The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force is performing a detailed restoration of the B-17F "Memphis Belle" and needs help from AFNOA members
who flew B-17Fs. The Belle was brought back to Wright-Patterson AFB three years ago because it was badly in need of a major restoration. We are doing
extensive research to make the restoration as accurate as possible and to configure the aircraft as it looked upon completion of its 25th mission.
One major problem we're having is the configuration for the navigator's table. We know from the 1943 film documentary that the Belle's navigator table was on the right side of the fuselage, not the left as was the standard configuration. There is no documentation on this and our suspicion is that Charles Leighton, the Belle's navigator, had his ground crew move the table. The table couldn't simply be moved-a custom-made table must have been built because the space on the right is different than the space on the left. We have no evidence of any other B-17 being reconfigured like this.
The Memphis Belle Association reported that the Belle did not have a table installed when it arrived in Memphis in 1946. Someone obviously made one after its arrival. Our problem is that we don't know if the table in the aircraft is accurate. We are desperately looking for an interior photograph of the Belle showing the table. It might be in the background of a shot of Charles Leighton sitting at his work station. However, numerous other crews also flew the Belle, so perhaps someone else has such a shot.
Whatever we do, we want it to be correct. We're sure a picture exists somewhere, be it in someone's photo album or a shoe box with other WWII memorabilia. Thus, we are asking whatever help AFNOA members might be able to provide.
Thank you in advance for any information you can provide.
Regards,
Steve Markman
NMUSAF Restoration Volunteer
stevemarkman@earthlink.net
www.stevemarkmanworld.com
One major problem we're having is the configuration for the navigator's table. We know from the 1943 film documentary that the Belle's navigator table was on the right side of the fuselage, not the left as was the standard configuration. There is no documentation on this and our suspicion is that Charles Leighton, the Belle's navigator, had his ground crew move the table. The table couldn't simply be moved-a custom-made table must have been built because the space on the right is different than the space on the left. We have no evidence of any other B-17 being reconfigured like this.
The Memphis Belle Association reported that the Belle did not have a table installed when it arrived in Memphis in 1946. Someone obviously made one after its arrival. Our problem is that we don't know if the table in the aircraft is accurate. We are desperately looking for an interior photograph of the Belle showing the table. It might be in the background of a shot of Charles Leighton sitting at his work station. However, numerous other crews also flew the Belle, so perhaps someone else has such a shot.
Whatever we do, we want it to be correct. We're sure a picture exists somewhere, be it in someone's photo album or a shoe box with other WWII memorabilia. Thus, we are asking whatever help AFNOA members might be able to provide.
Thank you in advance for any information you can provide.
Regards,
Steve Markman
NMUSAF Restoration Volunteer
stevemarkman@earthlink.net
www.stevemarkmanworld.com
