[mustangdriver]

The NMUSAF has come out and said that the Memphis Belle and her markings are property of the USAF. I thought that we had talked abotu something like this before.

[SKUNKY]

What affect do they suppose this will have on global warming, 'stang?...

[hworth18]

The Government can't copywrite personal markings, only the standard ID/livery markings of the aircraft.. If anyone has copywrite priviledges, it would be the pilot of Memphis Belle whom painted them on his government issued A/C.. Yeager and Preddy's families are the same way, they have copywritten the personal markings, but can't do anything about the Gov't issued stuff such as livery.. That's why the 1/32 FOV Mustangs don't have either personal markings on their birds..

Just recently, Boeing and some of the other military contractors tried to gain copywrites on their military hardware, but the case was shot down because a Government contractor can't copywrite Goverment owned/commissioned materials..

[TopHat]

Do you mean the rights to the name "Memphis Belle" and the markings?

If so, I'd be tempted to believe they have fallen into the public domain by now, but I'm not an intellectual property attorney.

[mustangdriver]

I think what the big deal is about is that there is another aircraft flying around painted as the belle, and the owner of that plane is just fine with people thinking it is the real deal.

[hworth18]

Originally Posted by mustangdriver

I think what the big deal is about is that there is another aircraft flying around painted as the belle, and the owner of that plane is just fine with people thinking it is the real deal.

Well, since the NMUSAF is the owner of the actual Memphis Belle, they should have all rights to the plane and the name and any associated rights that come along with it..

[TopHat]

They definitely have rights to the actual plane if they own it, but as to the name and the markings, I'm not so sure. The NMUSAF only has the rights that the owner of the plane had when ownership was transferred to the museum. If those markings were never copyrighted, I don't think anyone owns them.

[STARMAN 352ND]

Originally Posted by hworth18

Well, since the NMUSAF is the owner of the actual Memphis Belle, they should have all rights to the plane and the name and any associated rights that come along with it..

I agree....I have a friend who saw that B-17 MD is talking about and i told him that it's not the Orig Memphis Belle and he was a little shocked at first when i told him that.
I showed him the web site were the Belle is and he now wants to go there and see it.
So in a way it's a good thing...But you will find 3 different Geogre Preddy's Cripes A Mighty P-51's at airshows around the country too.
JP

[TopHat]

I guess the answer may be found in a question:

Did FM pay a licensing fee to the NMUSAF for the right to use the Memphis Belle name and markings? I heard the FM's model of the Yeager P-51 was hung up over just such a dispute, but the fight was with Yaeger's estate/family.

[Hoverbug]

Originally Posted by TopHat

I guess the answer may be found in a question:

Did FM pay a licensing fee to the NMUSAF for the right to use the Memphis Belle name and markings? I heard the FM's model of the Yeager P-51 was hung up over just such a dispute, but the fight was with Yaeger's estate/family.

It was Eagles International. CDC Armour released theirs some years back, presumably without "permission." Franklin Mint apparently did not attempt to re-release it.