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Did you know the Nose Art on the B-17 in the 1989 Memphis Belle film was a bit different to the original 1943 aircraft, as was the text style!

 

Original

http://history.sandiego.edu/gen/WW2Pics6/PDRM7278.jpg

 

Film

http://www.airsceneuk.org.uk/oldstuff/belle/sallyb.JPG

 

Steve

 

Edit, changed the pics back to links as I don't hold the copyright to the pics, therefore thought it better to post the links rather than the images - Steve

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In 1993 to mark the 50th Anniversary of the Memphis Belle's last mission, myself and brother neil attended a unique evening in Hitchin town Hall.

 

It was the showing of the original William Wyler wartime documentary Memphis Belle, in the company of Col Robert Morgan, pilot of the Belle and star of the original film.

 

It was kind of surreal to watch this film on the big screen and have the pilot shown in the film sat a few feet from ourselves. He signed my B-17 model, under the wing, which I still have today and is a treasured possession.

 

Sadly Robert K Morgan died a few years back, having tripped-up a pavement at his local airport and broke his neck. He died a few days afterwards in hospital.

 

What a tragic end to someone who had seen all that combat, both flying from England with the 91st Bomb Group at Bassingbourn and also flying B-29's Superforts against the Japanese.

 

The Belle was named after his then girlfriend - Margaret Polk. He never in-fact married her.

 

The most wonderful man ever associated with the Belle, was the crew chief Joe Gambrone. He was the unsung hero in the 324th Squadron who kept her flying all those missions, but went almost entirely undocumented by Hollywood both back then and in 1989. I have a poor video copy of an address he made to the 91st Bomb Group Memorial Association reunion in 1989 - It is just hillarious and a very moving tribute to the many crews that flew aboard his Belle, not just the men that went home to the hero's welcome.

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