Boeing B-17F Memphis Belle™
DAYTON, Ohio -- Restoration crews from the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force install the final wing-tip on the Boeing B-17F Memphis Belle™ on March 22, 2017. The famed B-17F Memphis Belle™ and its crew became iconic symbols of the heavy bomber crews and support personnel who helped defeat Nazi Germany. The Memphis Belle was the first US Army Air Forces heavy bomber to return to the US after completing 25 combat missions over Europe. The USAAF chose the Memphis Belle for a highly-publicized war bond tour from June-August 1943, and its crew was celebrated as national heroes. The aircraft and crew were also the subject of two widely-seen Hollywood movies (one in 1944 and another in 1990). The Memphis Belle will be placed on public display at the museum on May 17, 2018. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ken LaRock)