, 1943. It's well-documented. That was three-and-a-half months before Memphis Belle," he said. "So how come we haven't heard of her? Why isn't she in the movies? Why isn't the crew the famous folks?"
The answer, Waldock said, is because the B-24 crashed and was destroyed, and this is where the story takes a strange turn.
Hot Stuff was set to return to the U.S. on May 3, 1943. But first, the plane was set for an "inspection tour" of Iceland with a VIP aboard: Lt. Gen. Frank Andrews, the commander of all U.S. forces in the European Theatre.
Andrews, an experienced, instrument-rated pilot, bumped the normal co-pilot off the plane and flew in his place.
Also aboard were Andrews' staff and four clergymen, who bumped five other crewmen.
"There are plenty of anecdotal sources that say the real purpose of General Andrews' travel was that he was going back to Washington, D.C., to be blessed by Congress and the president, awarded his fourth star, and formally named Supreme Allied Commander in Europe," Waldock said.
But he didn't make it. The plane skipped a scheduled stop at which the crew would have learned the weather at their destination in Iceland was miserable, with zero visibility. And the aircraft's radio was apparently not working.
Because the B-24's commander was a captain and the co-pilot was a three-star general, it's likely that Andrews was making the decisions, Waldock said.
The plane made it to their destination airfield, but couldn't land, and headed for another airfield. It, too, was socked in, so Andrews decided to turn back to the original field.
The plane climbed to 900 feet, and, slightly off course, Hot Stuff crashed into a 1,100-foot mountain. Fourteen of the 15 people aboard were killed.
U.S. officials, hoping to divert attention from the crash and death of a high-ranking military official, decided to promote Memphis Belle as the first airplane to complete 25 missions and sent the crew on the promotional tour, Waldock said.
After Andrews' death, Dwight D. Eisenhower was named Supreme Allied Commander, and went on to become president.
In 1948, the base for the president's airplane was named after Andrews.
Bob Wright
Hawkeye
It is my understanding that another factor in selecting the Memphis Belle is that she completed her tour with the same crew for all twenty five missions.
Bob Wright
Bob Wright
Bob Wright
Hawkeye
A bit more interesting stuff: Concerning that left wing:
The crew of the Memphis Belle stood in review under the left wing as the King and Queen of England passed by.
Robert Morgan, the pilot, was married in a ceremony standing under the left wing. Best man was Paul Tibbets, the pilot of the Enola Gay who dropped the first atomic bomb.
The original Memphis Belle, Miss Margaret Polk, and Robert Morgan, never married. Morgan was married, and later widowed, prior to the marriage under that wing.
Bob Wright
The crew of the Memphis Belle stood in review under the left wing as the King and Queen of England passed by.
Robert Morgan, the pilot, was married in a ceremony standing under the left wing. Best man was Paul Tibbets, the pilot of the Enola Gay who dropped the first atomic bomb.
The original Memphis Belle, Miss Margaret Polk, and Robert Morgan, never married. Morgan was married, and later widowed, prior to the marriage under that wing.
Bob Wright
That is a great update on the restoration!
OP
FastEd
Hunter
- Joined
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- City & State/Province
- RIVERSIDE, OH, Home of the Air Force Museum
Bob Wright said:
The Memphis Belle did not do the entire tour with one crew. Several guys were in and out.
HerrMesser
Single-Sixer
Can you still tour the restoration hanger. If so what day and time? I would really like to go through one of these days.
Rad
Rad
willk said:
You are correct. But there is also a USAAF documentary that is spot on.
All of those Guys went through HELL. Must be why the USAAF had more causalities than the USMC and Navy Combined.
WIL TERRY
Buckeye
Eddie, I remember being in the anex there by the museaum about 1960-61 where planes were awaiting their resoration. Many had bullet holes and flak damage, and there was blood spattered around inside more than a few. Bockscar was there and I was the only one who recognized it, walked up and put two big handprints on the fuselage. "STRAWBERRY Rosie O'Donnell" was also there sitting outside. Did they ever restore her?
Critch
Single-Sixer
When I was in the 5th and 6th grade the Belle was parked at an Armory on Airways Blvd in Memphis. I rode my bike past her many times. One day I was walking around her a guy told me I could go up in her. I think they were doing some cleaning or something. Anyway, she was in bad shape, wasp nests and dust. I wasn't a real big kid in the 6th grade, but I realized that the B-17 wasn't a particularly large airplane,,and I also knew that the shots of the gunners on Twelve O'clock High were not shot in a real airplane....
