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Memphis Belle's rebirth: Rehabbed WWII bomber rolling out

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) - The iconic World War II bomber Memphis Belle is being rolled out at an Ohio museum after a full restoration that has been more than a dozen years in the making.

The rehabbed B-17 is being unveiled Thursday at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force near Dayton. The ceremony will happen on the 75th anniversary of the 25th and final mission of the crew.

The bomber is notable also for the leggy, swimsuit-clad pinup girl on the nose that has been freshly repainted.

After being displayed outdoors for decades in its namesake city, the plane arrived at the Air Force museum in 2005 in corroded pieces.

Museum curator Jeff Duford says the Memphis Belle is a monument to all the men who serve on the heavy bombers that helped cripple the Nazi war industry.

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