Memphis Belle - the real film stars (Updated 11th Dec)

Photos older than five years old (preferably much older)
comet4
Posts: 205
Joined: Tue 04 Oct 2011, 7:59 pm
Location: Peterborough

Memphis Belle - the real film stars (Updated 11th Dec)

Post by comet4 »

I was lucky enough to visit Duxford during the filming of Memphis Belle, in 1989. Most of the fleet were on the ground, and was able to get the following pictures. As I'm fairly new to the forum, apologies if you've seen all these before.
If anyone is interested, I've also got pictures of most of the fighters.
Graham

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image
Last edited by comet4 on Thu 22 Nov 2012, 11:45 am, edited 4 times in total.

Rory76
Posts: 1607
Joined: Sun 31 Aug 2008, 10:38 am
Location: Brummagem

Re: Memphis Belle - the real film stars

Post by Rory76 »

Nice little selection there- not every day you get half a dozen B-17s in one set!
Ricoh Caplio R5

Sony A300 ('L' Plates Fitted)

User avatar
iainpeden
Posts: 3730
Joined: Sun 31 Aug 2008, 7:01 pm
Location: Great Oakley, Corby, Northants

Re: Memphis Belle - the real film stars

Post by iainpeden »

What do you mean? Anybody interested in the fighters? Bring them on!
(Mark Twain: There are lies, there are damn lies and then there are statistics)

Rory76
Posts: 1607
Joined: Sun 31 Aug 2008, 10:38 am
Location: Brummagem

Re: Memphis Belle - the real film stars

Post by Rory76 »

iainpeden wrote:What do you mean? Anybody interested in the fighters? Bring them on!


*Like* in facebook speak
Ricoh Caplio R5

Sony A300 ('L' Plates Fitted)

User avatar
ciaranchef
Posts: 1516
Joined: Sun 20 Jun 2010, 1:36 pm

Re: Memphis Belle - the real film stars

Post by ciaranchef »

Fantastic, any idea how many of them actually flew? and we will wait patiently for the fighters... :snack:
"It is generally inadvisable to eject over the area you just bombed"
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ciaranchef/

Dragon Rapide
Posts: 3363
Joined: Tue 06 Sep 2011, 10:01 am

Re: Memphis Belle - the real film stars

Post by Dragon Rapide »

Don't apologise! Even if they have been seen before! Terrific - thanks. And I'm waiting patiently for the fighters, too... :biggrin:
Listen to that Gipsy music.....

Dragon Rapide

User avatar
Skyflash
UKAR Staff
Posts: 2236
Joined: Sun 31 Aug 2008, 7:51 pm
Location: Edinburgh

Re: Memphis Belle - the real film stars

Post by Skyflash »

"Call out them fighters..."

Ace selection. As a fan of the film (naturally!), these are terrific. Many thanks for sharing. :smile:
Posting comments on an aviation-related chatroom, are ya? Looks like it an' all...

User avatar
jimbob1194
Posts: 2124
Joined: Tue 07 Jul 2009, 6:47 pm
Location: Cambridgeshire

Re: Memphis Belle - the real film stars

Post by jimbob1194 »

Excellent post. I agree, call in the fighters! :biggrin: :clap:

James
The Mustang won't do what a Spitfire does, but it does it over Berlin.

User avatar
F-86
Posts: 2659
Joined: Sun 31 Aug 2008, 11:06 pm

Re: Memphis Belle - the real film stars

Post by F-86 »

ciaranchef wrote:Fantastic, any idea how many of them actually flew? and we will wait patiently for the fighters... :snack:

There were five and they all flew together several times made quite a sight along with up to seven Mustangs and three Buchons and the B-25 cameraship.
Great shots btw.

User avatar
Boghopper Mk 11a
Posts: 302
Joined: Tue 09 Sep 2008, 7:37 am

Re: Memphis Belle - the real film stars

Post by Boghopper Mk 11a »

Its a shame that 1 out of the 2 French B-17's used during filming burnt-out on takeoff at Binbrook
Here.....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7G7gqlR9GPc

Keefy041
Posts: 132
Joined: Tue 22 Nov 2011, 7:38 pm

Re: Memphis Belle - the real film stars

Post by Keefy041 »

First time i've seen that piece of film of the take off crash, very lucky indeed.
Some friends and i spent several days at Duxford while they were flying from there , was brilliant. One highlight being a very low level return by the 3 Buchons one afternoon (1 pilot being Mr Mark Hanna), up the end now occupied by the landwarfare building. Another was watching all 5 B-17's and the B-25 take off one after another late one afternoon from the bank at the motorway end after the museum had closed , on return 3 of the B-17's did a low beat up in formation before landing .
Also standing in the garden at home near Norwich many days and listening and watching as the formations often flew over . Hard to imagine what the huge formations must have been like.
Great photos , something we are unlikely to ever see again.

User avatar
ciaranchef
Posts: 1516
Joined: Sun 20 Jun 2010, 1:36 pm

Re: Memphis Belle - the real film stars

Post by ciaranchef »

F-86 wrote:
ciaranchef wrote:Fantastic, any idea how many of them actually flew? and we will wait patiently for the fighters... :snack:

There were five and they all flew together several times made quite a sight along with up to seven Mustangs and three Buchons and the B-25 cameraship.
Great shots btw.


Cheers, would have loved to see that lot all in the air together, chances of that happening again must be pretty slim these days..... :sad:
"It is generally inadvisable to eject over the area you just bombed"
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ciaranchef/

comet4
Posts: 205
Joined: Tue 04 Oct 2011, 7:59 pm
Location: Peterborough

Re: Memphis Belle - the real film stars

Post by comet4 »

Glad that you liked the bombers. I've now added the fighters.
Starting off with the 3 Buchons, followed by 4 Mustangs. The Fighter Collection Mustang was not parked with the other aircraft so I didn't get a picture of it. It was coded AJ-S with the Candyman/Moose nose art. I would be obliged if someone could let me have a picture of it in these markings.
I believe that there were also 2 other Mustangs involved that did not get painted in the same brown finish.
To finish off, I've added a couple of pictures of the B-25 camera ship.
Cheers
Graham

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

User avatar
ciaranchef
Posts: 1516
Joined: Sun 20 Jun 2010, 1:36 pm

Re: Memphis Belle - the real film stars (Updated 11th Dec)

Post by ciaranchef »

Great stuff...thanks for putting them up, Ciaran
"It is generally inadvisable to eject over the area you just bombed"
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ciaranchef/

Dragon Rapide
Posts: 3363
Joined: Tue 06 Sep 2011, 10:01 am

Re: Memphis Belle - the real film stars (Updated 11th Dec)

Post by Dragon Rapide »

Marvellous pictures!! :clap: Many thanks for them..... :biggrin:
Listen to that Gipsy music.....

Dragon Rapide

Maisie
Posts: 4129
Joined: Wed 28 Oct 2009, 5:02 pm

Re: Memphis Belle - the real film stars (Updated 11th Dec)

Post by Maisie »

So good! Where are they all now though? Assuming there still in flying condition?
6D | 7D | 60D
11-16 f/2.8 | 24-105 IS L | 70-300 IS USM | 50 f/1.4 | 100 f/2.8 | 400 f/5.6

User avatar
F-86
Posts: 2659
Joined: Sun 31 Aug 2008, 11:06 pm

Re: Memphis Belle - the real film stars (Updated 11th Dec)

Post by F-86 »

Great shots of the fighters, here is some of Stephen Greys Mustang taken at Lakenheath airshow.

Image

Image

Image

comet4
Posts: 205
Joined: Tue 04 Oct 2011, 7:59 pm
Location: Peterborough

Re: Memphis Belle - the real film stars (Updated 11th Dec)

Post by comet4 »

Thanks for the pictures of Steven Gray's Mustang, F-86. The pictures are excellent and complete my set!
Graham

Keefy041
Posts: 132
Joined: Tue 22 Nov 2011, 7:38 pm

Re: Memphis Belle - the real film stars (Updated 11th Dec)

Post by Keefy041 »

RE-WHERE ARE THEY ALL NOW ?????
Buchon's ;
G-BOML Ex O.F.M.C. Crashed in spain causing the death of Mark Hanna.
G-HUNN Ex Charles Church ,Now in the U.S.A. with Cavanaugh flight museum.
D-EFHD Ex Hans Dittes, In Germany converted to Bf-109G Status with M.B.B.

B-17's
N17W Now at Museum of flight collection USA.
N3703G Ex David Tallichet . Now with American airpower museum USA.
F-AZDX In France grounded at the moment due to costs.
F-BEEA Crashed on take off and was destroyed during filming, no-one hurt.
G-BEDF B17 Preservation at Duxford.

P-51's
N51JJ Ex T.F.C. Now with O.F.M.C. at Duxford
G-BIXL Currently in Germany , not sure if still owned by R.Lamplough.
G-HAEC Ex O.F.M.C. Sold To Rob Davies, Crashed at Flying Legends 2011.
N167F Still with Scandinavian Historic flight but was for sale.
G-SUSY Ex Charles Church. Now D-FPSI in Germany ,flying as Lucky lady VII
N1051S Crashed fatally in 1995
N314BG Now in U.S.A.

B-25 Camera ship;
N1042B Ex Aces High Ltd, Now in U.S.A. flying as Pacific Prowler.

O.F.M.C. TBM also used for some camera work ( had tail section painted olive drab),
Now in Australia as VH-TBM

Heavy Metal
Posts: 98
Joined: Thu 15 Dec 2011, 12:45 pm

Re: Memphis Belle - the real film stars (Updated 11th Dec)

Post by Heavy Metal »

Keefy041 wrote:F-BEEA Crashed on take off and was destroyed during filming, no-one hurt.

FYI this statement is not correct. There were injuries.
Everybody got hurt one way or another, but two of them were fairly nasty requiring a period of hospitalisation.

HM

Keefy041
Posts: 132
Joined: Tue 22 Nov 2011, 7:38 pm

Re: Memphis Belle - the real film stars (Updated 11th Dec)

Post by Keefy041 »

Sorry H.M. , just meant that nobody was fatally injured.

Heavy Metal
Posts: 98
Joined: Thu 15 Dec 2011, 12:45 pm

Re: Memphis Belle - the real film stars (Updated 11th Dec)

Post by Heavy Metal »

I understand Keefy.
It is an easy mistake to make and I know i've done it myself before. :oops:
HM

User avatar
iainpeden
Posts: 3730
Joined: Sun 31 Aug 2008, 7:01 pm
Location: Great Oakley, Corby, Northants

Re: Memphis Belle - the real film stars (Updated 11th Dec)

Post by iainpeden »

If I remember the accident happened at Binbrook - am prepared to be corrected.
(Mark Twain: There are lies, there are damn lies and then there are statistics)

Heavy Metal
Posts: 98
Joined: Thu 15 Dec 2011, 12:45 pm

Re: Memphis Belle - the real film stars (Updated 11th Dec)

Post by Heavy Metal »

iainpeden wrote:If I remember the accident happened at Binbrook - am prepared to be corrected.

You are correct sir. It was on the afternoon of Tuesday 25th July.

HM

Maisie
Posts: 4129
Joined: Wed 28 Oct 2009, 5:02 pm

Re: Memphis Belle - the real film stars (Updated 11th Dec)

Post by Maisie »

Thanks for the info!
6D | 7D | 60D
11-16 f/2.8 | 24-105 IS L | 70-300 IS USM | 50 f/1.4 | 100 f/2.8 | 400 f/5.6

Post Reply