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| B-17 Memphis Belle by Keith Woodcock.
The Memphis Belle, a Boeing-built B-17F-10-BO, manufacturer's serial number 3470, USAAC Serial No.41-24485, was added to the USAAF inventory on 15th July 1942 and delivered in September 1942 to the 91st Bombardment Group at Dow Field, Bangor, Maine. She deployed to Prestwick, Scotland, on 30th September 1942, moving to a temporary base at RAF Kimbolton on 1st October, and then finally to her permanent base at Bassingbourn, England, on 14th October. Each side of the fuselage bore the unit and aircraft identification markings of a B-17 of the 324th Bomb Squadron (Heavy); the squadron code 'DF' and individual aircraft letter 'A'. Captain Robert K. Morgan's crew flew 29 combat missions with the 324th Bomb Squadron, all but four in the Memphis Belle. The aircraft's 25 missions were: 7 November 1942 - Brest, France 9 November 1942 - St. Nazaire, France 17 November 1942 - St. Nazaire, France 6 December 1942 - Lille, France 20 December 1942 - Romilly-sur-Seine, France 30 December 1942 - Lorient, France (flown by Lt. James A. Verinis) 3 January 1943 - St. Nazaire, France 13 January 1943 - Lille, France 23 January 1943 - Lorient, France[ 14 February 1943 - Hamm, Germany 16 February 1943 - St. Nazaire, France 27 February 1943 - Brest, France 6 March 1943 = Lorient France 12 March 1943 - Rouen, France 13 March 1943 - Abbeville, France 22 March 1943 - Wilhelmshaven, Germany 28 March 1943 - Rouen, France] 31 March 1943 - Rotterdam, Netherlands 16 April 1943 - Lorient, France 17 April 1943 - Bremen, Germany] 1 May 1943 - St. Nazaire, France 13 May 1943 - Meaulte, France (flown by Lt. C.L. Anderson) 14 May 1943 - Kiel, Germany (flown by Lt. John H. Miller) 15 May 1943 - Wilhelmshaven, Germany 17 May 1943 - Lorient, France 19 May 1943 - Kiel, Germany (flown by Lt. Anderson) |
| Item Code : KW0010 | B-17 Memphis Belle by Keith Woodcock. - This Edition | Buy 1 Get 1 Half Price! |
| TYPE | EDITION DETAILS | SIZE | SIGNATURES | OFFERS | YOUR PRICE | PURCHASING | PRINT | Open edition print.
| Image size 14.5 inches x 9.5 inches (37cm x 24cm) | none | | £20.00 |
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Other editions of this item : | B-17 Memphis Belle by Keith Woodcock. | KW0010 |
| TYPE | EDITION DETAILS | SIZE | SIGNATURES | OFFERS | YOUR PRICE | PURCHASING | POSTCARD | Collectable Greetings Card (No envelope supplied)
Interior message reads Season's Greetings | Front image and overall size 8.75 inches x 6 inches (22cm x 15cm) | none | | £2.95 | VIEW EDITION... |
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Extra Details : B-17 Memphis Belle by Keith Woodcock. | About all editions : | A photo of this edition of the print : |
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The Aircraft : | Name | Info | Flying_Fortress | In the mid-1930s engineers at Boeing suggested the possibility of designing a modern long-range monoplane bomber to the U.S. Army Air Corps. In 1934 the USAAC issued Circular 35-26 that outlined specifications for a new bomber that was to have a minimum payload of 2000 pounds, a cruising speed in excess of 200-MPH, and a range of at least 2000 miles. Boeing produced a prototype at its own expense, the model 299, which first flew in July of 1935. The 299 was a long-range bomber based largely on the Model 247 airliner. The Model 299 had several advanced features including an all-metal wing, an enclosed cockpit, retractable landing gear, a fully enclosed bomb bay with electrically operated doors, and cowled engines. With gun blisters glistening everywhere, a newsman covering the unveiling coined the term Flying Fortress to describe the new aircraft. After a few initial test flights the 299 flew off to Wright Field setting a speed record with an average speed of 232-mph. At Wright Field the 299 bettered its competition in almost all respects. However, an unfortunate crash of the prototype in October of 1935 resulted in the Army awarding its primary production contract to Douglas Aircraft for its DB-1 (B-18.) The Army did order 13 test models of the 299 in January 1936, and designated the new plane the Y1B-17. Early work on the B-17 was plagued by many difficulties, including the crash of the first Y1B-17 on its third flight, and nearly bankrupted the Company. Minor quantities of the B-17B, B-17C, and B-17D variants were built, and about 100 of these aircraft were in service at the time Pearl Harbor was attacked. In fact a number of unarmed B-17s flew into the War at the time of the Japanese attack. The German Blitzkrieg in Europe resulted in accelerated aircraft production in America. The B-17E was the first truly heavily armed variant and made its initial flight in September of 1941. B-17Es cost $298,000 each and more than 500 were delivered. The B-17F and B-17G were the truly mass-produced wartime versions of the Flying Fortress. More than 3,400 B-17Fs and more than 8,600 B-17Gs would be produced. The American daylight strategic bombing campaign against Germany was a major factor in the Allies winning the War in Europe. This campaign was largely flown by B-17 Flying Fortresses (12,677 built) and B-24 Liberators (18,188 built.) The B-17 bases were closer to London than those of the B-24, so B-17s received a disproportionate share of wartime publicity. The first mission in Europe with the B-17 was an Eighth Air Force flight of 12 B-17Es on August 12, 1942. Thousands more missions, with as many as 1000 aircraft on a single mission would follow over the next 2 ½ years, virtually decimating all German war making facilities and plants. The B-17 could take a lot of damage and keep on flying, and it was loved by the crews for bringing them home despite extensive battle damage. Following WW II, B-17s would see some action in Korea, and in the 1948 Israel War. There are only 14 flyable B-17s in operation today and a total of 43 complete airframes |
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