Memphis Belle vs. Hot Stuff

Lightninglover · **Posted:** Fri Dec 05, 2014 1:06 pm

A friend sent me this. Interesting story.

Subject: Memphis Belle vs. Hot Stuff: How history came to celebrate the wrong WWII airplane - The Prescott Daily Courier - Prescott, Arizona

http://dcourier.com/main.asp?SectionID= ... eID=138461

bipe215 · **Posted:** Fri Dec 05, 2014 2:16 pm

The article contradicts itself. The 'Belle was the first to come home after 25. Iceland isn't "home"

Pathfinder · **Joined:** Tue Nov 10, 2009 7:35 pm **Posts:** 587

I believe Hells Angels was the first PLANE to complete 25 missions--WITH VARIED CREW--but the Belle was the first PLANE AND CREW to complete 25 together.

Invader26 · **Joined:** Wed Aug 11, 2010 7:56 am **Posts:** 843

There was a war on. Never let the facts stand in the way of a good story. The PR machine often "created" or modified events to meet the public interest. Losses were another area of cover-ups which were really trying to keep the GP happy...just like today only we call it "spin"...

flightsimer · **Posted:** Fri Dec 05, 2014 4:35 pm

Invader26 wrote:

There was a war on. Never let the facts stand in the way of a good story. The PR machine often "created" or modified events to meet the public interest. Losses were another area of cover-ups which were really trying to keep the GP happy...just like today only we call it "spin"...

Like the flag raising over iwa jima... They raised the flag, then took it back down to put a bigger one up. But the famous photo is of the second flag.

Jack Cook · **Posted:** Fri Dec 05, 2014 6:25 pm

Quote:

but the Belle was the first PLANE AND CREW to complete 25 together.

Not true and oh vey really not true! The famous crew is the "war bond" crew.
While Tony Nastal flew only 1 mission he is the belle rt waist gunner.
Jim Verinis flew 1 mission has MB pilot and 16 more flying his own B-17F.
2 other pilots (Anderson & Miller) flew MB on 3 missions.
Scott Miller flew 15 missions on MB.
Levi Dillion flew 4 missions on MB.
Gene Adkins 6 missions on MB.

bipe215 · **Posted:** Fri Dec 05, 2014 6:46 pm

The only proper statement is that the Belle was the first aircraft to survive 25 missions and come back stateside.

Jack Cook · **Posted:** Fri Dec 05, 2014 6:49 pm

Quote:

The only proper statement is that the Belle was the first aircraft to survive 25 missions and come back stateside.

Would be interesting to see which and when PTO based B-17s came back.

bipe215 · **Posted:** Fri Dec 05, 2014 6:55 pm

That it would.

Pathfinder · **Joined:** Tue Nov 10, 2009 7:35 pm **Posts:** 587

Thank you, Jack. I stand very much corrected

hang the expense · **Posted:** Sat Dec 06, 2014 1:55 am

Somewhere I have seen pictures of some early B17s being disassembled in south pacific and transported back stateside to airframe,engine,maintenence etc.I think one of the bases was hobbs new mexico and some others in that area.

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Sat Dec 06, 2014 12:26 pm

Jim Verenis flew his first 5 missions as the co-pilot on the Belle. He flew it on one mission as the command pilot. He was never supposed to be a co pilot. He had qualified to fly fighters and after an accident was given leave. While on leave he heard about the need for B-17 crews and transferred to bombers. They didn't have a plane ready so he shipped out as part of the Belle crew as he had flown with them on some training flights. The Morgan crew flew all but 4 missions in the Belle.

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Sat Dec 06, 2014 12:58 pm

Whether it was 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 18th. Surviving 25 missions in that role was damned near impossible. The Memphis Belle played a very important role in WWII even after its missions.

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