Memphis Belle - Off subject

Submitted: Monday, Jan 01, 2007 at 14:58
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Yep I know this is off subject but I just watched the Movie DVD ,So I decided to have a look on the web and found this great web site ,sometimes if some one don't point these little pieces of history out they tend to slip by and that would be a shame , this web site has a diagram of a Boeing B-17 and if you can Click on the circles for genuine crew stories., Makes one wonder how those men coped.
Now I don't want this post to grow into other leads and replies but just discretely have a read and enjoy

www.memphisbelle.com/plane_legend/

Doug
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Reply By: George_M - Monday, Jan 01, 2007 at 21:02

Monday, Jan 01, 2007 at 21:02
Certainly an interesting way to earn a buck.

George_M
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Reply By: herkman - Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 07:53

Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 07:53
The airplane is nw firmly under control and held by the USAF Museum at Dayton Ohio.

What this means that all damage will be removed, and the airplane will be saved and displayed for all to see.

Captain Morgan only died recently

Regards

Col
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Follow Up By: Member - Doug T (W.A) - Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 09:27

Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 09:27
Col
I will reply to you, how are for the start of another year in our lives, they seem to start slipping by faster the older one gets ,
I didn't know the Plane where the plane was but it is good that they have it on display for all to see, I f i ever get over there again it will most certainly be on my must see list, I was born during WWII and therefore was a baby when these brave Men and Women all around the world were putting their lives on the line and well over it,Sometimes I don't think the younger ones of today realise the importance of their sacrifice

here is another man who went into history ,Paul Warfield Tibbets, , unusual middle name considering his mission and I'm not sure if he is still alive today but was in 2000 and ironicly his Grandson is flying Bombers today Lt. Col. Paul Tibbets, IV, as of 2005 is a pilot in the U.S. Air Force, flying a B-2 Spirit for the 509th Bomb Wing, the same unit that his grandfather commanded.
here is the URL

www.theenolagay.com/man.html

Doug
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Follow Up By: Member - John (Vic) - Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 13:54

Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 13:54
Doug this may be of interest also.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enola_Gay

Gives a bit of up to date info on the Enola Gay today.

Its a problem I have with the Web, You start looking for one thing and end up looking in 20 different tangents on other items that catch your interest. Never ending eh?

I also found the letter that Paul Tibet's wrote (on the Enola Gay web site) speaking out about the issues and thoughts of some regarding the image of the plane representing all things negative to be very enlightening and thought provoking.

Cheers
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Reply By: Bilbo - Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 16:20

Tuesday, Jan 02, 2007 at 16:20
Doug,

There's a pub in my home town named after "The Memphis Belle" near where my brother lives in the UK.

His house is built on a new housing estate, located at what was the end of the runway #1 at the now buried USAAF Air Base, Burtonwood.

This base was the first place that Memphis Belle landed when ferried over from the USA in WW2. Burtonwood was the biggest American air base in the world outside of the USA until about 1965.

We used to think the world of those boys. My Dad used to work on the base as a civvie and we had bomber crews and other airmen at our house a few times. As a youngster we used to sit in a farmer's field at the end of the runway and saw just about every aircraft from P51 Mustangs, F100 Super Sabres to B17s, B29, B66, B52 bombers to Boeing Transports and Doglas DC3s and DC4s and even RAF planes such as Vulcan Bombers and Meteor fighters. We saw the lot - and its' where I learned to smoke ciggies!. By the age of twelve I could recognise just about any US or UK militray plane thae ever flew.

During the Berlin Airlift we had aircraft noise 24/7 with huge fleets of transports and converted bombers flying night and day.

I used to love the place. The film brought back a lot of childhood memories.

Take care,

Bilbo



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Follow Up By: Member - Doug T (W.A) - Sunday, Jan 07, 2007 at 22:06

Sunday, Jan 07, 2007 at 22:06
Bilbo
Yeh thanks for reply post , Just thought i would let you know I did read yours with great interest, Seems you had a interesting life as a young fellow , many boys would have killed to have been in your shoes then .So your a Pom eh , so is my Son in Law , he was in the British Army for 12 years , now lives in Orange NSW , just moved there from Jimboomba Qld but he won't mind the crappy cold weather, barracks for Manchester City . As you mentioned P51s they were in a Steven Spielberg movie I just bought called "Empire of the Sun " is a good movie .

Thanks
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Follow Up By: Bilbo - Sunday, Jan 07, 2007 at 22:51

Sunday, Jan 07, 2007 at 22:51
Doug,

It was indeed an 'interesting" life as a young bloke but geez mate, it was also a poverty stricken one. We never had a pot to phiss in. I was on the bones of my arriss until I came to WA in 1974.

I have fond memories of being a race mechanic in the UK when my mates race bike and all our expenses were paid by my mate's 'ladyfriend'. He was 23 years old an Elvis lookalike (when Elvis wasn't fat) and she was 45 years old and the wife of a prominent surgeon in Harley Street in London!! He was giving her one regularly and we got money to race on!! Not much, but it paid for a new bike and expenses for 2 seasons!! Mind you, we used to sleep in the truck!!

Bilbo
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Reply By: madfisher - Sunday, Jan 07, 2007 at 21:15

Sunday, Jan 07, 2007 at 21:15
Thanks Doug,
recently seen the movie so I found it very interesting.
Cheers Pete
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