Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress first chronicled the journey of the historic aircraft in 1944. The 45-minute-long documentary is the work of legendary Hollywood director William Wyler. Per CNN, Memphis Belle, a B-17F bomber, is now on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Ohio. The airplane is known for completing over 20 combat flights over Nazi-occupied Europe during World War II.
The outlet stated that Memphis Belle was on outdoor display in Memphis, Tennessee, for decades. There, the aircraft’s condition worsened after moving to Ohio in 2005 and went through 55,000-hour-long restoration process. According to Ohio Wesleyan University, Charles Leighton was the aircraft’s navigator during the bombing raids while Robert Morgan served as pilot. He was also behind the aircraft’s famed name and artwork, stated CNN.
In 2018, Erik Nelson’s The Cold Blue paid tribute to William Wyler and the Memphis Belle crew from the 8th Air Force. It restored the footage from Wyler’s documentary to look into the lives of the crew members and the aircraft’s wartime service.
Memphis Belle: When was the B-17F Bomber’s final mission?
CNN stated that Memphis Belle’s final combat mission was on May 17, 1943. The aircraft completed 25 successful combat flights over Nazi-occupied Europe during the Second World War. According to Military.com, each B-17F bomber was expected to complete 25 missions before the aircraft, along with the crew members, could return home safely.
According to National Museum of the United States Air Force, Robert Morgan, Memphis Belle’s pilot, named the airplane after his then-girlfriend, Margaret Polk. The bomber returned to the US in June 1943, after which the crew from the 8th Air Force flew it across the country. The crew members and the aircraft gained recognition during the three-month war bond tour.
In the following years, William Wyler dropped his color documentary The Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress. The film featured actual combat footage from the raids and celebrated the historic aircraft’s legacy. Wyler and his filming crew were also present during Memphis Belle’s tours over Europe. While shooting footage, one of his crew members, a World War I veteran, Lt. Harold Tannenbaum, died during the process. They returned home during mid-1943 and joined the war bond tour.
In 2018, Erik Nelson created The Cold Blue in honor of the 1994 Memphis Belle documentary. He stated how William Wyler “went to Europe” and “risked his life” to make the film. Nelson claimed Wyler “lost his hearing” after making the documentary. But he “came back and made The Best Years of Our Lives.” The legendary director bagged a Academy Award for The Best Years of Our Lives. Nelson added that the film is about “the legacy of the war experience for men who flew in B-17s.” He believes Wyler made it “to sort out his ghosts and deal with his PTSD.”
Jeff Duford, the curator of National Museum of the US Air Force where the Memphis Belle is on display now, called the aircraft an “icon.” Duford stated, “The B-17F Memphis Belle is an icon that represents the thousands of bomber crews, maintainers, and others supporting the bomber mission, whose service and sacrifice helped win WWII.”
William Wyler’s Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress is available to watch on YouTube’s Library of Congress channel. The B-17F bomber was also the subject of a 1990 Hollywood film. Another documentary on the aircraft includes History Rediscovered: The Memphis Belle.
