Memphis Belle is saved from the scrapheap (TR)

UK Daily Mail ^ | 05/17/2018 | AP, Iain Burns, Megan Sheets

[DFG]

A legendary Second World War bomber is set to go on display for the first time after being restored at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Ohio.

The B-17 'Flying Fortress' known as Memphis Belle was introduced as the anchor of an extensive exhibit in the Dayton-area museum's war gallery.

The Memphis Belle has spent the last dozen years or so undergoing a piece-by-piece rehabilitation, from the clear plastic nose cone down to the twin .50-caliber machine guns mounted in the tail.

The plane, known for its risque nose paintings featuring a pin-up girl, was celebrated for being the first bomber to survive 25 missions over occupied Europe and return to the US in 1943.

[onedoug]

PC crap. Like Roosevelt’s “so help us God” deleted from the WWII Memorial.

Progressives chipping away....

[Tax-chick]

It was photos like that which caused my 18-year-old daughter and my 45-year-old Webelos co-leader to exclaim, during a recent visit to a historic site, “Was absolutely everyone in World War II so cute?!?”

[Mr.Unique]

It was at an air show here in Atlanta a few years ago. Flew in, flew out. I don’t know where this article is getting its information.

You're thinking of the less famous "West Memphis Belle".

;0)

[Fantasywriter]

Re small stars above bomb symbols, this is the closest I got:

Would depend on what type of aircraft, which Air Force, when, and where. Most likely it would mean (during WW2) an operation flown via Russia. Other examples, shown on RAF/RAAF bombers were an ice cream cone, denoting an operation to Italy.

https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/threads/bombs-painted-on-side-of-bombers.36554/

[SaveFerris]

Nice. Even better.

[SaveFerris]

Spray and pray.

Leading them, I’m sure, was very difficult.

Still, glad to read at least 9 bought the Nazi farm.

[SaveFerris]

I have no idea about the stars.

[2CAVTrooper]

That wasn’t THE Memphis Belle.

What you saw at the airshow was the “Movie Memphis Belle”. The way to tell the two apart is the original has “Memphis Belle” in block letters, while the movie plane has it in a cursive script.

The movie plane is actually a B-17G back dated to a B-17F

Check out the bottom of this page:
http://www.libertyfoundation.org/b17history.html

[ETL]

Revell 1/48 B-17F Memphis Belle Model Kit

[jaydubya2]

I searched and found this:

But the Memphis Belle presented a challenge, Duford said. It was modified in the theater, and there were no drawings that depicted the changes. That means a lot of unknowns, such as what kind of equipment it carried. And in cases where they don't know what was original, Hassler said, the restorers don't guess. "It's better to leave out than to guess," Hassler explained, adding that he and his team don't want to get it wrong.

"We can always add it later," Duford said.

There's also parts of the plane as it exists today that might be tempting to keep but have to go because they're not original. An example is some of the plane's nose art. Today, it features the plane's model, B-17F, painted on, as well as a series of swastikas representing Nazi planes the Memphis Belle shot down.

Originally, the "B-17F" designation was a decal, Hassler said. In order to make that right, the restoration shop will source up a decal from a specialty company that uses the same font Boeing used when making the plane. But the swastikas and the name of the navigator and bombardier -- all added during the war bond tour -- have to go. The painting of the pilot's girlfriend and a single swastika that was on the plane when it was in combat will stay.

[ETL]

[Ed Condon]

WW2 mission symbols, star above the bomb indicates lead aircraft on the mission.

[ethom]

[ETL]

Revell 04297 B-17F ‘Memphis Belle’
1/48 Scale Plastic Model Kit

Availability: In stock

$44.95

https://www.greathistorygifts.com/index.php/kits/revell-04297-b-17f-memphis-belle-1-48-scale-plastic-model-kit.html

[RitaOK]

No high morale going on in the now feminized Anti-America America? Not allowed. Hope patriots are restored to our fighting forces everywhere.

[ExTexasRedhead]

Enjoy:

https://www.google.com/search?q=Airplane+nose+art+of+World+War+II+website&biw=997&bih=437&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiohufBiK3KAhVC7mMKHWPdCxUQsAQIIg

[lilypad]

Our group is going on a tour of this museum late summer. What good news!

[SaveFerris]

[while the movie plane has it in a cursive script]

Great. Now Rachel Jeantel will never be able to find the plane.

[MomwithHope]

Hubby’s father was a B24 pilot in Europe - 25 missions.