The Memphis Belle: a story of a Flying Fortress | Library of Congress

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Film, Video The Memphis Belle: a story of a Flying Fortress Story of a Flying Fortress

digital viewing copy

About this Item

Title

  • The Memphis Belle: a story of a Flying Fortress

Other Title

  • Story of a Flying Fortress

Summary

  • The Memphis Belle, a B-17 "Flying Fortress" was assigned to the 324th Bomb Squadron, 91st Bomb Group, at Bassingbourn, Cambridgeshire, England, during the early part of the USAAF strategic bombing campaign during World War II. Between November 1942 and May 1943, the Memphis Belle and its crew flew 25 bombing missions, including strikes against targets in Germany, France, and Belgium. This film portrays a bombing mission over Germany during World War II, including preparations for the raid, the take-off from England, the flight over the English Channel, the bombing of the submarine base at Wilhelmshaven, Germany, and the return to base.

Names

  • Wyler, William, 1902-1981, film director
  • Koenig, Lester, screenwriter
  • Clothier, William, 1903-1996, photographer
  • Tannenbaum, Harold, 1896-1943, photographer
  • Sturges, John, 1910-1992, film editor
  • Kubik, Gail, 1914-1984, composer
  • Ising, Rudolf, 1903-1992, contributor
  • Kern, Eugene, 1914-2010, narrator
  • United States. War Department, presenter
  • United States. Army Air Forces. Motion Picture Unit, 1st, production company
  • Paramount Pictures, Inc., film distributor

Created / Published

  • United States : Paramount Pictures : 1944.

Headings

  • -  Memphis Belle (B-17 bomber)
  • -  Airmen--United States
  • -  United States.--Army Air Forces.--Bomb Group, 490th
  • -  Bombing, Aerial--Germany
  • -  World War, 1939-1945--Aerial operations, American
  • -  World War, 1939-1945--Germany--Wilhelmshaven
  • -  Morgan, Robert,--1918-2004
  • -  Verinis, Jim,--1916-2003
  • -  Hanson, Bob,--1920-2005
  • -  Leighton, Chuck,--1919-1991
  • -  Loch, Harold,--1919-2004
  • -  Quinlan, John,--1919-2000
  • -  Scott, Cecil,--1916-1979
  • -  Evans, Vincent
  • -  Winchell, Bill,--1916-1994
  • -  Nastal, Tony,--1923-2002
  • -  Hansell, Haywood S
  • -  George--VI,--King of Great Britain,--1895-1952
  • -  Elizabeth,--Queen, consort of George VI, King of Great Britain,--1900-2002
  • -  Devers, Jacob L.--(Jacob Loucks),--1887-1979
  • -  Eaker, Ira,--1896-1987

Genre

  • Documentary films
  • Nonfiction films
  • Feature films

Notes

  • -  Cameramen, Maj. William C. Clothier, Lt. Harold Tannenbaum ; edited by Capt. John Sturges ; music by Gail Kubik ; animation of maps, Maj. Rudof Ising.
  • -  Narrator, Eugene Kern.
  • -  Appearing: Capt. Robert Morgan, Capt. Jim Verinis, Sgt. Bob Hanson, Capt. Chuck Leighton, Sgt. Harold Loch, Sgt. John Quinlen, Sgt. Cecil Scott, Capt. Vincent Evans, Sgt. Bill Winchell, Sgt. Tony Nastal, King George VI, Queen Elizabeth, Gen. Haywood Hansell, Gen. Jacob Devers, Gen. Ira Eaker.
  • -  Photographed in 1943 and 1944 in Cambridgeshire, England and flying over the English Channel to Wilhelmshaven, Germany.
  • -  "All aerial combat film was exposed during air battles over enemy territory"--beginning credits.
  • -  This film was selected for the National Film Registry.
  • -  Sources used: Eagan, D. America's film legacy, p. 369-370; MI Film and Television catalog card; National Museum of the United States Air Force WWW site, The Memphis Belle: American Icon page viewed May 31, 2023; Chris Kern: Essays and Photographs WWW site viewed June 2, 2023; Motion picture herald, March 25, 1944, p. 40 viewed June 13, 2023 via the Internet Archive.

Medium

  • 1 video file (digital) (40 min.) : sd., color.

Source Collection

  • U.S. Government Films Collection (Library of Congress)

Digital Id

Library of Congress Control Number

  • 2023602007

Online Format

  • image
  • video

Additional Metadata Formats

Rights & Access

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Credit Line: Library of Congress, Motion Picture, Broadcasting, and Recorded Sound Division.

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Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Wyler, William, Film Director, Lester Koenig, John Sturges, Rudolf Ising, Eugene Kern, Presenter United States War Department, and Inc Paramount Pictures, Clothier, William, and Harold Tannenbaum, photographer. The Memphis Belle: a story of a Flying Fortress. composeds by Kubik, Gail, Oser, , produceds by United States Army Air Forces. Motion Picture Unit, 1Stuction Company United States: Paramount Pictures:, 1944. Video. https://www.loc.gov/item/2023602007/.

APA citation style:

Wyler, W., Koenig, L., Sturges, J., Ising, R., Kern, E., United States War Department, P. & Paramount Pictures, I., Clothier, W. & Tannenbaum, H., photographer. (1944) The Memphis Belle: a story of a Flying Fortress. Kubik, G., comp, , United States Army Air Forces. Motion Picture Unit, 1. C., prod United States: Paramount Pictures:. [Video] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2023602007/.

MLA citation style:

Wyler, William, Film Director, et al., photographers by Clothier, William, and Harold Tannenbaum. The Memphis Belle: a story of a Flying Fortress. comp by Kubik, Gail, Oser, , prod by United States Army Air Forces. Motion Picture Unit, 1Stuction Company United States: Paramount Pictures:, 1944. Video. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2023602007/>.

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