The Memphis Belle, a US Army Air Force B-17 had a storied history. During World War II, the crew of the Memphis Belle flew 25 missions with the crew intact, a major feat during the war when the bombers were sitting ducks to the faster fighters of the Luftwaffe. However one little known story of the Memphis Belle occurred in downtown Asheville. While on a world tour to generate sales of war bonds, the crew of the B-17 decided to do a fly-over the city. They brought the aircraft down low to entice the crowd but failed to realize how close the courthouse and city hall were to each other. With the buildings only separated by 50 feet and the 103 foot wingspan of the B-17, pilot Robert Morgan turned the wings down and successfully flew the aircraft between the buildings at a 60 degree angle.
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