# @gingerwatson on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/BIjw5mCBPpk
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/15240582-gingerwatson-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/07aa2a024b.jpg
- **Posted:** 2016-08-01T08:08:07.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** 𝔾𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕖𝕣 𝕎𝕒𝕥𝕤𝕠𝕟 (@gingerwatson) — https://gondola.cc/gingerwatson

## Caption

One of the five #b17bomber planes used in the filming of "Memphis Belle" in 1990. The original is apparently in Dayton, Ohio. The Memphis Belle was one of the first bombers to complete 25 combat missions with the ENTIRE crew intact. It was beyond an honor to be photographed with this beautiful plane. Very few have been invited inside. As I climbed into the aircraft a strong sensation of uncertainty, fear, emotion, and pride came over me. I cannot even begin to imagine what those men were thinking during their successful missions. Along the side of the plane you will notice 8 markings, each representing take downs of other enemy aircrafts. Within the plane there is an extremely narrow walkway...similar to the width of a balance beam...surrounded by currently inactive bombs. Though I have great balance and am quite small, there is a certain amount of both fear and respect that I have for the men who have walked that line. Prior to walking the beam there are open areas of the plane with giant, mounted machine guns. Once you go passed the narrow beam there is an area with a desk and a few seats. Above that area is where the pilots navigate...below that area is a whole different world. I crawled into a narrow hole in which none of the men I was with could fit. I asked who would ever expect to fit down here? The most chilling area of the plane is directly in the nose. A small area reserved for the smallest aboard the plane. I was informed that some of the men were not men at all, but young boys who lied about their age just to be a part of the action and just because they had pride and faith in their country. The fact that I had trouble crawling down that hole brings to light that it is not the size of the dog in the fight. I felt something very special that day. Maybe it was the rain or the fact that I was alone in that very spot...but there was this feeling that anything was possible in that place. Fear subsides with determination. 📷by robertcoomerphotography #worldwar2 #memphisbelle #bomberplane #wartime #landgirl meets #airgirl #ww2 #ww2plane #ww2aircraft #usa #usmilitary #proudamerican 🇺🇸 #militarymonday #pinup #vintagegirl #vintageinspired #americanhistory

## Stats

- **Views:** 0
- **Likes:** 157
- **Shares:** 0
- **Comments:** 10

## Tags

ww2, worldwar2, americanhistory, ww2plane, landgirl, bomberplane, vintagegirl, memphisbelle, vintageinspired, usa, ww2aircraft, b17bomber, airgirl, pinup, wartime, usmilitary, militarymonday, proudamerican

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