"Memphis Belle" restoration nears completion in Ohio

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) – A World War II icon is almost back to its former glory. Restoration specialists at the National Air Force Museum are showcasing some of the finishing touches on the famed Memphis Belle.

The B-17F aircraft has been undergoing complete restoration since it arrived at the museum in 2005. Specialist Casey Simmons says he built miniature models of the plane as a child before dedicating more than a decade of his adult life to the real thing.

“We’ve been going through the blueprints, figuring out what goes into that, how they did it and then trying to recreate the real thing,” Simmons explains.

In the past year, the crew has restored and painted almost all of the stripped, salvaged aircraft.