Memphis Belle

[sdennison]

So, I watched the movie again last night. Does anyone know how many actual B-17's were used in the filming and which ones they were?

[Mike]

Five. Sally B, Bob Richardson's, Tallichet's, Pink Lady, and the French one that crashed and burned on take-off at Binbrook.

[mike furline]

Bob Richardson's - http://www.warbirdregistry.org/b17regis ... 29782.html

Pink Lady - http://www.warbirdregistry.org/b17regis ... 48846.html

Tallichet's - http://www.warbirdregistry.org/b17regis ... 83546.html

French - http://www.warbirdregistry.org/b17regis ... 85643.html

Sally B - http://www.warbirdregistry.org/b17regis ... 85784.html

[Jerry O'Neill]

They did a great job showing a lot of B-17's on the ground and over flying the base at the beginning, but there are very few shots of all five B-17's in the air at once after the mission starts. Too bad.
Jerry

[Warbirdnerd]

Lots of pictures here:
http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?34240-Memphis-Belle-Filming-1989&highlight=memphis+belle

[Iclo]

The registry need a small update : the French B17 "Pink Lady" is grounded/ in static display since a few years in La Ferté-Alais, near Paris.

[Pat Carry]

The registry need a small update : the French B17 "Pink Lady" is grounded/ in static display since a few years in La Ferté-Alais, near Paris.

A small update is not needed. A major overhaul is!

[Rauhbatz]

While he was making a movie in NC Matt Modine came out to see Memphis Belle when it was at the Monroe show as few years back. We talked about his experience making Memphis Belle.

He requested the director let him go up and fly the plane so that it would be more realistic when filmed. Matt mentioned that his legs and arms trembled for 10 mins but he got the hang of it. Said it was the most scary and also rewarding things he did in his career so far. Nice guy....

[Mark Allen M]

Sorry not quite the same conversation. Thought I would post a couple of Belle photos with a few not usually seen. right click properties for info.

[maxum96]

I love seeing all the wartime "graffiti" on the Belle. It really adds character to the plane.

[Jerry O'Neill]

Great photos! Thanks for posting them.

[Steve Nelson]

Great shots! Interesting to see they left the nose guns in place for her Stateside Bond Tour. I wonder if they normally flew her like that, or just put the guns in on the ground for photo-ops.

I'm told that when the NMUSAF repaints the Belle, they won't replicate all the crew names or graffiti, as she's being repainted as she appeared on hed 23rd mission, before any of that was added (that mission was the best-documented photographically.)

When you get close to here in the shop, you can see hundreds of names scratched into the skin..I'm told they won't be polished out, as they're part of her history. Unfortunately there's no way to know how many were added by vandals during her years outdoors, and how many were added during her Bond Tour (when factory workers were encouraged to autograph her.)


SN

[fotobass]

This one's pretty cool...I like the fact that Wyler's got three bombing missions, apparently.

[daviemax]

The B-17 that crashed on take-off during the filming was G-FORT, the former F-BEEA (44-85643) used for years by IGN. She had filmed Dr. Strangelove and arguably was the last B-17 working for a living - as opposed to being a flying museum exhibit. All crew survived the crash but unfortunately the aircraft did not.

[Mike]

The B-17 that crashed on take-off during the filming was G-FORT

G-FORT became Lone Star's 'Thunderbird'