Memphis Belle Filming 1989

“45-11371, VF-S, “Sunny VIII”, G-BIXL”
I’m afraid this is incorrect. Spencer Flack’s P51 VF-S “Sunny VIII” was NL1051S and marked only as 511371. It was never G-BIXL, that was Robs’s aeroplane as you have correctly listed at the top.
I have many happy recollections of Spencer’s aeroplane when it lived in the National Airways hangar at Southend. 😎

You have (in error I think) put G-BIXL at the top and bottom of that summary.

As I recall, Sunny V111 was N1051S, operated by Spencer Flack, and sadly lost in 1995. Sorry to be contrary !

http://www.mustangsmustangs.com/p-51/?survivors/serial/45-11371

Thanks for the correction! You are both right, of course! I made this error, when I copied this list from my handwritten notes, where the planes are listed in a different order. I corrected my post above.

Hi
if you look at the photos I posted on post 249 your friends P-51 is the closest in shot

Yeah, these are great pics! Thanks a lot for posting them!
I want to show them to my friend. He has a few pics from a photographer who made some on the ground at that time, but he has no air-to-air pics showing his Mustang together with B-17s. (At least he hasn’t ever shown me any.)

Hi,
A friend of mine owns one of the Mustangs that were used for this film. It is 44-72773, registered as G-SUSY around the time of filming, wearing the film identity AJ-C. It had the name “Susy” around that time, though it did not wear it for the film.
I did some research about the Mustangs used for the filming of “Memphis Belle”. It is quite missleading, since two of the Mustangs had their S/N changed for the film.
I am still not 100% sure if all is correct, but anyway, here is my list, with S/N, film identity, name and civilian registration at the time of filming:

44-72216, AJ-L, “Miss L”, G-BIXL
44-72773, AJ-C, “Susy” (name not worn for filming), G-SUSY
44-73149 (44-63221 for filming), AJ-S, “Moose” on the left side of the nose, “Candyman” on the right side of the nose, N51JJ
44-73877, AJ-N, “Cisco”, N167F
A68-195 (44-72917 for filming), AJ-A, “Ding Hao!”, G-HAEC
44-14154, HO, “Petie 2nd”, N314BG
45-11371, VF-S, “Sunny VIII”, G-BIXL

All of them are P-51Ds, by the way, except for AJ-A which is a CA-18 Mk.22. The first five of them were painted in olive drab for the filming. The last two retained their original colors and were allegedly only filmed while they were in the background of bigger formations.

When my friend bought his Mustang 44-72773 a few years ago, he gave her the identity of “Lucky Lady VII”, which was a P-51D that was flown during the war by Capt. Ernie Bankey of the 385th Fighter Squadron, 364th Fighter Group, an “ace in a day” who had a total of 10.5 confirmed air-to-air combat kills to his credit.
My friend’s Mustang wore this identity until this winter. He has recently had it repainted into “See Me Later”, a P-51D flown during the war by Lt. Willbur Eaton of 335th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Group.

Here is a picture of 44-72773 in its “Lucky Lady VII” identity. I haven’t had a chance to take pics of it in its new colors yet.

Hi
if you look at the photos I posted on post 249 your friends P-51 is the closest in shot

Ooops. Crossed posts !

Even in the middle of the night, the forum is on the case !

You have (in error I think) put G-BIXL at the top and bottom of that summary.

As I recall, Sunny V111 was N1051S, operated by Spencer Flack, and sadly lost in 1995. Sorry to be contrary !

http://www.mustangsmustangs.com/p-51/?survivors/serial/45-11371

“45-11371, VF-S, “Sunny VIII”, G-BIXL”
I’m afraid this is incorrect. Spencer Flack’s P51 VF-S “Sunny VIII” was NL1051S and marked only as 511371. It was never G-BIXL, that was Robs’s aeroplane as you have correctly listed at the top.
I have many happy recollections of Spencer’s aeroplane when it lived in the National Airways hangar at Southend. 😎

It’s up for sale

Especially one with a back seat!!

Thanks for info on this former UK-based aircraft.

Nice one Airtoair, wish my friend owned an airworthy P-51. 🙂

Hi,
A friend of mine owns one of the Mustangs that were used for this film. It is 44-72773, registered as G-SUSY around the time of filming, wearing the film identity AJ-C. It had the name “Susy” around that time, though it did not wear it for the film.
I did some research about the Mustangs used for the filming of “Memphis Belle”. It is quite missleading, since two of the Mustangs had their S/N changed for the film.
I am still not 100% sure if all is correct, but anyway, here is my list, with S/N, film identity, name and civilian registration at the time of filming:

44-72216, AJ-L, “Miss L”, G-BIXL
44-72773, AJ-C, “Susy” (name not worn for filming), G-SUSY
44-73149 (44-63221 for filming), AJ-S, “Moose” on the left side of the nose, “Candyman” on the right side of the nose, N51JJ
44-73877, AJ-N, “Cisco”, N167F
A68-195 (44-72917 for filming), AJ-A, “Ding Hao!”, G-HAEC
44-14154, HO, “Petie 2nd”, N314BG
45-11371, VF-S, “Sunny VIII”, NL1051S

All of them are P-51Ds, by the way, except for AJ-A which is a CA-18 Mk.22. The first five of them were painted in olive drab for the filming. The last two retained their original colors and were allegedly only filmed while they were in the background of bigger formations.

When my friend bought his Mustang 44-72773 a few years ago, he gave her the identity of “Lucky Lady VII”, which was a P-51D that was flown during the war by Capt. Ernie Bankey of the 385th Fighter Squadron, 364th Fighter Group, an “ace in a day” who had a total of 10.5 confirmed air-to-air combat kills to his credit.
My friend’s Mustang wore this identity until this winter. He has recently had it repainted into “See Me Later”, a P-51D flown during the war by Lt. Willbur Eaton of 335th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Group.

Here is a picture of 44-72773 in its “Lucky Lady VII” identity. I haven’t had a chance to take pics of it in its new colors yet.

That are the three Messerschmitts (Buchons)
http://www.me109.info/display.php?a=e&fid=9962

Your 3rd was the D-FEHD WNr. 213

The G-BOML got two WNrs… 170 (plate inside) and 151 (plate outside on the fuselage).

Excellent, thank you!

That are the three Messerschmitts (Buchons)
http://www.me109.info/display.php?a=e&fid=9962

Your 3rd was the D-FEHD WNr. 213

The G-BOML got two WNrs… 170 (plate inside) and 151 (plate outside on the fuselage).

Thanks, I thought that originally but saw some something that suggested the others were involved, I’ve updated the list

To my knowledge, there were only five B-17’s used in filming, with Mary Alice donating an engine during filming to replace a failed engine. Mary Alice was in one of the IWM hangars at the time.

B-17F 42-29782 (N17W) “Boeing Bee”
B-17G 44-85643 “Chateau du Vernuiel” (destroyed during take off accident in filming)
B-17G 44-85784 “Sally B”
B-17G 44-8846 “The Pink Lady”
B-17G 44-83546 (N3703G) “The Movie Memphis Belle”

Only the first 5 of the B-17’s on that list were used in the filming Vince

Trying to get a definitive list together of the aircraft used for filming, so far I have:

B-17F 42-29782 (N17W) “Boeing Bee”
B-17G 44-85643 “Chateau du Vernuiel” (destroyed during take off accident in filming)
B-17G 44-85784 “Sally B”
B-17G 44-8846 “The Pink Lady”
B-17G 44-83546 (N3703G) “The Movie Memphis Belle”
P-51 Mustang 44-73149 (N51JJ / G-BTCD) “Ferocious Frankie”
P-51 Mustang 44-73877 (N167F)
P-51 Mustang s/n CACM-192-1517
P-51 Mustang 44-72216 (G-BIXL)
P-51 Mustang
P-51 Mustang
P-51 Mustang
HA-1112 s/n 151 (later registered as G-BOML) (as Messerschmitt Bf 109)
HA-1112 s/n 235 (later registered as NX109GU) (as Messerschmitt Bf 109)
HA-1112 (as Messerschmitt Bf 109)
B-25 Mitchell 44-30823 (N1042B) – used for filming
TBM Avenger 91110 (N6827C) – used for filming

If anyone can help out with serial/reg numbers of the aircraft I don’t have ID’s for that would be great, also if anyone knows of any other aircraft or any mistakes in that list please let me know!

Thanks 🙂

I remember being in my back garden when one of the B-17s which had been in Southend for a
paint job, flew over, heading west along the A127. Followed close behind by a P-51 doing barrel rolls.

That was on the afternoon of Monday 26th June 1989.

I remember being in my back garden when one of the B-17s which had been in Southend for a
paint job, flew over, heading west along the A127. Followed close behind by a P-51 doing barrel rolls.

we can thank Ray for them will post some more tomorrow