Stupid Memphis Belle Question....

[muckmaw]

Why did they use all fake names for a movie based on a real crew?

I know the flight was bogus. Last I heard, the Belle's final mission was a milk-run. They sure did'nt go to Bremen.

A good movie, but too much Hollywood for my taste.

Now, whats with the name change?

[Nifty]

perhaps the surviving crew members and the families of those who had passed in the interim requested the anonymity of the name changes.

How exciting would the movie had been if the mission was a milk run?  That's why they had all the "excitement."  It was meant more for entertainment than a historical account.  Same thing with Pearl Harbor (actually, moreso in PH's case.)

[CMC Airboss]

I asked Robert Morgan, the pilot of the Memphis Belle, that very question when he was at an airshow signing books.  The original Memphis Belle crew finished their 25th mission on the Belle's 24th combat flight.  Another crew flew the Memphis Belle on its 25th combat flight.  

MiG

[TWOLF]

I can't comment on the actual crew, or the bird.  But I do have the movie and remember the interviews of the cast and the director.  The intent of the movie was to highlight the heroism of all the aircrews of the time and to bring attention to the types of missions that they were flying. The name of the movie was the hook and the loose character stories were generic Hollywood entertainment.  I love the movie for its attempt at accuracy in the portrayal of a B17 crew on a tough mission.  I also loved the Yeats reference in the beginning just before the mission.

[hardcase2]

It's about 5 miles west of me off of Poplar Ave. Ppl are trying to get it an enclosed display setting to replace its under a covering display at Mud Island Park.

[Maverick]

Hollywood truism. Never let the truth get in the way of a story / film.

What is comes down to is this. Do you recall just WHY the Memphis Belle is significant??? If things were not rather bad survival wise there would have been no story about the Mamphis Belle.

Don't denegrate the accomplishment of those aircrewmen. They were there, you were not. If the movie had to be a tribute to all of them, so be it. They earned the tribute, especially those that never lived to see one.

[Saurdaukar]

Originally posted by CMC Airboss
I asked Robert Morgan, the pilot of the Memphis Belle, that very question when he was at an airshow signing books.  The original Memphis Belle crew finished their 25th mission on the Belle's 24th combat flight.  Another crew flew the Memphis Belle on its 25th combat flight.  

MiG

I bumped into the ball turret gunner about 8 years ago at a CAF airshow near Philadelphia - talked to him for about 5 minutes before I started to peice together who he was and then he informed me with a smile that his crew was the first to make 25 missions.  Wonderful conversation - but I didnt know about the 25th mission not being flown by the original aircrew.  

I wonder if he's still alive... had to be about 70 when I spoke with him - you should have seen the look on his face as he ran his hand down the B17 - it was comparable to witnessing a father hold his child for the first time - his expression wasnt disgust or fear from the conflict itself - but almost looked to be "longing" as though he missed it - a strange feeling Im sure.

[john9001]

point of order , it was the AIR CREW that was limited to 25 missions, the AIRPLANES had no mission limit, they flew until they could not fly any more.

the crew of the Mamphis Belle was the 1st to finish their 25th mission and were sent back to the states, the B17 Mamphis Belle flew one more mission before the army decided to send it back to the states for a war bond promo.

[hardcase2]

The AAF retired it, where it flew around the country. It then was stripped of everything and placed on a concrete pedestal in front of the National Guard bldg at Central and Hollywood. It was rusting away. Finally the air force said fix it or give it up. Monies were raised and the Belle was restored. Took a long time.The Air Force told the group that they could restore it as long as it never flys again. It was moved to Mud Island and placed under a covering that is open all around. Pidgeons are crapping it up and weathering is going on. Now monies are being raised to give it a permanent museum.

[TWOLF]

Originally posted by Maverick
Hollywood truism. Never let the truth get in the way of a story / film.

What is comes down to is this. Do you recall just WHY the Memphis Belle is significant??? If things were not rather bad survival wise there would have been no story about the Mamphis Belle.

Don't denegrate the accomplishment of those aircrewmen. They were there, you were not. If the movie had to be a tribute to all of them, so be it. They earned the tribute, especially those that never lived to see one.

Not one person in this thread has questioned the crew's heroism.  They were the first and honored for it, and are well deserving of such honors.  If my post is what you are referring to, then I think you should read it again.

[davidpt40]

"Memphis Belle" was mainly a movie just showing what WW2 air combat was like.  Just about everything in the movie actually happened at some time or another on a B17 mission.

The only thing more dangerous than being a crew member on a B17 during WW2 was being a submariner.

[Maverick]

Originally posted by TWOLF
Not one person in this thread has questioned the crew's heroism.  They were the first and honored for it, and are well deserving of such honors.  If my post is what you are referring to, then I think you should read it again.

Twolf,
My post was not directed at you. I have absolutely no problem in making a specific response to a person. I will put their name at the top of the post that pertains to them, just like I did here. Now if you are that thin skinned you are on the wrong bbs.  

[2stony]

I've met Morgan a couple of times when he came to the MOF and he said they paid his way to England for two weeks to consult for the film and they didn't listen to anything he told them. He said the movie is totally "Hollywood".

[StSanta]

What was the casualty rate for bomber crews (not limited to B17s, that'd be like limiting submarings to type XIIs)

German submariners had like 70% death rate.

[davidpt40]

Not sure without checking StSanta.  However, 1/3rd of all b17s produced were lost on combat missions (around 4000).