Historical accuracy. With the exception of the aircraft names, this film is fiction based only very loosely on fact. The characters are composites, the names are not those of the real crew of the Memphis Belle and the incidents shown are supposed to be representative of B-17 missions in general.
How many kills did the Memphis Belle have?
The aircraft claimed two MiG-17 kills in addition to numerous bombing missions, and was the last F-105 to fly. It is currently preserved at the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio.
Did all the Memphis Belle crew survive?
The casualty rates were so high, that the United States put a 25-mission limit on crews. If a crew flew 25 combat missions and survived, they were rotated back to the states. But none of the crews were surviving that long. The Memphis Belle was one of the first to do so.
Was there a real Memphis Belle?
The Memphis Belle, a Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress, was able to carry as many as 17,600 pounds’ worth of bombs and was equipped with as many as 13 M2 . 50-caliber machine guns as well as a single . 30-caliber machine gun. It had a crew of ten, a top speed of 325 miles per hour, and a maximum range of 4,420 miles.
Was the Memphis Belle damaged on its last mission?
Although the Memphis Belle was damaged on several combat missions, the crew beat the odds and completed their 25th mission on May 17, 1943. The crew then returned home for a war bond tour across America.
How many B-17 flew 25 missions are there?
Hell’s Angels B-17 Crew
B-17F Hell’s Angels, tail number 41-24577 and crew. The first heavy bomber to complete 25 combat missions in the European Theater, May 13th, 1942. After completing 25 missions, Hell’s Angels remained in theater until 1944 and flew a total of 48 missions without any injured crewmen or abort.
Why is the Memphis Belle so famous?
The B-17 bomber “Memphis Belle” was one of the first bombers to fly 25 missions. The War Department made a stirring documentary about the bomber’s final mission over a German port city.
Who was the ball turret gunner in Memphis Belle?
Sgt Cecil H Scott
The ball turret of the Boeing B-17 ofrtress “Memphis Belle” in which S/Sgt Cecil H Scott, [ RFD No. 3, Altoona, Pa.], made 24 raids over France and Germany.
How many missions did the Memphis Belle fly?
25 missions
1940’s — The B-17 Flying Fortress “The Memphis Belle” is shown on her way back to the United States June 9, 1943, after successfully completing 25 missions from an airbase in England.
What happened to the girl the Memphis Belle was named after?
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) _ Margaret Polk, the ″Memphis Belle″ whose romance with a B-17 bomber pilot became a celebrated World War II love story, has died of cancer. She was 67. Ms.
Where is the original Memphis Belle now?
the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force
The original Memphis Belle is on display at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio!
Can the restored Memphis Belle fly?
“It was a very stable airplane,” said Hunt about the Belle. “It was a little beat up when I flew it because it had completed its war service. But it flew real nice and landed easy.” Hunt served as a ferry pilot during World War II, flying “almost everything in the [USAAF] inventory.”
How long did it take to restore the Memphis Belle?
55,000 hours
The plane was moved to Ohio in 2005 after being on display for decades in Memphis, Tennessee, where the plane deteriorated in an outdoor display. It took some 55,000 hours to restore the plane to its wartime glory.
What happened to Margaret Polk?
Margaret Polk died of cancer at her home on April 5, 1990, just after this story was published. She was 67.
Which airfield did Memphis Belle fly from?
During 1943 RAF Bassingbourn was the focus of a number of media events. The station and its locality were featured in the documentary film Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress.
When did the Memphis Belle last fly?
May 17, 1943
On May 17, 1943, the crew of the Memphis Belle, one of a group of American bombers based in Britain, becomes one of the first B-17 crews to complete 25 missions over Europe and return to the United States. The Memphis Belle performed its 25th and last mission, in a bombing raid against Lorient, a German submarine base.
What was the life expectancy of a tail gunner?
They also asked because the average lifespan of a British tail gunner in WWII was less than two weeks or, perhaps more optimistically, approximately 10 missions.
Which plane shot down the most planes in ww2?
It is accurate to state that the P-38 did shoot down more Japanese aircraft than any other USAAF plane with 1,857, with the P-40 running a close second at 1,633.5. Even though the F6F did not start reaching Naval and Marine units in the Pacific until late 1943, once it did it came in prodigious numbers.
Which was the better bomber B-17 or B-24?
The B-17 had a very large wing and ailerons (the moveable portion of the wing), while the B-24 used a smaller wing and ailerons for speed. Thus, the Liberator was faster, but the Flying Fortress could fly higher. Typical approach landing speeds for both planes, using full wing flaps was 120 miles per hour.
How many flying fortresses were built?
12,731
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
| B-17 Flying Fortress | |
|---|---|
| Status | Retired |
| Primary users | United States Army Air Forces Royal Air Force |
| Produced | 1936–1945 |
| Number built | 12,731 |
How did B-17 get to England?
The North Atlantic air ferry route was a series of Air Routes over the North Atlantic Ocean on which aircraft were ferried from the United States and Canada to Great Britain during World War II to support combat operations in the European Theater of Operations (ETO).