Memphis Belle to be restored

Flight Journal, Aug 2003 by Perkins, Brent W

The historic Memphis Belle has begun a new chapter in its long, distinguished life. It was recently disassembled and trucked to a restoration facility in Millington, just north of Memphis, Tennessee. Since it was acquired by the city of Memphis in 1946, the Belle has had a variety of homes there. Since spring 1987, its home has been Mud Island-a downtown tourist attraction.

Now owned by the USAF Museum near Dayton, Ohio, it will be restored at the former Naval Air Station in Millington to the standards demanded by the Museum's experts. The aircraft is now on loan to the Memphis Belle Memorial Association (MBMA), which is responsible for its restoration. MBMA president John Loy heads the effort and predicts it will be at least two years before the aircraft is returned to Memphis. He has a professional team of heavy-aircraft mechanics, mostly volunteers from FedEx, who have dedicated their skills to saving this special airplane.

While the restoration is under way, the construction of Belle's new home in East Memphis-Memphis Belle Memorial Park-will begin. A new, $10-million, 43,000-square-foot facility has been designed with the assistance of the renowned firm of Jack Rouse and the talents of the Crump firm's architects. The Memphis Belle War Memorial Foundation is in charge of fundraising, and Col. Robert K. Morgan-Memphis Belle's first combat pilot-is the Foundation's chairman and will oversee the restoration from his offices in North Carolina.

These recent successes, however, follow sad news. Memphis Belle copilot Lt. Col. James A. Verinis died on March 3, 2003, at his Jupiter, Florida, winter home; he was 87. A lifelong friend of Col. Morgan's, Jim was copilot on the Belle's first five raids and command pilot on the sixth. Verinis' death leaves only three members of the Memphis Belle's original combat crew: Col. Robert Morgan, Sgt. Robert Hanson (radio operator) and Sgt. Harold Loch (top turret/flight engineer).

For information on the Memphis Belle Memorial Park, contact the Ingram Group in Memphis at (901) 312-9191; www.memphisbelle.com; www.memphisbelle.org.