Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress

The Memphis Belle A Story of a Flying Fortress is a 1944 documentary film which ostensibly provides an account of the final mission of the crew of the Memphis Belle, a Boeing B17 Flying Fortress. In May 1943 it became the first U.S. Army Air Forces heavy bomber to completemissions over Europe and return to the United States.

Morgans crew had not flown all of its missions together. Captain Verinis had originally been Morgans copilot at the beginning of their combat tour but had become a first pilot aircraft commander in his own right on December 30, 1942, after which he flewmissions as commander of a replacement B17 he named Connecticut Yankee after his home state. Verinis finished his tour two days before the rest of Morgans crew.Nor was Morgans crew the one originally selected by Wyler for filming. He had been following Captain Oscar ONeill whose bomber was named Invasion 2nd of the 401st Bomb Squadron until ONeills B17 and five others of the 91st were shot down over Bremen, Germany, on April 17, 1943, at that time the most costly mission yet for the Eighth Air Force. Morgan was then selected and his crew reunited by the Eighth Air Force to complete its tour together and to return to the United States for a war bond drive. Wyler also informed Morgan when asked that, had the Memphis Belle been shot down on the crews final mission, Wyler had a backup crew working with another B17 about to finish itsmissions, Hells Angels of the nearby 303d Bombardment Group. Hells Angels actually completedmissions first, on Maythe date of the 19th for the Memphis Belle. ........

Source: Wikipedia