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"this is Memphis Belle over"

"Roger, we read you"

"We have lost 3 engines over, bit sluggish"

"ok, runway clear, have ground crew ready"

"Roger that"





After this photo was taken, the small amount to full left in the fortress, exploded. The piolt, and copilot were killed during the landing, and the ball turret gunner, was crushed under the B-17, the tail gunner, survived when he jumped from the aircraft, both waist gunners survived, but the from the radio opreater forward, all died ether, onboard, or later in hospital, the crew just landed on their 25th mission, enough to go home.

Awesome shot!

Never really knew what happed with the Memphis Belle... Now I do.

Later Days,

Brian

Never really knew what happed with the Memphis Belle... Now I do.

Come on guys, lets not make history look any worse than what it already is........at least keep one happy ending intact......

Totally feckin' alsome edit though!

Jeff

Looks like one of my landings!!

Jim

Hey, thx guys

Basically, on the Memphis Belle's 25th mission, on the return flight, it lost 3 engines, and the crew had to throw anything that moves out the plane. The raido operator, Danny, had been wounded when a BF-109 attacked the Belle

He was the only injured crew memeber

I made it up to sound more dramtic

Basically, on the Memphis Belle's 25th mission, on the return flight, it lost 3 engines, and the crew had to throw anything that moves out the plane. The raido operator, Danny, had been wounded when a BF-109 attacked the Belle

Actually, thats not the true story-just a Hollywood dramatization.  In actuality the only true elements of that film was that there was a B-17 called "Memphis Belle" and it was the first to complete 25 missions in the 8th Air Force (although not the first B-17 to complete its tour).

If I remember right, only one member of the crew was ever wounded during the whole tour and it wasn't that serious.

[quote]
Actually, thats not the true story-just a Hollywood dramatization.

From memory I believe that the only member of the Belle's crew to injured on ops was the tail gunner...

I think it was either the tail gunner or the ball turret gunner-and the wound wasn't serious.  Also, an interetsing fact is that it didn't have a crew all with 25 missions.  Just like on all the other bombers, the crew members were constantly being changed.  I believe that Morgan commanded every one of the Belle's missions, but the gunners and other positions were changed somewhat regulkarly.  I believe that a total of 19 or 20 men actually flew on missions in the Belle.  

[quote]
I think it was either the tail gunner or the ball turret gunner-and the wound wasn't serious.

I think your right there - the Belle's "25the" mission was made up of a composite crew who were all airmen on their 25th operation, and could all go back Stateside together and do the PR thing...

Yeah, I think thats right-I couldn't quite remember.  Also, I think most of them had spent some considerable time on the Belle but they were also all on their 25th mission total.  One thing that I have never read-only assume-is that the 25th mission crew was probably each hand picked to be a "model crew" with no member having any irritating qualities.  Since they were all being sent back to the states, I'm sure the government wanted each member to be a "gentleman."  I wonder if that was actually the case, once again-thats something I just always assumed probably happened.

[quote]One thing that I have never read-only assume-is that the 25th mission crew was probably each hand picked to be a "model crew" with no member having any irritating qualities.

I'm not sure of my facts & bow to your superior knowledge on this but that's not what it says on the official Memphis Belle site. http://www.memphisbelle.com/plane_legend/

The "Memphis Belle," a Boeing B-17, has been retired from active service in the European theater after 25 successful bombing missions. With its distinguished crew, which has remained intact since its formation 10 months ago, the ship has been returned to the United States for another-and no less important-mission.

At my direction, Captain Robert K. Morgan, the pilot, his crew and his ship are making a tour of Army Air Forces training establishments in all parts of the United States.

I read somewhere that Captain Morgan passed away quite recently.

If you haven't seen it I can recommend William Wyler's original 1944 documentary. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036152/

You know, there used to be a Memphis Belle site when they were restoring the plane (I think it was the same site you listed-just redone), but I thought it listed a couple "extra" crew members-but maybe I was wrong.

[quote]Yes, I remember hearing this on the news.

Hot Charlie....em what do you think of the picture rather then the txt?