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I just finished watching "Memphis Belle in Color", a TV show on the Smithsonian Channel. The entire show is of actual combat color news reel footage of the 8th and 100th airforce.. In 1943, the airforce would send almost 400 B-17's at a time deep into Germany. The P-47 escort fighters could not travel that far, so the bombers were on their own. During these bomb runs, 40% of the B-17's were either shot down or were so damaged that they were unusable. After 25 missions, the crew men could go home. The odds of being able to do that was about 0%. On one mission, 18 bombers were sent to Germany and only one returned. Such a terrible loss of brave young lives. However, once Doolittle was put in charge, and the P-51 showed up, the loss of bombers dropped. 350,000 service men served in the 8th air force and 26,000 lost their lives.
The Memphis Belle now is on display at the National Museum of the Air Force.
Your comments and questions are always welcome.
Johnny, I saw that Memphis Belle film on Smithsonian Channel. Very good showing new footage shot by William Wyler and his team. Sticking your head out into the slip stream at 25,000 feet and at 200 mph took some guts. Especially with hot tracers and flak coming at you!
OK. In the stash: Way too much to build in one lifetime...
I'm stoked that someone decided to take the Belle away from Memphis. The plane was falling apart there
Steve
Building a kit from your stash is like cutting a head off a Hydra, two more take it's place.
http://www.spamodeler.com/forum/
modelcrazy I'm stoked that someone decided to take the Belle away from Memphis. The plane was falling apart there
Yep, the Memphis Belle was basically falling apart before the Air Force Museum acquired it. The museum restored it to the condition that it was in during WW II. All the scratches, dings, worn paint and repaired bullet holes remain.
https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/Museum-Exhibits/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/195966/boeing-b-17f-memphis-belle/
The museum crew and myself were literally just talking about taking a bus trip to the museum in Dayton. I'm fortunate enough to be able to work on the "Movie Memphis Belle", who was part of the flyover for the real Memphis Belle's unveiling ceremony.
Me and the kiddo with "MMB" in July.
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