No
American or East Anglian can think seriously about B-17's today
without feeling the tug of their great purpose and destiny. They
were the two-fisted tin cans that tore the roof off a deranged
empire. When they swarmed over occupied Europe, people blessed
them. One day, when several hundred of them roared across Holland,
a little girl cried out in fear. Her father put his arm around
her, took her hand, and looked up. "Listen to it, Helene," he
told her. "It's the music of angels."
One
Last Look by Rex Alan Smith.
The
Memphis Belle Moves to the National Air Force Museum in Dayton,
OH.
|
Photo
courtesy the WPAFB web site. |
On October 12, 2005,
the Memphis Belle arrived at the Wright-Patterson AFB Area B restoration
hanger. She is now sitting there awaiting the beginning of her
final restoration.
The Air Force had required
that the Memphis Belle Memorial Association have an independent
feasibility study done. That study was done in March, 2005 and
concluded that there was little chance for necessary monies to
be raised by the citizens of Memphis necessary to build a permanent
museum and restore the aircraft. In August, the board of the MBMA
relinquished control of the aircraft to the USAF, and in October
she was moved.
From the WPAFB web
site:
"The
B-17F "Memphis Belle," the Eighth Air Force's first
heavy bomber to complete 25 successful bombing missions over Europe
and return to the United States, has been moved to National Museum
of the U.S. Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton,
Ohio, under the terms of an agreement between the Memphis Belle
Memorial Association and the U.S. Air Force.
"The
aircraft, which is currently in the Museum's Restoration hangar
in Area B of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, is being prepared
to undergo several years of restoration work.
"Once
restoration on the aircraft begins, the public will be invited
to view it as part of the Museum's 'Behind the Scenes' tours.
Please check the website again for future announcements and updates
about these tours."
In a statement released by Jim Harris, membership
director for the Memphis Belle Memorial Association, Mr. Harris
made reference to the restoration folks at Dayton:
"They are saying from five to ten years for the restoration.
They are going to totally restore her, and they will do a good
job. They have some talented folks there.
"It would behoove us all to keep track and put pressure on
Dayton not to delay. Also, the MBMA board voted to stay in 'business'
and keep their web site going."
For more information
please see the following links:
WPAFB
web site
The official web site of the Memphis Belle
Linda
Morgan, wife the Belle's pilot, Bob Morgan, Memphis Belle website
Attention
B-17 Veteran's and their Families!
We
need your help! This site is dedicated to preserving the stories
of B-17 crewmembers and we need your contribution. Please take
a few moments to tell us about you or your family member's experience
with the B-17. Just click here to add
your information to our Veteran's section.
To
see our Veteran's page and find out what it is all about, click
here.
Page
Updated 09/18/06