B-17 Flying Fortress  (Memphis Belle)

On July 21, 2013, Melanie and I toured the inside of the "Memphis Belle" that was used in filming the movie of the same name. North Coast Air, based at Erie International Airport, hosted the event. This particular B-17 Flying Fortress is not the original Memphis Belle, but is a version that was produced in 1945, near the end of World War II. It is being leased by the Liberty Foundation for country-wide public tours while the ill-fated Liberty Belle is being restored. Rides were being offered for around $500 per seat, so we had to pass on that. I'd gladly pay the price if we could afford it, because the costs of operating such an aircraft is enormous. Fortunately, wealthy sponsors pay for the majority of the expenses. The Smithsonian of course has a fully restored B-17, but it sits in a museum and never takes to the air. The B-17's four Pratt & Whitney R-1690 Hornet radial engines make an unmistakable sound in the air, as do other multi-engine World War II era planes. I still run outside the house an search the skies when I hear such a sweet noise.

My son and I built a Revell B-17 Flying Fortress plastic model back in the 1990s. It was painted with a can of Testors flat olive drab.

Sure, there are thousands of pictures of the Memphis Belle on the Internet, but none of them have Melanie in them, so that makes these special. Enjoy.

Posted October 11, 2023
(updated from original post on 7/21/2013)