[mustangdriver]

There are some things that happened to the real crew that they couldn't use in the movie because it was equally outstanding. Such as Robert Morgan flying the Belle between two buildings in Memphis, Vince Evans almost falling out of the bombay trying to go to the bathroom, and someone opened the bombay doors as a joke, Morgan taking the Belle off on just 3 engines to get it home, Morgan getting the Belle stuck in the mud prior to going to war, when the snuck it into a small field to see margaret Polk (the namesake of the plane), and some other pretty crazy stories. The movie was good as far as this, change the name to another B-17 and it would be a completely accurate movie. The Belle's 25th mission was a bombing run to St. nazaire. Not a tough mission, but none the less not a mission I would want to go on. They shoot live flack and bullets. Some of the planes in the Belle's formation got shot up pretty bad on that last one. The Belle was famous for flying all 25 missions and returning home. Yes the Hell's Angels beat the belle by like 2 days.

[flyXwire]

Originally Posted by Steve1971

The best B-17 movie so far has been 12 O' Clock High with Greg Peck in my book.

Yes I agree. You gotta watch "The War Lover" which stars Steve McQueen as 'Buzz' Rickson. This movie is also a great 8th AF flick with B-17s in action.

[SKUNKY]

This is very nice...It's a shame it's also SORTA inaccurate.....Looks like a F/G hybrid....

You'd think if someone were going to go to all that work, they would have done enough research on the subject to get it right.

[iamsam2407]

Originally Posted by Cavtanker

So what type of aircraft was used to represent the 'German' aircraft in the movie?

I know the Cavanaugh Flight Museum(Cavanaugh Flight Museum Home Page) Me-109(HA-112) was in it and I thkink so other 109s, but I don't know about the 190s.

[CRIPES_A_MIGHTY]

Yes..dispite the Belle not being the 1st to 25..as the film portrays.
I still have admiration for the crew of the Belle, and every other crew who flew into combat.
Infact..on ALL side..
Dispite the enemy being the enemy, pilots and crews of the aircraft of WW2, bombers, fighters .etc were brave men indeed.
As combat was not just the only fear..just flying was!
Many, Many, of them died from mechanical failures, weather, just plain old bad luck. And any amount of other aviation related problems.
Flying...even by todays standards..is Dangerous.

[Hornchurch]

Originally Posted by SKUNKY

This is very nice...It's a shame it's also very inaccurate.....Looks like a F/G hybrid....

You'd think if someone were going to go to all that work, they would have done enough research on the subject to get it right.

I've got a reasonable knowledge of B.17's in general - & I've gotta admit........

I can only see ONE glaring error on that nose section; as it's MEANT to portray 'THE' "Memphis-Belle"


& that is........ the 'REAL' "Belle" did NOT have an "Astrodome" bulge 'tween cockpit & nose like the one above.

(WE NEED 'MUSTANG-DRIVER' to check this.........?)

I remember doing a bit of research MANY years ago & studying 'Block-Numbers' of B.17's & their Bu.No's

Of the top of my head & without checking, many Early 'F's just had two flat (in keeping with the nose/fuselage) windows, that were subsequently replaced by the 'single' 'blown' Astro-dome bulge that is SO characteristic of most 8th & 15th A.F. B.17's.

These DID appear on many of the later 'F' variant 'Block' numbers, so to my eye, it don't look bad - just that the "Belle" had no rounded (later) 'dome.........

I guess the guy who built this, was inspired by the Film & maybe used pictures of 'G' s for reference - so "VERY inaccurate" is a bit strong.........

Many guys wouldn't notice if ya didn't point it out.

& me ? I ain't counting rivets on this one, so if someone else sees a 'glaring' error on this replica-nose section then DO point it out.


The ONLY reason I ever got involved in this, is cause I wanted to use an old 'Revell/Monogram' 1/48th kit of the "Belle" & turn it into one of ONLY 19 'F's operated by Coastal-Command.

That, and the fact I'd picked up markings for "Miami-Clipper", another famous '17-'F' WITH an 'Astrodome' in place - just like this 'nose-replica'

[SKUNKY]

Originally Posted by Hornchurch

I guess the guy who built this, was inspired by the Film & maybe used pictures of 'G' s for reference - so "VERY inaccurate" is a bit strong.........

Okay, Hornchurch,I modified my adjective a bit. There are also no 50 cals (or even the ports for them) in the clear nosepiece. I was just thinking that if I were to undertake such a project I would want to be real sure to get it as accurate as possible. Especially in a situation where it would have been just as easy to do it right as to do it wrong...Certainly there is more than enough research material available on this particular aircraft to have been able to do it correctly, agree?...

[mustangdriver]

Originally Posted by Hornchurch

I've got a reasonable knowledge of B.17's in general - & I've gotta admit........

I can only see ONE glaring error on that nose section; as it's MEANT to portray 'THE' "Memphis-Belle"


& that is........ the 'REAL' "Belle" did NOT have an "Astrodome" bulge 'tween cockpit & nose like the one above.

(WE NEED 'MUSTANG-DRIVER' to check this.........?)

I remember doing a bit of research MANY years ago & studying 'Block-Numbers' of B.17's & their Bu.No's

Of the top of my head & without checking, many Early 'F's just had two flat (in keeping with the nose/fuselage) windows, that were subsequently replaced by the 'single' 'blown' Astro-dome bulge that is SO characteristic of most 8th & 15th A.F. B.17's.

These DID appear on many of the later 'F' variant 'Block' numbers, so to my eye, it don't look bad - just that the "Belle" had no rounded (later) 'dome.........

I guess the guy who built this, was inspired by the Film & maybe used pictures of 'G' s for reference - so "VERY inaccurate" is a bit strong.........

Many guys wouldn't notice if ya didn't point it out.

& me ? I ain't counting rivets on this one, so if someone else sees a 'glaring' error on this replica-nose section then DO point it out.


The ONLY reason I ever got involved in this, is cause I wanted to use an old 'Revell/Monogram' 1/48th kit of the "Belle" & turn it into one of ONLY 19 'F's operated by Coastal-Command.

That, and the fact I'd picked up markings for "Miami-Clipper", another famous '17-'F' WITH an 'Astrodome' in place - just like this 'nose-replica'

This model would be correct if it depicted another aircraft. The Belle did not have the astrodome as that came with later F models. Remember that the first G models were modified F's. The Belle also had twin 50's firing through the clear nose, but this was a field mod done by the crew of the Belle and many other crews in her unit, but not all. I will bet you any money what this guy used to research the clear nose section was the Belle as displayed in Memphis. This is the same style nose that was on it. Once it is restored in Dayton, it will have it's real style nose back. That guy did do a great job on the model, but it does seem funny that he added that dome, as the Belle never ahd that. And as Skunky said there are a ton of pics of the Belle to back it up.