Warbird Information Exchange

Can you ever see to many Belle photos? Even though she was second like CY


Capt Bob Morgan receives the DFC

The War Bond Crew

British royality visits

SSgt Bill Winchell

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Don't touch my junk!!

Thanks Jack

It has come a long way (my avatar is from last august)

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You could still see that on the Belle in Memphis. I hope it is not repaired in the restoration. There was a story about it, I just can't remember exactly what it was.

It would be cool if the brackets for the two 50's in the nose bubble could be found or fabricated for the two guns. I wonder if that was changed out during the time she spent as a training ship? I don't recall seeing pics of that nose bubble on her post-war, just a smooth bubble....?

I was thumbing through an old magazine yesterday that had a pic of the Belle and her crew at some official ceremony. But the name and bomb mission markers appeared black..I'm assuming it was shot with British orthochromatic film, which renders yellow very dark.

SN

THe belle was indeed second to fly it's 25th mission. THe first to return home after that. CY is still first Ha Ha These are great pics. The mounts in the nose are being reproduced so it will be correct. SOmeon at the museum told me that original brackets have been found, but I am not sure if that is true or not. Notice in the pic of the waist, how rough the code letters were applied.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Director

BUMP

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1- Will NMUSAF duplicate the roughness of the paint job?

2- Is the nose art on her today original or is it likely that she's been repainted over the years, including her stay under the tent in TN?

Ken

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"Take care of the little things and the big things will take care of themselves."

Yes and no. The letters when originally applied were pretty neat, it was as they were touched up when the got rough looking. It will be neat looking I am sure. The nose art was repainted several times even through out the war, and warbond tour. It was repainted with a whole differnt style girl at one point when it was in the park on a pedestal. Whne restored for Mud Island, Phil Starcer, Tony's nephew, repainted her on there. He did an O.K. job but it was not accurate.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Director

Are the two guns in the plexi nose .50s or .30s? I freely admit I don't know jack about guns..but the mounts don't look quite "beefy" enough to support the larger-calibre weapons, and the one gun that is mounted seems to have a smaller breach assembly. Of course, it would make more sense to have all the guns the same calibre, so you only need one kind of ammo.

SN

There all Ma Deuces

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Don't touch my junk!!

Anyone else think Bill Winchell looks a lot like Christopher George from The Rat Patrol?

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All right, Mister Dorfmann, start pullin'!
Pilot: "Flap switch works hard in down position."
Mechanic: "Flap switch checked OK. Pilot needs more P.T." - Flight report, TB-17G 42-102875 (Hobbs AAF)

Just thought I would add these to the Memphis Belle Photo repository thread.

Gen. Hap Arnold, commander of the U.S. Army Air Forces, examining the Belle after it returned to the United States. (U.S. Air Force photo)




The crew of the Memphis Belle after their 25th mission: (l to r) Tech. Sgt. Harold Loch (top turret gunner/engineer), Staff Sgt. Cecil Scott (ball turret gunner), Tech. Sgt. Robert Hanson (radio operator), Capt. James Verinis (copilot), Capt. Robert Morgan (pilot), Capt. Vincent Evans (bombardier), Staff Sgt. John Quinlan (tail gunner), Staff Sgt. Casimer Nastal (waist gunner), Capt. Charles Leighton (navigator) and Staff Sgt. Clarence Winchell (waist gunner). (U.S. Air Force photo)




Shay
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Semper Fortis