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Dates |
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Event |
1942 |
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Constructed as a B-17F-10-BO by Boeing at Seattle, Washington, USA. |
15 July 1942 |
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Taken on Strength/Charge with the United States Army Air Force with s/n 41-24485. |
August 1942 |
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Transferred to 324th Bomb Squadron, 91st Bomb Group (Heavy), Dow Field, Bangor, ME. |
August 1942 |
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Flew to Memphis to christen the plane Memphis Belle in honor of the pilots fiancee. |
30 September 1942 |
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Ferry flight.
Prestwick, Scotland. |
1 October 1942 |
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Ferry flight.
RAF Kimbolton, England. |
14 October 1942 |
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Base of operations changed.
Bassingbourn, England. |
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Markings Applied: Memphis Belle, DF-A |
7 November 1942 |
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First combat mission, to Brest France. |
From 9 November 1942 to 17 May 1943 |
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Between the first mission and the last mission, the Memphis Belle flew the following combat missions (there is disagreement with three missions - including last one - as to which were credited). |
9 November 1942 |
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Mission to St. Nazaire, France. |
17 November 1942 |
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Mission to Saint Nazaire, France. |
6 December 1942 |
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Mission to Lille, France. |
20 December 1942 |
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Mission to Romilly-sur-Seine, France. |
30 December 1942 |
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Mission to Lorient, France. |
Circa 1943 |
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Photographer: FORUM of http://www.mission4today.com/
Notes: Crew and aircraft - circa 1943 |
3 January 1943 |
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Mission to Saint Nazaire, France. |
13 January 1943 |
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Mission to Lille, France. |
23 January 1943 |
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Mission to Lorient, France. |
14 February 1943 |
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Mission to Hamm, Germany. |
16 February 1943 |
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Mission to Saint Nazaire, France. |
27 February 1943 |
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Mission to Brest, France. |
6 March 1943 |
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Mission to Lorient, France. |
12 March 1943 |
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Mission to Rouen, France. |
13 March 1943 |
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Mission to Abbeville, France. |
22 March 1943 |
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Mission to Wilhelmshaven, Germany. |
28 March 1943 |
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Mission to Rouen, France. |
31 March 1943 |
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Mission to Rotterdam, Netherlands. |
16 April 1943 |
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Mission to Lorient, France. |
17 April 1943 |
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Mission to Bremen, Germany. |
1 May 1943 |
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Mission to Saint Nazaire, France. |
13 May 1943 |
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Mission to Meaulte, France. |
14 May 1943 |
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Mission to Kiel, Germany. |
15 May 1943 |
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Mission to Wilhelmshaven, Germany. |
19 May 1943 |
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Became first USAAF heavy bomber to complete 25 missions, with mission to Kiel. |
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During their combat tour, Memphis Belle dropped over 60 tons of bombs on targets in Germany, France, and Belgium. Targets included the Focke-Wulf plant, locks, docks, shipbuilding installations, railway yards, submarine pens, power houses, and airplane works. They were attacked by Bf.109s and FW.1980s, riddled with machine gun and cannon fire and once returned to base with most of her tail shot away. German guns destroyed a wing and 5 engines, and the fuselage was filled with holes. Only one crew member suffered an injury which he described as just a pin scratch on the leg. |
8 June 1943 |
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Transferred to 388th Sub Depot, Laredo AAF, TX.
Spent next three months on war bond tour. |
June 1943 |
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Converted to a TB-17F. |
August 1943 |
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Transferred to 91st Bombardment Squadron, Orlando AAF, FL. |
January 1944 |
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Transferred to 483rd Bombardment Group, MacDill AAF, FL. |
May 1945 |
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Transferred to 327th Army Air Force Base Unit (Combat Crew Training Station), 3rd Air Force, Drew AAF, FL. |
June 1945 |
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Assigned to Altus AAF, OK for storage. |
August 1945 |
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Struck off Strength/Charge from the United States Army Air Force. |
8 March 1946 |
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To City, Memphis, TN.
Purchased from Reconstruction Finance Corporation for $350. |
16 July 1946 |
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Ferry flight. Delivered to Memphis, TN.
Placed in storage at airport. |
Circa July 1949 |
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Placed on display at National Guard Armory near Memphis fairgrounds. |
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Damaged.
Aircraft slowly deteriorated due to weather and vandalism. Souvenir hunters removed almost all of the interior components. Eventually no instruments were left in the cockpit, and virtually every removable piece of the aircrafts interior had been scavenged, often severing the aircrafts wiring and control cables in the process. |
Circa 1973 |
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To National Museum of the United States Air Force Loan Program, Wright Field, Dayton, OH.
 View the Location Dossier |
Circa 1973 |
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Loaned to City, Memphis, TN.
NMUSAF required Memphis to maintain the aircraft while on display. |
May 1984 |
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Photographer: Mark Painter
Notes: This photo was taken in around May 1984 while I was stationed at NAS Millington. My uncle (a WWII vet of the Philippines campaigns) and I drove over one weekend to see it. |
1987 |
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Aircraft was moved to Mud Island with new pavillion covered by tarp. |
May 2001 |
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Photographer: Norm Jukes
Notes: Photographed at Mud Island, Memphis, TN. |
May 2001 |
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Photographer: Norm Jukes
Notes: Photographed at Mud Island, Memphis, TN. |
May 2001 |
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Photographer: Norm Jukes
Notes: Photographed at Mud Island, Memphis, TN. |
Circa July 2003 |
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Aircraft was moved to NAS Memphis, Millington, TN, for restoration work. |
6 November 2004 |
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Photographer: Andrew Appleton
Notes: Boeing B-17F 41-24485 under restoration at Millington Regional Jetport, Tennessee. |
October 2005 |
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Transported by ground. Delivered to National Museum of the United States Air Force, Wright Field, Dayton, OH.
View the Location Dossier |
By 2009 |
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Restoration started. |
19 April 2013 |
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Photographer: Glenn Chatfield |
19 April 2013 |
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Photographer: Glenn Chatfield |
19 April 2013 |
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Photographer: Glenn Chatfield |
19 April 2013 |
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Photographer: Glenn Chatfield |
19 April 2013 |
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Photographer: Glenn Chatfield |
19 April 2013 |
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Photographer: Glenn Chatfield |
19 April 2013 |
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Photographer: Glenn Chatfield |
19 April 2013 |
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Photographer: Glenn Chatfield
Notes: Ball turret restored |
19 April 2013 |
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Photographer: Glenn Chatfield
Notes: Tail gun position |
19 April 2013 |
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Photographer: Glenn Chatfield
Notes: Top Turret restored |
March 2018 |
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Restoration completed. |
March 2018 |
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Photographer: National Museum of the USAF |
14 March 2018 |
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Moved to WWII Gallery, hidden behind curtains while Memphis Belle/8th Air Force display constructed. |
April 2018 |
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Photographer: National Museum of the USAF |
17 May 2018 |
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Placed on display.
Ribbon-cutting and open for public viewing. |
17 May 2018 |
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Photographer: Glenn Chatfield |
17 May 2018 |
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Photographer: Glenn Chatfield |
19 September 2023 |
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Photographer: Glenn Chatfield |
19 September 2023 |
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Photographer: Glenn Chatfield |
