MD11Engineer From Germany, joined Oct 2003, 13369 posts, RR: 64 Reply 1, posted (7 years 8 months 2 weeks 1 day 14 hours ago) and read 3244 times:
I have heard that there were arguments with the city of Memphis, Tennessee, because, while the plane was on loan from the USAF museum, the city would like to keep it, but during the last decades did practically no maintenance on it, leading to it getting in a very bad condition. I wonder if it will be brought back to Memphis after the restoration.
FlagshipAZ From United States of America, joined Jan 2001, 3419 posts, RR: 15 Reply 2, posted (7 years 8 months 2 weeks 1 day 7 hours ago) and read 3214 times:
I highly doubt that the "Memphis Belle" will be returning to Memphis after the restoration. The city of Memphis had the bird since the end of the war, and while they did take care of it for awhile, the aircraft was basically abandoned after the novelty of the aircraft's fame had worn off. The B-17 rightfully belong to the USAF, so it should get a place of honor in the WWII gallery of the museum, and in my opinion, display it right next to the B-24 "Strawberry Bitch". Can you see it now?.....The Belle & The Bitch. A B-17 & a B-24, the 2 most commonly used heavy bombers of the USAAF in WWII. Regards.
"Beer is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." --Ben Franklin
RC135U From United States of America, joined May 2005, 293 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (7 years 8 months 2 weeks 1 day 7 hours ago) and read 3214 times:
Quoting MD11Engineer (Reply 1): I have heard that there were arguments with the city of Memphis, Tennessee, because, while the plane was on loan from the USAF museum, the city would like to keep it, but during the last decades did practically no maintenance on it, leading to it getting in a very bad condition. I wonder if it will be brought back to Memphis after the restoration.
Jan
I would hope that an aircraft of such historical importance would be displayed
at either the USAF museum or the Smithsonian NASM at Dulles. I appreciate the vision of the Memphis people who saved the Belle from the smelter but
she deserves to be kept where she can be properly cared for.
SATL382G From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 4, posted (7 years 8 months 2 weeks 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 3213 times:
Quoting FlagshipAZ (Reply 2): Can you see it now?.....The Belle & The Bitch.
Actually it would be the Baby, the Bitch, the Belle, and the Bocks Car...
The Baby: Shoo, Shoo Baby - The museums other combat vet B-17
The Bitch: Strawberry Bitch - The museums B-24
The Belle: B-17 Memphis Belle
The Bocks Car: B-29 that dropped the 2nd A-bomb....
DAYflyer From United States of America, joined Sep 2004, 3807 posts, RR: 4 Reply 5, posted (7 years 8 months 2 weeks 11 hours ago) and read 3168 times:
Quoting FlagshipAZ (Reply 2): I highly doubt that the "Memphis Belle" will be returning to Memphis after the restoration. The city of Memphis had the bird since the end of the war, and while they did take care of it for awhile, the aircraft was basically abandoned after the novelty of the aircraft's fame had worn off. The B-17 rightfully belong to the USAF, so it should get a place of honor in the WWII gallery of the museum, and in my opinion, display it right next to the B-24 "Strawberry Bitch". Can you see it now?.....The Belle & The Bitch. A B-17 & a B-24, the 2 most commonly used heavy bombers of the USAAF in WWII. Regards.
Agree totally. If you can't kep up an aircraft of this value, you need to let the people who can. Hard to believe the restoration will take up to 10 years though.
Anyone can email me and I will send you copy of the scan of the article and photo.
Broke From United States of America, joined Apr 2002, 1322 posts, RR: 4 Reply 6, posted (7 years 8 months 1 week 6 days 23 hours ago) and read 3146 times:
The "Memphis Belle" will be staying at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force after its restoration.
Venus6971 From United States of America, joined Dec 2004, 1410 posts, RR: 1 Reply 7, posted (7 years 8 months 1 week 6 days 20 hours ago) and read 3134 times:
If I remeber right the B-17 that is now on display flew to Wright Pat after a lenghty reburb done by a group of reservists at Dover in the early 90's and is most likely flyable, I wonder what they will do with that one after the Belle is completed.
DAYflyer From United States of America, joined Sep 2004, 3807 posts, RR: 4 Reply 8, posted (7 years 8 months 1 week 4 days 10 hours ago) and read 3104 times:
New Article and photo's:
Rebuilding History: Memphis Belle to be restored
By Timothy R. Gaffney
Dayton Daily News
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE | With the help of a big crane, the famous B-17 bomber Memphis Belle on Wednesday landed in its new home — the restoration hangar of the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.
Bringing the best-known Flying Fortress to the Air Force's main museum has been an on-again, off-again goal of museum directors for decades.
Now, it's done.
"I am delighted," Museum Director Charles Metcalf said as he strolled around the big green pieces of the dismembered warbird.
The museum's restoration staff trucked the bomber in sections last week from Memphis, Tenn., where decades of outdoor display caused deterioration.
On Wednesday, a crew lifted the last section — the forward fuselage — from a flatbed truck onto the museum floor, where it sits in a cradle surrounded by other pieces like a giant model airplane kit.
Pointing out heavily corroded sections of the bomber, Metcalf said its restoration is likely to be a 7- to 10-year job, but will result in an airplane that looks ready to fly.
It may take as long to restore the facts about Memphis Belle, which became a symbol of American airpower when the Army put the plane and its crew on a national War Bonds tour during World War II.
Memphis Belle is widely known as being the first airplane to complete 25 combat missions over Europe. Museum press releases have even described it that way.
But Museum Research Historian Jeff Duford said it isn't so.
"There was one airplane that completed 25 missions before Memphis Belle. It was Hell's Angels," another B-17F, Duford said.
Memphis Belle is better known because it was the first 25-mission plane to be recalled to the United States for a tour, he said.
It was also the subject of a wartime documentary and a 1990 Hollywood film.
Duford said Memphis Belle is important because it was one of the first planes to complete 25 missions, and because it flew many of them as group or wing leader.
CaptOveur From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 9, posted (7 years 8 months 1 week 4 days 8 hours ago) and read 3102 times:
Quoting Venus6971 (Reply 7): If I remeber right the B-17 that is now on display flew to Wright Pat after a lenghty reburb done by a group of reservists at Dover in the early 90's and is most likely flyable, I wonder what they will do with that one after the Belle is completed.
I was there when Shoo Shoo flew in.. It was flyable when they parked it... It is a B-17G if memory serves.. I think Memphis Belle is a B-17F (maybe an E).. There are a few very visible diffs between the models, they both could have a spot in the collection.
Venus6971 From United States of America, joined Dec 2004, 1410 posts, RR: 1 Reply 10, posted (7 years 8 months 1 week 4 days 6 hours ago) and read 3091 times:
Quoting CaptOveur (Reply 9): I was there when Shoo Shoo flew in.. It was flyable when they parked it... It is a B-17G if memory serves.. I think Memphis Belle is a B-17F (maybe an E).. There are a few very visible diffs between the models, they both could have a spot in the collection.
Found these pics on the net so everyone knows what we are talking about, my CRS disease kicked in it was 1988 that acft flew into FFO
Venus6971 From United States of America, joined Dec 2004, 1410 posts, RR: 1 Reply 11, posted (7 years 8 months 1 week 4 days 6 hours ago) and read 3090 times:
Quoting Venus6971 (Reply 10): Found these pics on the net so everyone knows what we are talking about, my CRS disease kicked in it was 1988 that acft flew into FFO
Found this pic of the Belle on the Anet, no wonder the USAF grabbed it back, they took care of it like my wife takes care of her car. Looks like it should be parked in front of a trailer home.
Venus6971 From United States of America, joined Dec 2004, 1410 posts, RR: 1 Reply 12, posted (7 years 7 months 3 weeks 5 days 7 hours ago) and read 2945 times:
http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/
The Belle is now at WPAFB in the restoration hanger, looking forward to seeing it fully restored in its glory. My question will they make it look like it did 25 missions over Europe or coming of the assembly line at Boeing?
MD-90 From United States of America, joined Jan 2000, 8422 posts, RR: 13 Reply 14, posted (7 years 7 months 3 weeks 3 days 23 hours ago) and read 2898 times:
Was the Belle at Mud Island a mockup or the real thing? I remember seeing it there in the late '80s or early '90s. It was under a white canopy structure, and looked (to my 5-7 year old eye) like it was in good condition, better than what it looked like in that 1987 picture.
Fedex From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 15, posted (7 years 7 months 2 weeks 6 days 14 hours ago) and read 2816 times:
The Belle was located at MEM until the late 1980's, she was then taken apart, restored and relocated to Mud Island where she stayed until 2003, when once again we took her apart and moved her to NAS Millington where a very extensive restoration was started. Around the time of the move to Millington, a whole bunch of political BS happened here in Memphis between groups that wanted to represent the Belle and groups that were in charge of her care. In the end, she was given to a group that was restoring her the way she needed to be, however the group that lost the power struggle apparently had most of the political pull. Around that time, Gen. Metcalf (who in my opinion, always wanted the Belle in his possession at the Air Force Museum) set financial goals for during the restoration and visitor goals after the restoration that were impossible to attain in a city that, for lack of better words, didn't care. The restoration that had taken place up to the point of the news of the Belle's relocation plans was absolutely some of the best work I have ever seen on any aircraft, PERIOD. To say that the volunteers that were pouring their lives into this restoration love the old gal is an understatement.
Usaafb17fan From United States of America, joined Oct 2005, 15 posts, RR: 0 Reply 16, posted (7 years 7 months 2 weeks 6 days 8 hours ago) and read 2793 times:
Quoting CaptOveur (Reply 9): It is a B-17G if memory serves.. I think Memphis Belle is a B-17F (maybe an E).
You're right, Cap, the Memphis Belle is an early "F" model, and even looking @ the pics in a book I have, I still can't see any huge differences between the "E"s and early "F"s. Shoo-Shoo Baby is definately a "G", by the way.
By the way, where IS the National Museum of the Air Force? I'd like to go there, eventually!
F4wso From United States of America, joined Oct 2003, 974 posts, RR: 13 Reply 17, posted (7 years 7 months 2 weeks 6 days 7 hours ago) and read 2796 times:
The National Museum of the U. S. Air Force is the former Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, Ohio.
I saw the Memphis Belle in the restoration hangar at Millington and thought it was getting a good restoration from dedicated volunteers. It is interesting to note that had if not been for private interests and up to the Air Force, the Belle would have been scrapped long ago. Normally, USAF aircraft on display are the property of the NMUSAF. In this case, it was bought through surplus channels long ago much like many of the warbirds now flying. Thanks to those folks for keeping a historically significant airplane intact so the Air Force can again take possession.
Gary
Cottage Grove, MN
Seeking an honest week's pay for an honest day's work
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From Germany, joined Oct 2003, 13369 posts, 
A B-17 & a B-24, the 2 most commonly used heavy bombers of the USAAF in WWII. Regards.
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