Hells Angels name came from a B-17 group

[kiwi_2005]

Yeah well im bored & came across this about the Hells Angels name, found it interesting.

The Hells Angels name came from a Bomber B-17 Group from World War II. This aircraft was unnamed until it's fourth or fifth mission. The crew decided to adopt the name "Hell's Angels" after the 1927 "Hell's Angels" WWI fictional Fighter Squadron movie by Howard Hughes.

The Memphis Belle wasn't the first to complete 25 missions.

On 13 May 1943 the 303rd's B-17F "Hell's Angels" became the first 8th Air Force B-17 to complete 25 combat missions. This feat has wrongly been credited to the"Memphis Belle" B-17 including the 1943 and 1990 "Memphis Belle" movies. The "Memphis Belle" B-17 was the first to complete 25 missions and return to the USA. "Hell's Angels" continued to fly combat missions until 13 December 1943, when she completed 48 combat missions it was retired from combat.

Facts, which have been undeniably proven, show that the 303rd "Hell's Angels" B-17F was only flown by highly dedicated, motivated and mission oriented airmen. They were not malcontents and did not report for mission in a drunken state. Crew pilot and commander, Capt Irl Baldwin, completed a stellar military career, retired as a LtCol, and was awarded numerous valorous and meritorious citations.

New Zealand was the first Hells Angels Charter outside the United States:

The Hells Angels (as in bikers) first charter outside California was adopted - strangely enough as far away as Auckland, New Zealand. During the sixties Hells Angels spread out to the East Coast of the USA and later to the Midwest.

The Myth
The myth and legends surrounding the military lineage of the Hells Angels
Motorcycle Club has, for decades, been cited as being from former members of
the Hell's Angels Bomber B-17 Group from World War II. This myth has been
aided by incorrect reporting by authors who deemed it appropriate to align the
Hells Angels Motorcycle Club (HAMC) with ex-service members returning from a
war where excitement and adventure had become their lifestyle. Authors and
newspaper correspondents, from a wide assortment of daily, weekly and other
periodicals have made statements, not founded in fact. It has been stated that
these former servicemen were alleged to have been drunkards, military misfits,
and generally speaking substandard soldiers that would not adjust to a return
to a peacetime environment. If any person, regardless of their association,
considered the content of the statements and inferences made, they would
find these to lack any rational thought or concern for truthful reporting.

More history here: go down to 'Lineage Clarification'
http://www.hells-angels.com/?HA=history

[Sailor Steve]

I think you'd better double-check your "facts".

The first Air Force association with the "Hell's Angels" name for a flying group predates the war, and predates the bomber of that name by two years. The American Volunteer Group in China, the "Flying Tigers", were organized into three squadrons, the "Adams and Eves", the "Hell's Angels", and the "Panda Bears", in late 1941.

There is some debate over whether the use of the name by the motorcycle club is related to the Flying Tigers squadron, some claiming that former Tigers were involved in the founding of the bike club, some claiming that they only took the name, and some claiming no connection at all.

Whatever the truth, it's fairly certain that the founding of the bike club had nothing to do with the B-17. In fact, the site you quote states clearly that the club did NOT take their name from the B-17.

Also, the site specifically states that the only connection with any military group was indeed a former member of the Flying Tigers "Hell's Angels", who, though never becoming a member himself alledgedly suggested the name.

The former Squadron Leader of the 3rd Pursuit Squadron "Hell's Angels" American Voluteer Group (AVG), Arvid Olsen, was the only known person with specific military lineage to an actual unit which bore the name Hell's Angels that was affiliated with the founding of the HAMC, which occurred in Fontana, California in March 1948. Arvid Olsen was an associate of the founders of the HAMC, he never attempted to or became a member of HAMC.

[SteamWake]

and here I thought the founding members came from the Korean conflict.

Oh "those" hells angels.

[kiwi_2005]

Think my title is misleading. Your correct Steve. Thats what i meant but just said it wrong :damn:

eg the B17 and HA are not associated but how the name came about, i thought the Hells Angels name was their own/original. But it wasn't it first came up in a movie by Howard Huges then by a B-17 group. Then the Hells Angels bikers.

[August]

I think "Hells Angels" was such an obvious name for an outlaw biker gang that somebody was bound to come up with it eventually.