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Memphis Belle: Her Final Mission

Memphis Belle restoration
Courtesy of American Public Television

Encore Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023 at Noon on KPBS 2 / Stream now with KPBS Passport!

"Memphis Belle: Her Final Mission" is a hour-long documentary that tells the story of two teams: the crew who flew her into combat and the restoration team that took 13 years to return her to her former glory. Two teams, separated by more than six decades, are bound together by their love of this remarkable and historic plane called the Memphis Belle.

Memphis Belle: Her Final Mission: Preview

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The restoration team gathered in front of the renewed Memphis Belle
Courtesy of American Public Television

In 2005, the Belle arrived in Dayton for an exhaustive 13-year restoration at the National Museum of the United States Air Force, where the Memphis Belle is now on display. In this locally-produced documentary, combat diaries give unflinching, first-hand accounts of the Belle’s most dangerous missions. Interviews with the curator and restoration crew provide insights into the challenges of their long mission to restore the Belle. It’s a story of two teams of men, separated by 75 years, who shared a deep affection for a plane that became an American icon.

Crew of the Memphis Belle after their 25th combat mission
Courtesy of American Public Television

Presented by WPTD / Think TV. Distributed by American Public Television.