Though initially escorted by P-51 Mustangs, the short-range fighters have to eventually withdraw, leaving the vulnerable bombers to fend for themselves to the target and back.

Army publicist Lieutenant Colonel Bruce Derringer intends on using Belle's fame accrued from her record to sell vital war bonds.

Danny Daly is severely wounded, and damage causes a fire in one of the engines which Captain Dearborn is forced to extinguish by diving the plane, risking the aircraft in the process.

The closing credits state that the Memphis Belle flew her 25th and final mission on May 17, 1943, and that over a quarter of a million aircraft saw action over Western Europe during World War Two, with 200,000 airmen losing their lives and the film being dedicated in theirs and every serviceman's honour.

Two were located in the United States (N3703G and N17W), two were in France (F-BEEA, which was destroyed in a takeoff accident[2] and F-AZDX The Pink Lady), and one was in England (G-BEDF Sally B).

[3] Ground sequences for the movie (including takeoff and landing scenes) were filmed at the non-operational RAF Binbrook in Lincolnshire, England with a period control tower and vehicles being placed on site.

[4] A North American B-25 Mitchell was used to film the majority of the aerial scenes with several fixed and trainable cameras also mounted on the available B-17s and fighter aircraft for action shots.

A Grumman TBM Avenger (with its tail section painted the same olive drab tones used on the B-17s) was used as back-up for a short time when the B-25 became unserviceable during filming.

A French B-17G (F-BEEA), used as a filming platform, hit a tree and a pile of gravel after losing engine power and swinging during takeoff from Binbrook and was destroyed by the subsequent fire.

The aircraft commenced its ground roll and after about 100 yards (91 m) swung slightly to the left, which the commander (the handling pilot) corrected with the rudder and by reducing power to number 3 and 4 engines.

[8] Memphis Belle received mixed reviews, with Roger Ebert stating the film was "entertaining" yet filled with familiar wartime cliches.

"Despite its good intentions to highlight the risks and heroics of the brave men who flew dangerous bombing missions deep into enemy soil during World War II, the one thing which you can't miss about Memphis Belle is that it is a cliche commercial production.

Track listing After the release of the film Robert Hanson, the real Memphis Belle's radio operator, spoke to his grandson's high school class.