“Belle:” An ageless beauty

By Tech. Sgt. Nick Kurtz
Defense Media Activity

Master Sgt J.T. Lock, Senior Airman Zach Lopez and I travelled to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, to shoot some TV news stories at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. This piece is set in the restoration backshop, where a group made up almost entirely of volunteers is restoring what is perhaps the most famous plane in Air Force history.

This was an amazing trip and a fantastic learning experience for all of us. We wanted to try a different style of storytelling than we were used to, drawing inspiration from many of the wonderful videos we’ve seen on Vimeo. Two videos in particular that really inspired me for this piece were Coffer (by Lost & Found Films) and Shinya Kimura @ Chabott Engineering (by Henrik Hansen). Also, pretty much everything by the folks at California is a Place.

I hope you enjoy this piece, and I hope it sparks an interest for you in military history. I know working on it did for me. If you’d like to visit the Air Force Museum, you can take a virtual tour online at nationalmuseum.af.mil/virtualtour/index.asp

Video: As a retired aircraft mechanic, Roger has always loved airplanes. But he’s never met one like her. She’s a timeless symbol of World War II, and she’s come to him for help. She’s seen better days, and desperately needs his tender hands and passionate heart to help restore her to her former glory. This is the story of Roger Brigner, his love affair with “Belle,” and the lasting legacy their relationship will leave behind.