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    #1

    "Memphis Belle" here today . . .

    Travelling the "Ohio Trail" by cycle today, we passed Lunken Field . . . and the B-17 used in the film "Memphis Belle" was in town for the week - taking off and landing every hour . . . with flights available to the public.

    We decided to stop, and "hop-aboard" for a few photos . . . thought about a flight, but the price was a little too expensive for us. It was fascinating to see the plane lumber up the runway, and climb into the horizon - only reaching a speed of 135 MPH. We were told it could achieve a little more than 200 MPH, but with civilian passengers along, the pilot wanted to make the experience comfortable for all. Supposedly, it travels all over, year-round . . . and offers flights to the public at every stop.

    Here are a few of my photos from today - hope you enjoy!
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    #2
    more . . .
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      #3
      and more . . .
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        #4
        last for now!
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          #5
          Oh - one other thing to mention!

          Some of you may have heard of a fellow named "Sgt. William Brown" . . . he was one of the first recipients of the Purple Heart . . . and buried not far from Lunken Field. There is a memorial dedicated to him across the street from the airfield - but this is NOT the place where he was buried!

          He was buried further up the bicycle trail . . . in a long forgotten and left-to-overgrow cemetary that was turned into a dump and left abandoned to floodplane long ago. Twenty years ago, I recall attempting to clean up the site with a local historical goup . . . it was a mess . . . overgrown with shrubbery and weeds, layered in empty beer bottles, covered in tires, trash, and old car parts . . . and the most disturbing feature - (almost) all of the tombstones had been broken and vandalized beyond recognition. Sgt. William Brown was definitely buried here . . . but thanks to all the years of neglect, the specific location may never be determined.

          So anyhow . . . if you ever happen to be in the neighborhod, here is another site close to Lunken Field possibly worth visiting . . . today, the cemetary is a little better taken care of . . . but as you can see, it would be hard to distinguish without the small little sign at the side of the trail. Now that the location has been made more publicly-accesible, maybe some day it will be better memorialized . . .
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            #6
            And here is the only recognition for the cemetary . . . without this little sign next to the trail, I doubt anyone would even recognize the significance of the site . . .
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              #7
              Great pictures of the 'Belle'

              Must have been a fabulous experience

              Nick

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                #8
                Aww totally missed this

                Looks like fun! They are good about getting lots of historical aircraft at Lunken!
                ------------------------------------------------
                Collector of French ww2-era insignia.

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                  #9
                  I flew in the B- 17, worth the money, will always remember that flight.... I shook hands and saluted Robert Morgan a few months before he died,, so glad I did.. EXCELLENT!

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                    #10
                    Very Nice, would love a ride in that. You Yanks have all the good stuff
                    Shame about the cemetary and the vandalism.

                    How much was a ride ?

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                      #11
                      the half hour ride was $500, but a great experince when the 4 engines cough to life and we rumbled on the grass field and lifted off, it took me back to the young boys at 4 AM England wondering if they would get back alive

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                        #12
                        You do know that's not THE Memphis belle don't you? That one is in Dayton being restored.

                        Correction - sorry I re read the original post.

                        Anybody know the status of the restoration?

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                          #13
                          Per an article in "The Commercial Appeal" (the Memphis, TN newspaper) about 2 weeks ago, the restoration is well underway at Wright-Patterson AFB in Ohio. The article had some nice photos of the restoration and indicated that tours are available so that visitors can stop by and view the restoration as it progresses.

                          BTW: For those not aware, Memphis, TN was the wartime home to Robert Morgan's girlfriend/fiance whom the "Memphis Belle" aircraft was named after; Robert Morgan was the pilot of the aircraft.

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                            #14
                            Much as I remmber Robert Morgan's book, The Man Who Flew the Memphis Belle: Memoir of a WWII Bomber Pilot, was a great read.

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