B-17 Flying Fortress "Memphis Belle" Royal Air Force upper dorsal turret and the

upper dorsal turret and the tail

it was the largest procurement of bomber aircraft since WWI

turned over to the Philippine Army late in 1941

B-17 Flying Fortress MEMPHIS BELLE airplane model

The BELLE was the most famous because she was the first heavy bomber in Hitler's European war theatre to complete 25 combat missions and keep her entire crew alive

B-17 Flying Fortress "Memphis Belle" Royal Air Force upper dorsal turret and theB 17 Flying Fortress MEMPHIS BELLE airplane model. (Serial No. 41 24485) was one of 12,750 B 17's built by the Boeing Aircraft Co. The BELLE was the most famous because she was the first heavy bomber in Hitler's European war theatre to complete 25 combat missions and keep her entire crew alive. She flew for 10 months from November 7, 1942, to May 17, 1943. The command generals had set 25 missions as an incentive for air crews to go home. Morale was