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#4421832 - 05/21/18 03:06 AM Memphis Belle Celebration In Dayton, OH  
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MajorMagee Offline
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Dayton, OH
The recently restored original B-17F Memphis Belle went on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force this past week. To celebrate they brought in several airworthy B-17s and P-51s.

News Story and Video of the Official Flyover

One of them, The B-17G Aluminum Overcast, was based at a local airport near my home, and I was able to snap this sequence as one of their fundraising flights passed by this afternoon.

[Linked Image]


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#4421848 - 05/21/18 05:24 AM Re: Memphis Belle Celebration In Dayton, OH [Re: MajorMagee]  
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VMIalpha454 Offline
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I would love to take a ride in the nose of one of those where the bombardier sat.


"I have only two men out of my company and 20 out of some other company. We need support, but it is almost suicide to try to get it here as we are swept by machine gun fire and a constant barrage is on us. I have no one on my left and only a few on my right. I will hold."
1stLt. Clifton B. Cates, USMC
in Belleau Wood, 19 July 1918
#4422214 - 05/23/18 02:38 AM Re: Memphis Belle Celebration In Dayton, OH [Re: MajorMagee]  
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Coot Offline
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These United States of America
Nice sequence of shots there. A couple of months ago at our local airshows they had a B-17 flying about and it was called the Memphis Belle. Was that one just a Flying Fortress that was in the movie perhaps? I'd love to take a ride in one as well! Wasn't it 20mm who took a ride some years ago?


John 10:1-30
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#4422234 - 05/23/18 11:11 AM Re: Memphis Belle Celebration In Dayton, OH [Re: MajorMagee]  
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MajorMagee Offline
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Dayton, OH
Yes, the movie replica was one of the three visiting B-17s that were here to honor the real one being presented in the museum.


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On The Line,
On Time

US Army Ordnance Corps.
#4423147 - 05/28/18 07:01 PM Re: Memphis Belle Celebration In Dayton, OH [Re: MajorMagee]  
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Forward Observer Offline
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For the first 10 years or so that I lived in Memphis, TN, the Belle set on a raised concrete platform outside an old National Guard Armory not too far from the state fairgrounds. My first wife and I bought our first house not two blocks from there. Obviously, just setting out exposed to the elements wasn't doing the old girl any good.

The city finally moved her to a storage hanger out by the airport with the promise to restore it. It finally went on display again at a local park/river museum attraction the city built called "Mud Island". They had the Belle displayed outdoors, but under a covered dome. The park/museum was a great attraction for a few years, but then began to fall into disrepair by the city.

At some point the Belle was once again removed for further storage/renovation. I had heard it was leaving the city also, but lost track of it.

It's nice to see that it's finally getting the attention it deserves.

Cheers


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#4423171 - 05/28/18 09:35 PM Re: Memphis Belle Celebration In Dayton, OH [Re: Forward Observer]  
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wheelsup_cavu Offline
Lifer
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I remember when they moved the Belle to Mud Island Robert Morgan and Margaret Polk were at the dedication ceremony. They even had eight? B-17's drop flowers form their bomb bays that day.


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#4423411 - 05/30/18 03:24 AM Re: Memphis Belle Celebration In Dayton, OH [Re: wheelsup_cavu]  
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Forward Observer Offline
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Originally Posted by wheelsup_cavu
I remember when they moved the Belle to Mud Island Robert Morgan and Margaret Polk were at the dedication ceremony. They even had eight? B-17's drop flowers form their bomb bays that day.


Wheels



Neat.

I lived in Memphis from 1971 until 1996. I see where Mrs. Polk passed away in 1990, so that dedication event must have happened sometime between 1984 and 1990. I got married the first time in 1984 and can remember taking out of town visitors out to the new Mud Island attraction during those years. However, it was a few years after they opened the park before the Belle was moved out there. All that was over 25 to 30 years ago now, so my timelines are probably not accurate.

Cheers


Artillery adds dignity to what would otherwise be a vulgar brawl.
#4423607 - 05/31/18 01:36 AM Re: Memphis Belle Celebration In Dayton, OH [Re: Forward Observer]  
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wheelsup_cavu Offline
Lifer
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Corona, California
The Belle was moved to Mud Island in 1987.
I wasn't at the dedication in 1987 but it was all over the news at the time even out here in California.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memphis_Belle_%28aircraft%29#Display_in_Memphis
Quote
Efforts by the locally organized Memphis Belle Memorial Association, Inc. (MBMA) saw the aircraft moved to Mud Island in the Mississippi River in 1987 for display in a new pavilion with large tarp cover.



Wheels


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