Museum of Flight B-17F when it was a flyer

[Fortress17W]

These are scans I made from Kodacrome 35mm slides I took at Duxford when they were filming the movie "Memphis Belle in 1989 .....

Excellent photos! Thanks for sharing them.

The 1989 scheme looked great on N17W. It was applied before 782 was involved in the making of "Memphis Belle," and originally had the summer 1943 red-border national insignia, as well as its 229782 serial number on the tail. I didn't have my camera with me the one time I saw N17W in that scheme before it left for England.

Most of my photos of N17W in its movie scheme, after it returned to Seattle, are pretty underexposed. I was able to brighten up these two a bit:




Here is one of N17W during an event at the Museum of Flight in the summer of 1998. 782 spent most of that summer in the MoF parking lot before being flown back to Renton.



-Jon Davis

[philatthepub]

Dear all,

I don't know if anyone can help, but on another thread we've been trying to nail the markings that N17W wore during the filming of "Memphis Belle" at Binbrook, England in 1989.

Peter's superb photos show N17W in her main movie role of 124299 DF-X "C-cup", which she carried for the filming of the Aerial sequences at Duxford, but after transferring to Binbrook she carried several other identities and I’ve had a lot of trouble trying to confirm the squadron codes and markings and would really appreciate any suggestions or photographic evidence.

Specifically, N17W is seen carrying three different identities one after the other during the take off sequence.

“Black Eyed Pea”- Ken Ellis of Flypast magazine was particularly helpful as he kindly sent me a photocopy of the “Flying Memphis Belle B-17s” article which featured photographs from Herbert Watson and Patrick Bunce that suggested that N17W flew as 124249 DF-J when carrying the “Black Eyed Pea” nose art, but I can’t find any other pictures to support this.

“Clooney Baby” - Lord Puttnam and Stuart Craig put me in touch with Alan Tomkins who suggested that when flying as “Clooney Baby”, N17W carried the squadron code MJ-K and tail number 22656 to match one of the models built for the big line up in take off sequence, but I can't find a conclusive photograph to support this.

N17W flying as "Clooney Baby"
http://www.airsceneuk.org.uk/oldstuff/belle/cloony.htm

“Buckaroo” – Despite being used as the backdrop for the hangar dance scene and featuring in the take off sequence, I haven’t been able to locate any photographic evidence of N17W that suggests the squadron codes and tail number she carried while flying as "Buckroo". This is particularly frustrating as it’s my favourite nose art in the film!

On the same subject, F-AZDX, The French B-17 briefly appears carrying the nose art “The Vacillating Virgin” during the take off sequence. I’ve only been able to make educated guesses as to what the squadron markings and tail number were, either DF-O 25709 or ZQ-X 22955, but if anyone can confirm this I would be extremely grateful.

Photographs of the filming of the ground scenes at Binbrook have been very hard to come by, and so could I make an appeal to anyone who was there to please upload any photos onto the web I'm sure there are many B-17 fans who would be extremely grateful.

With thanks

Phil
Surrey, UK

[Bomberboy]

I still remember touring the interior and meeting Bob Richardson, then the B-17F's owner and operator.

I was fortunate to fly in N17W with Bob, who I will say was a fantastic man.
He was extremely dry and witty.
Oh and his aeroplane was wonderful as well.

Bomberboy

[Warbird Kid]

In early 1990 this even led Richardson to consider selling N17W to the National Warplane Museum at Geneseo, since he wanted the B-17F to remain flyable.

Oh if only that happened....

[Fortress Fan]

Photographs of the filming of the ground scenes at Binbrook have been very hard to come by, and so could I make an appeal to anyone who was there to please upload any photos onto the web I'm sure there are many B-17 fans who would be extremely grateful.

Yes I have plenty, but they have been tagged for possible inclusion into a possible book that is to be written

[mustangdriver]

In early 1990 this even led Richardson to consider selling N17W to the National Warplane Museum at Geneseo, since he wanted the B-17F to remain flyable.

Oh if only that happened....

Then it too would have been sold along with Fuddy Duddy.

[Warbird Kid]

In early 1990 this even led Richardson to consider selling N17W to the National Warplane Museum at Geneseo, since he wanted the B-17F to remain flyable.

Oh if only that happened....

Then it too would have been sold along with Fuddy Duddy.

Perhaps... but perhaps not!

[bmoran]

Then it too would have been sold along with Fuddy Duddy.

My gut reaction as well

[Mike]

Isn't N17W due to go on display outside the MoF for a while this summer (at least, what passes for a summer in Seattle)?

[mustangdriver]

Just from July-August. Then back into the hangar. I called and talked to the museum director when planning a visit so that we can see it and the B-29.

[Mike]

Thanks Mustangdriver. Hopefully I'll catch it when visiting Seattle on Aug 6th on my second attempt to see the Fw190 fly.

[airnutz]

Part of the donation agreement is that it would not be flown.

I've seen this written on online forums before, but it doesn't seem to mesh with history or written accounts
...

The museum had hoped Richardson would give them N17W, but the museum's intention at the time to ground the B-17 and hang it in the Great Gallery if they gained ownership caused friction between Richardson and the museum. In early 1990 this even led Richardson to consider selling N17W to the National Warplane Museum at Geneseo, since he wanted the B-17F to remain flyable.

...

-Jon Davis

Thats a pretty good explanation of what I remember went on before the MOF acquired N17W.

Thanks Fortress17W, you hear various "this n that" over the years and it's outstanding when the "Rest of the Story" is finally brought forth. We had a pretty good chat here a few years back about Scatterbrain Kid II which cleared the air. Gotta love the WIX.