Memphis Belle-Paint-colors-n-bits

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Member for

17 years 4 months

Posts: 586

I'm working on a large-48" profile on the infamous "Memphis Bell" and am seeking some detail that eludes me. I a seeking:

1. What text labeling for positions Top Gunner, R/T Operator, Prt Waist Gunner, Tail Gunner. I have the crew list, but just how and where they were painted is vague at best.

2 Should the names be in the yellow/gold or in white? Some of the vintage photos seem to show them a bit lighter than the yellow bits, but all the "modern" schemes show in yellow. Any Old photos in color out there?

3 General paint scheme shows splotching on the upper O/D green. I would assume these were patches and repairs and would be esentially the same body color, just less faded. Examples I have found, paintings and models, vary greatly in just what the mottled patch colors were.

4 One wartime pic showed some text one panel below the painted Bomb Run record. It appears painted over on later shots (along with Stuka on the main hatch-the A/C's dog's name)

Any help in this would be greatly appreciated. Pics or links or general info. Plese find attached just the nose thus far, almost done with it I hope, moving aft.

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Member for

17 years 4 months

Posts: 586

And one further question that has been driving me mad. Is the Belle wearing red or blue? or is she Blue on the Port side and Red on the Starboard Side?
Thanks for any input or direction..

Member for

19 years 5 months

Posts: 329

Belle

Belle sports a red outfit on the starboard side and blue on port.
Search my previous posts and you may find a picture of my Belle nose art panel.
The different shades of OD found on Belle are not necessarily caused by fading.
The camouflage included patches of a darker green on the wing upper surface, quite evident in photos published in journals such as "Wings of Fame", "International Airpower Review" and "Warbirds".
The Belle file isn't handy at the moment - send me an Email and I'll be glad to share what information I've been able to find during my Belle research, including photos of the original Belle taken by the late Gary Valant who's book, "Vintage Aircraft Nose Art" is a classic. Those pictures were taken when Belle was still in Memphis. She's at the Air Force museum undergoing restoration now - a fair distance from St Pete, but probably worth the visit.
If I'm not mistaken, there is one photo of Belle in colour but most of the photos showing the nose art unfortunately happen to be in black and white.
I've also got photos of the contemporary Belle that's on the airshow circuit if that will help. Beware of the nose art from the movie version Belle - it's Hollywood, and far from correct.

Member for

17 years 4 months

Posts: 586

Thanks for the info. Yes, I did watch the movie with a grain of salt. Too many problems with accuracy there but a good watch anyway. You are twice as close to me to the actual A/C where it is undergoing restoration.

It would be a fun trip, but hard to "write off" as a business expense since my art is so deep in the negative column it would be hard to justify.