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The real Memphis Belle.

The aircraft:

The aeroplane has since these photos where taken been moved from Millington, Tennessee.

All images © Peter Langsdale. If you would like to use them for anything but your own personal use please contact me and I will put you in contact with him.

The crew;

Bombadier - Vince Evans, Died 1980. Before joining the army in 1942 he operated a fleet of trucks in Fort Worth. After completing a tour on the Memphis Belle he went on to be complete a second tour on B-29s in the Pacific. After the war he was a writer for Bogart, friend of Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Stewart and June Allyson He was also a restaurant owner and a race car driver.

Navigator - Charles B. Leighton. Before entering the army Jan 20th 1942 he was a chemistry student at Ohio Wesleyan. After leaving the army he became a teacher and a counsellor.

Pilot - Robert K. Morgan, Living in Asheville, NC. Before joining the army in April !941 he was an industrial engineer. After reaching the rank of Lt, Colonel he lead the very first B-29 bombing raid over Tokyo.

Engineer/top turret gunner; 1, Leviticus Dillon, died 1998. Flew on mission 1,2,3 and 5 On mission 5 he was shot in the leg and bandaged by Fred Astaires sister. He never reported the injury. 2. Eugene Adkins, Died 1995. flew mission 4 and then 6 - 10. Retired at the rank of major. Specialist in air gunnery on B-17s, B-29s, B-36s and B-50s. 3. Harold P. Loch, still active in real estate. Formally a building contractor and a record registrar. Joined the army in November 1941.

Radio operator - Robert Hanson. Before he joined up he was a construction worker in Spokone, Wash. Joined the army in September 1941 aged 23 and married.  Now retired from the food distribution business he now lives in Messa, AZ. He still has his bullet ridden log book.

Ball turret gunner - Cecil Scott, died 1979. Before joining the army on January 12th 1942 he was a pressman for a rubber company in New Jersey. Retired from the Ford motor company after 30 years after leaving the army. He achieved one damaged score on the tour.

Left waist gunner - Clarence E. "Bill" Winchell, died 1994. Before joining the army in March 1941 he was a chemist for a paint company in Chicago. It was his gun that downed the 8th and final fighter on the Belles tour.

Right waist gunner - 1. E. Scott Miller died 1995. He was from Kingwood, WV. He was known as 'The lost crewman' as he dropped out of sight after the war. He flew 15 missions on the Belle but missed out on the tour as he had not flown 25 missions. 2. Casimer A. Nastel. He is from Apache Junction AZ. He flew one mission on the Belle and 24 missions on other 'Forts'. After the 'tour' he decided to go back to Europe and completed 55 missions. Before joining the army on December 24th 1941 he was a washing machine repair man.

Tail gunner - John P. Quinlan, died 2001. Before joining the army on the 8th December 1941 he worked for a carpet company. After the tour he tried in vain to fly with Morgan in the pacific. He downed 3 Zeros before his B-29 was shot down itself. He bagged 2 German fighters from the Belles tail during the tour.

Crew chief - Joe Giambron, died 1992. He kept the Belle flying through six months of combat missions replacing 9 engines, both wings, two tails, both main landing gear and more. He was from Hulnevile, PA. After the war he retired eventually as a Construction Co office manager.