Memphis Belle (aircraft)

This article is about the aircraft. For other uses, including films about the aircraft, see Memphis Belle.

Memphis Belle
Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress, Memphis Belle, 324th Bomb Squadron, 91st Bomb Group, 9 June 1943
General information
TypeBoeing B-17F Flying Fortress
ManufacturerBoeing Aircraft Company
StatusOn display
OwnersUnited States Army Air Forces
Construction number3170[1]
Serial41-24485
Radio codeDF-A
History
Preserved atNational Museum of the United States Air Force

The Memphis Belle is a Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress used during the Second World War that inspired the making of two motion pictures: a 1944 documentary film, Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress and the 1990 Hollywood feature film, Memphis Belle. It was one of the first United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) B-17 heavy bombers to complete 25 combat missions, after which the aircrew returned with the bomber to the United States to sell war bonds.[2]

In 2005 restoration began on the Memphis Belle at the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, Ohio where, since May 2018, it has been on display.[3][4] One of the B-17s used in the 1990 feature film was most recently housed at the National Warplane Museum in Geneseo, New York but is currently undergoing extensive maintenance at the Palm Springs Air Museum in California.[5][6]

  1. ^ Joseph F. Baugher's U.S. military aircraft serials and construction numbers; http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_bombers/b17_11.html
  2. ^ "B-17 Flying Fortress". United States Air Force. Archived from the original on 2012-07-19. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
  3. ^ Barber, Barrie (18 January 2017). "Memphis Belle to go on display at Air Force Museum in 2018". Dayton Daily News. Archived from the original on 2017-01-31. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
  4. ^ Preuss, Andreas (2018-05-17). "Memphis Belle bomber newly restored and unveiled at US Air Force museum". CNN. Retrieved 2018-05-17.
  5. ^ "Home". nationalwarplanemuseum.com.
  6. ^ Aero Vintage Books, B-17G 44-83546 at the Palm Springs Air Museum Update: August 19, 2022, Retrieved Aug. 18, 2023.