The Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress (1944)

The Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress (1944) | WWII Documentary

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Күн бұрын

Experience the heroic missions of the B-17 "Flying Fortress" in "The Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress," a powerful 1944 World War II documentary directed by William Wyler. This 40-minute color film showcases the Memphis Belle and its crew as they fly 25 bombing missions over Germany, France, and Belgium during the early stages of the USAAF's strategic bombing campaign. Follow the crew from their preparations in England, across the English Channel, to their bombing raid on Wilhelmshaven, Germany, and back. With real combat footage and a gripping narrative, this film is an iconic piece of military history and was selected for the National Film Registry.
Directed by: William Wyler
Running Time: 40 minutes
Format: Color
Released: 1944
Public Domain

Пікірлер: 14

@LeveretteJamesClifford1955 2 ай бұрын

The Memphis Bell was taken to Memphis, Tennessee after its final flight and it sat outside for 4 decades. It had to be restored and was put under a roof. Over the years pigeon and other bird droppings corroded it so much that it had to restored again. Now it sits in the Museum of Flight, which is, I believe in or near Dayton Ohio. At first, in 1943, the crews were promised that if they completed 25 missions they could go home. Then the number of missions began to creep up and up until the tour of missions became "for the duration." My dad trained to be a flight engineer who was in charge of fixing things while in flight and to be the top turret gunner. Happily for him and for me, he was badly injured in a training accident that left him with a 25% disability. But the Army Air Corps (the USAF did not exist back then, these were Army planes) was in such dire need of men that when he was released from the hospital he was sent to Langley Field, VA, and retrained to be an ordinance NCO who's job was to know what each plane took off with what kind of bombs, and what they had aboard when they landed. The idea was to prepare the bomb ground crew what kind of bomb trailer (an actual trailer for each of the different kind of bombs) to have ready. In turn, they would rush out and remove the bombs and if necessary, rearm them quickly. Dad was to stay at Langley as part of the Anti Uboat campaign off the eastern coast of the United States. I wrote above that it was happily for him and for me. The only service that lost more men than the bombers was the submarine service. Most men in the Army Air Force either died in combat, had to bail out and be taken prisoner, were wounded badly. The possibly that my dad might have been one to die, like his best friend did, was so great that I would not be here today 80 years after the war. Im 69.

@jacoboreyes3160 2 ай бұрын

Wonderful story 😊.

@user-uy3bj9ue5c Ай бұрын

Great resto. It now has 5 engines😂

@LeveretteJamesClifford1955 2 ай бұрын

How odd, the title of this while surfing KZbin says The Memphis Bell, story of a Flying Fortress but the image shows a statofortress B36 with five engines. Science fiction at its worst!

@oml81mm Ай бұрын

Whatever that thing on the thumbnail is supposed to be it appears to have tractor propellers. It is certainly not a B-36.

@wrightflyer7855 Ай бұрын

@@oml81mm It's not anything real. Looks like a B-29 with 6 engines but the fuselage lines aren't quite right for that either.