This beautiful work of aviation art is alive with stunning levels of authentic details of both this iconic B-17 and her last farewell to her home base of RAF Bassingbourn. Now available for you to own as a magnificent Limited Edition Canvas reproduction of the original 24x36-in oil painting, or as a giclee limited edition print on the finest quality paper, available in two sizes and each one individually hand-signed and numbered by the artist Simon W. Atack. One of the world's finest aviation artists. A certificate of Authenticity hand-signed by Simon W. Atack is also included with each print. 

JUNE 1943.

Her fighting days behind her, B-17 124485 “MEMPHIS BELLE’ makes her last farewell to her home station at RAF Bassingbourn, Cambridgeshire, in company with a “saluting escort” of P-47 Thunderbolt fighters of the 52nd Fighter Squadron, as she leaves England for the last time for her home trip to the US. A second B-17F that had completed her 25-mission tally was her escort ship for the return flight.

This scene marked the end of the Memphis Belle’s 25-mission tour, from which she returned, often with minor to very severe battle damage from enemy flak and fighters, yet never lost a single man of her crew. Operating with the 91st Bomb Group 324th Bomber Squadron from Bassingbourn, her final mission was an attack on the Keromann U-Boat pens at Lorient on May 17th 1943. The raid was captured in a now-very famous documentary by the Hollywood director William Wyler. This painting depicts her overflight farewell to the ground crews of her now-former dispersal at RAF Bassingbourn, Cambridge, already at work on the 'new occupant' aircraft. With her flies another B-17 "Lucky 7" who will escort her all the way home to the US. Plus an escort of P-47 Thunderbolts of the 352nd Fighter Group who flew with her to the Irish sea coast of west England and leave the two B-17s for the Atlantic homeward flight.

Throughout her operational life she and her crew was captained by Captain Robert K. Morgan, who christened the aircraft “MEMPHIS BELLE” after his sweetheart Miss Margaret Polk and a Crew-Training flight to Memphis TN. during September 1942.

Today, the Memphis Belle is undergoing major restoration to static display condition at the national Museum of the United States Air Force, Dayton, Ohio.