Photo of the 'Memphis Belle', signed by the pilot

Black and white copy photograph of the original crew of the famed USAAF B-17 ' Memphis Belle', the first heavy bomber to complete 25 daylight sorties with the 8th AAF over Europe.  It shows the crew in front of the Flying Fortress on 13th June 1943 as they bid farewell to Generals Devers and Eakers as the 'Bell' departs for a public relations tour in America.  The photograph has been signed in ink by the pilot, Robert Knight Morgan (1918 – 2004).  Morgan and his crew were the subjects of a 1944 film documentary, 'Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress', and another 1990 British-American film produced by David Puttnam, starring Matthew Modine, Eric Stoltz, and Harry Connick Jr.  After completing his European tour, Morgan flew another 26 combat missions in the B-29 Superfortress against Japan in the Pacific Theatre.  The photograph is mounted, framed and glazed.  Image size is approximately 33 x 26.5cm, framed size approximately 46 x 40cm.  With this is an original unpublished 'snapshot' of the late H.M. The Queen Mother, with Morgan, his wife and two unknown people, at Sandringham  on 19th July 1997.  This was their second meeting.  On May 26th 1943 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth visited the Memphis Belle and crew at Bassingbourn following the completion of their tour.   Also comes with two similar (unsigned) images of the Memphis Belle and crew plus a selection of obituaries and related photocopies as shown.  This item can be supplied without the frame to reduce postal costs if required.  Stock code P24215A-225.

Photograph of King George VI & Queen Elizabeth taken/owned by the US Air Force and used by permission of the National Musuem of the USAF.