Use this page to search through the Memphis Belle Project archives by subject for both documents and photographs. You may also register to receive alerts when updates are made to the archives. Click on the Alerts icon to register.
A ‘cutesy’ picture that nevertheless clears up yet another mystery is this one taken in Cleveland - yes, Stuka DID have her name painted in the crew entry door hatch!
Sheltering from the sudden squall but determined to have their picture taken with the Memphis Belle crew is left, Edward Raymond Sharp, the Manager of the NACA Aircraft Engine Research Lab at Cleveland from 1942 until 1947 and George Lewis, the Director of Aeronautical Research for the national Advisory Committee for Aeronautics.
The Memphis Belle parked outside the NACA hangar at Cleveland - the Military Policeman does not look too happy about having his picture taken!
Bob Morgan brings the Memphis Belle into the parking area outside the NACA facility at Cleveland. Moments after this picture was taken a torrential downpour of rain occurred forcing all the waiting dignitaries to take shelter.
Harold Loch assists with the inspection of the tailwheel in Akron OH. Tripod jacks were needed to take the weight of the aircraft while the mainwheels were changed.
Bob Morgan oversees the inspection of one of the mainwheel tires of the Memphis Belle while in Akron OH.
It was while there that the crew were presented with their own personal life raft. Left to right behind the raft is Goodrich President John L Collyer; life raft employee Elsie Flower; Bob Morgan, life raft plant employee Charles Kovacs and Frank Trockle, General Superintendent, Goodrich Mill Four. The rest of the crew are standing on the platform behind. Flower and Kovac are in the picture for they created the gift raft.
During the stop at Akron, the crew toured the life raft plant of B F Goodrich & Co. and spoke to the assembled workers.
Captain Robert Morgan with female workers at the Fisher Body plant in Piquette.
The Memphis Belle arrives at Detroit.
The William Penn Hotel in downtown Pittsburgh where the crew stayed in 1943.
One of the pictures during the War Bond Tour that became almost the standard publicity shot. We’re not certain of the location, for one stop on the tour tends to blur into the next!
Taken at Hartford was this close up of Cecil Scott’s ‘office’ the ball turret of the Memphis Belle.
Another view of the aircraft and crew at Hartford. At every stop there seemed to be a flag-draped platform for speeches.
The aircraft sits in a roped-off area at Hartford. Pilot head covers are in place and someone had taken care to ‘dress the props’, putting them all in the same place!
Lining up for the cameras at Hamilton Propellers at Bridgeport CT. Left to Right: Nastal, Loch, Morgan, Evans, Leighton, Verinis, Hanson, Winchell, Quinlan. It seems that Cecil Scott was off talking with a friend in the crowd when the picture was taken!
Wherever the Memphis Belle went, people wanted to leave their mark! Here is the area of rear fuselage by the waist gunner position with numerous names scrawled on. The 8th Air Force Film Unit’ and Maj Wm Wyler along with three bombs and Capt Wm H Clothier Hollywood Ca situated between the lower points of the star is too well done to be graffiti, and may well have been put on before the aircraft left the UK. The three bomb symbols alongside Wyler’s name suggests that he may well have flown on three combat missions.
Walter ‘Clift’ Chandler was Mayor of Memphis from 1940 to 1946. He is seen here alongside Margaret Polk and a number of civic and military guests awaiting the arrival of the Memphis Belle.
The Memphis Belle arrives overhead the airfield at Memphis with a B-25 and Cessna Bobcat on the ground.
The Memphis Belle arrives overhead the airfield at Memphis, escorted by a B-26 Marauder bomber and a P-38 Lightning fighter.
At some stage - most likely in preparation for the bond tour before leaving the UK, for the ‘list’ is visible on photographs of the aircraft when it arrived at Washington DC - all twenty-five missions were painted in the Memphis Belle’s vertical fin, along with the names and State of five of the ground crew. Immediately under the serial number - and barely visible on the original print - is Joe Giambrone, then R G Walters, Sgt Lipscomb, C P Blauser and possibly someone called L A Somers. This theory is all the more plausible as 91st BG station photographer Joe Harlick who took the original picture was at Bassingbourn before the Memphis Belle departed for the USA.
The Memphis Belle is seen at Washington National Airport not long after their arrival.
In Washington DC everyone wanted to meet the crew of the famous Memphis Belle. Here Congressman and Mrs. Snyder host a luncheon in one of the House of Representatives Dining Rooms. They were joined by members of the Army Appropriations Committee, General Arnold and other Army Air Force personnel.
Taking pictures from newspapers and reproducing in a book never gives a good image, but some are just too interesting to pass by. As with many things associated with the Bond Tour, the Press was never slow to pick up on a story. It seems that Jim Verinis developed a hankering for a milk shake while in England, and on return to the US he was photographed making a ‘raid’ of his own - on the nearest soda fountain!
The Memphis Belle at Washington National Airport with the capital’s skyline in the distance.
The Memphis Belle at Washington National Airport with the capital’s skyline in the distance.
|
|
|
> 
