I can recommend the new book on this topic, "Memphis Belle - Dispelling The Myths" by Graham Simons and Harry Friedman.
They've spent 30 years studying all the available source material, including the crew chiefs log for the "Belle".
The book runs to 600 pages and will set you back 120 dollars.
They have conclusive evidence that the Belle flew 24 missions ~ piloted as per Mustang Drivers list. Evidence for the 25th mission is still shrouded in mystery.
The "Belle" left on other missions but these were aborted. Defining what was a scub / abort and what was classed as a mission is a major headache.
So for example ~ a simple list of 25th mission flown for these aircraft .....
41-24577 "Hells Angels" 25th mission ~ May 13th '43
41-24480 "Bad Penny" 25th mission ~ May 15th '43
42-2970 "Connecticut Yankee" 25th mission ~ May 19th '43
41-24485 "Memphis Belle" 24th mission ~ May 19th '43
overlooks the fact that "Hells Angels" brought its bombs back on three of these ~ the "Belle" brought hers back on one.
If you discount those missions ~ "Hells Angels" flew it's 25th ( 28th ) mission on May 17th '43.
I don't think we will never know for sure which B-17 flew 25 missions first, but the authors think an 8th AF B-24 Liberator may have reached this goal first, because they flew more of the early missions.
The important fact is that the "Memphis Belle" was the aircraft selected, along with crew members who had ( or were very near ) 25 missions to go back to the USA and sell the concept of air power to the public.
And the reason why it was chosen was that William Wyler and his film crew were based at Basinbourn, the home of the 91st Bomb Group.
The film was a war time story to evidence why the 8th Air Force needed public support. The film is not and never was a 100 per cent factual documentary ......
Having shot so much film footage, it would have been a disaster if the "Belle" and chosen crew were lost trying to complete their final missions.
Who at that time would have worried about future historians spending years of reseach trying to establish exaclty when pilot A or pilot B flew his 24th or 25th mission.
The War Bond tour by the "Belle" and it's crew was so succesful that it thwarted the US Navy plan to stop the building bombers and convert Boeing production to long range transports to support the Pacific fleet.
The "Memphis Belle" can be said therefore to have saved the 8th AF and therefore possibly the war in Europe. In this respect then, this aircraft is the most significant preserved airframe from that era.
For there efforts the authors have recieved threats and been refused book review space in avaition journals because of the upset the book has caused.
The "Membis Belle" brand is still big business ~ more that 65 years after it became famous. It's story is far from over !
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Blue Skies .....
Peter
Consolidated by US state ~ see if there's a heavy bomber tour stop coming to an airport near you ......
http://www.bomberflight.infoWarbirdapps on facebook ~ every day a new image from my personal journey thru the world of warbirds .....
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