memphis belle

[american sniper]

this movie is very good. it is about the crew of the memphis belle and it is there last mission and then they go home. they fly through a sea of flak to get to there target. it is full of action and leaves you wandering what will happen next.

[Jon725]

i will always question the authenticity of this film. i find it hard to believe that all that actually happend in 1 mission, and coincidently happend on their final mission.


im not bashing the movie, i liked it, alot of nice action, but something tells me hollywood played a big role on this...

[SS Tiger]

Great film! I love the bit when they can see blood and think each other is bleeding when in fact its a bakebeen can that got hit!

[PLT.SGT.BAKER]

target is covered by what seems to be a smokescreen

[1000ydstare]

Americansniper wrote

leaves you wandering what will happen next

It is based on a true story mate, google "memphis belle" and see what comes up. I think the crew went home, as they had completed their 100 missions. The thing about the crew was that none of them had been lost in the 100 missions.

[Lemuel]

Americansniper wrote

leaves you wandering what will happen next

It is based on a true story mate, google "memphis belle" and see what comes up. I think the crew went home, as they had completed their 100 missions. The thing about the crew was that none of them had been lost in the 100 missions.

25 missions

[Firefly]

Americansniper wrote

leaves you wandering what will happen next

It is based on a true story mate, google "memphis belle" and see what comes up. I think the crew went home, as they had completed their 100 missions. The thing about the crew was that none of them had been lost in the 100 missions.

Just a quick correction, US crews did 25 missions. Which at that time in the war, was more than enough!

[PLT.SGT.BAKER]

If you also look up on google you'll be amazed on how much stuff had to be replaced because of damage from flak and plane etc.

[1000ydstare]

I stand corrected.

For a point to note, Memphis Belle was based at Basingbourne which was, and still is I think, home to a basic training regiment for the British Army.

[PLT.SGT.BAKER]

The memphis belle was poorly taken care of at where it ent to after the final mission, and the air force i believe took it away and is restoring it back to good condition.

[american sniper]

Great film! I love the bit when they can see blood and think each other is bleeding when in fact its a bakebeen can that got hit!

it was tomato soup but your close anough

[Piotr]

I believe this is one of the better WWII movies filmed in recent years. The producer went aout and collected, borrowed, leased, etc every flyable B-17 still in existence. They actually lost one on takeoff during filming. A daughter of one of the crewman was hired as a consultant. I loved how they meshed the actual footage with special effects. Notice, that Harry Connick Jr. also played a pilot in his next movie ("Independence Day").

I read that the director wanted to make a movie about BRITISH LANCASTER bombers during WWII, but switched to American B-17s because his studio told him that British Lancasters would not be a box office draw in America. Either way, I am glad this film was made because it seems to have been the last true WWII aviation movie since Battle of Britain (I do not count Pearl Habor).

[HG]

That was a great movie and I loved it very much.

Henk

[Tsolias]

It has been years since I've watched it and I think Im going to rent it ASAP.
Great film!

[1000ydstare]

ww2admin wrote:
I read that the director wanted to make a movie about BRITISH LANCASTER bombers during WWII, but switched to American B-17s because his studio told him that British Lancasters would not be a box office draw in America. Either way, I am glad this film was made because it seems to have been the last true WWII aviation movie since Battle of Britain (I do not count Pearl Habor).

Sad but true that many films are now aimed, as in re-written and screwed about with, at the masses.

Even worse that the British film industry is only slowly returning to the greatness it once enjoyed what 30 - 40 years ago. Hopefully the days of Hollywood bullet fests ruling the box office are numbered... But not gone, can't beat putting your brain on the seat next to and watching a good shoot 'em up.

[WaistGunner]

The movie was alright but as for authenticity on a scale of 1 to 10 I would rate it about a 3. As part of the preparation for the war bonds drive the plane and crew went on they filmed the actual last mission of the Memphis Belle and it wasn't near as dramatic as hollywood would like to portray. I have always wondered why they chose the Belle instead of the Hell's Angels. The Hell's Angels was the first B-17 in the 8th AAF to complete all 25 mission and further more it went on to complete 48 missions without ever turning back.

[Eagle]

Very interesting info Waist...

According to the movie, I really enjoyed it, and the special effects, specially the AAA firing, were excelent by the time when the movie was produced.

[pdf27]

For a point to note, Memphis Belle was based at Basingbourne which was, and still is I think, home to a basic training regiment for the British Army.
Yep, all the under-18 year old recruits go there for their basic training. I've just been doing my CMSR(TA) course there over the past couple of weeks, and the NAAFI on site is named the "Memphis Belle".

Of somewhat more interest perhaps is that the film "Full Metal Jacket" was filmed using Bassingbourn as a substitute for Parris Island. Hence the dry ski slope in the background in some of the film of Parris Island...

[2nd of foot]

It also has the memorial to the 8th air force and a small museum.

[pdf27]

It also has the memorial to the 8th air force and a small museum.
Don't remember the museum (I was kinda busy!) but the memorial is just inside the gate on the left as you go in isn't it?

[ww2artist]

I actually like this movie. Sure, they squeezed a lot of what could happen to many crews into one mission and one movie, but it had to appeal to a large audience. I know veterans who flew missions later in the war and never encounterd any enemy fighters, although the dreaded flak was always there! So to depict that in a movie would be authentic, but pretty dull.

As a side note, in the ETO the 25 mission tours were increased from 25 to 30 in around April of 1944, and then again after D-Day to 35 missions. It's interesting to note that many USAAF bomb groups changed the tours at different times, and I've even heard of a group flying the 25 mission tour in 1945!