The definitive story of one of the most famous aircraft in history and the subject of a Second World War documentary by William Wyler – the Oscar winning director of Ben-Hur – who shot colour footage during combat. Memphis Belle was deployed to Prestwick, Scotland in 1942. Now you can see Memphis Belle in Colour on Smithsonian at 7pm on Sunday 10th November.

Her permanent base was at RAF Bassingbourn, England, from where she flew 29 bombing missions over France and Germany and shot down eight German aircraft. The B-17 Bombers, known as the Flying Fortresses, flew in large numbers from Britain – taking the war to Nazi Germany, buoying the spirit of Britain and America, and playing a key role in making the Allied victory in Europe possible. Today, the original Memphis Belle has been preserved at the Museum of the United States Air Force in Ohio.