B-17 Accident during Memphis Belle Movie Filming

[daveymac82c]

I had no idea that there was a B-17 destroyed during the filming of 'Memphis Belle'

Here's a video I came across on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7G7gqlR9 ... laynext=34

Does anyone have much more information on this B-17 before it's demise?

Peace,

David

[mustangdriver]

It was one of the French ones. I have heard a few different takes on the crash, but as there are people on WIX that were actually there I will let them tell what took place. The actor Billy Zane who played in the movie bought a chuck of the tail of the wreckage for his gameroom

[davem]

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=863&p=5808&hilit=memphis+belle#p5808

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

http://www.aerovintage.com/b17news8.htm - scroll down to the bottom

http://homepages.force9.net/ffour/Oldst ... /crash.JPG

[Cherrybomber13]

You would have figured they might have used a pick up or flat bed truck. My wife can't complain about the stuff I shove in our car after seeing this...

[ZRX61]

[mustangdriver]

Oh wow those are great!

[ZRX61]

I have others that I haven't scanned. Somewhere is one that shows the "safety harness" we used so we didn't "fall out the window"... orange bailer twine with one end tied to a belt loop on my levis & the other end tied to a eye bolt on the floor...

The best ones were taken the day we were on top of solid flat clouds & all 5 B17's settled into the top of it so all you could see were fuselages & fins... with a ripple caused by the wings & props. Only last a couple of minutes but the photos were incredible.

[mustangdriver]

I would love to see them!

[ZRX61]

When I find em, I'll scan em & post em, but I have no idea where the hell they are. If I do find them it will most likely be while looking for something else...

[JimH]

loss of directional control

jim

[Steve Nelson]

I've always assumed that the wreckage was used for the post-crash fire scene in the opening sequence..can anyone confirm?

One thing that always annoyed me about the film: they had five flying B-17s, yet I don't think you ever see more than two or three together in the air at once (except for some miniature shots.) I haven't seen the movie in years. All in all I found it a real let-down..mostly due to the script, with its one-dimensional cliched characters and over-the-top melodramatics. I remember an interview with one vet who remarked "any crew that behaved like that in combat wouldn't have survived one mission, let alone 25." I prefer either the original documentary or "12 O'clock High."

SN

[Speedy]

I've always assumed that the wreckage was used for the post-crash fire scene in the opening sequence..can anyone confirm?

One thing that always annoyed me about the film: they had five flying B-17s, yet I don't think you ever see more than two or three together in the air at once (except for some miniature shots.) I haven't seen the movie in years. All in all I found it a real let-down..mostly due to the script, with its one-dimensional cliched characters and over-the-top melodramatics. I remember an interview with one vet who remarked "any crew that behaved like that in combat wouldn't have survived one mission, let alone 25." I prefer either the original documentary or "12 O'clock High."

SN

Seems to me that the 'experience of making the movie' is always more gratifying than the finished product. Because while the finished product is usually a compromise designed to not offend the greatest number of people, the act of actually filming it is the unadultrated fun...lots of flying, lots of watching, and LOTS of daydreaming on set.

[bdk]

I hadn't realized they'd destroyed the Memphis Belle during filming. I thought the aircraft being restored at the USAFM was the real thing.

[dors]

all 5 B17's settled into the top of it

So there was the 2 French Forts, Sally B, and Tallichet's. What was the 5th one? Guess I never realized how many were used in the film.

[Speedy]

all 5 B17's settled into the top of it

So there was the 2 French Forts, Sally B, and Tallichet's. What was the 5th one? Guess I never realized how many were used in the film.

N17W, now the Museum of Flight's "Boeing Bee".