[ARCHIVED THREAD] - The B-25 Mitchell Thread (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 9/27/2008 5:54:24 AM EDT
OK, we've done B-17s and B-24s, now it's the B-25's turn.     
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75mm canon originally used on the Grant tank, IIRC. Back in the 80s I knew a guy who was the navigator on a B-25 in the Mediterranean theater. Aside from navigating, he also had the job of loading the gun. |
The Barbie III, an H-model with the cannon, is less than 2 miles from my house, parked behind a pretty good Italian Restaurant. They fly it all the time. Really nice bird. Not nearly as loud as the Sentimental Journey, a B-17 based out of the same field. But still pretty loud.   
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link to book Just thought I would take the opportunity to plug a book for a friend of mine. |
| I took Lone Star Flight Museums B-25 "Special Delivery" painted in Dolittle Raider's colors to Oshkosh this year. We took Dolittle's copilot, Dick Cole, up as part of a documentary that is being produced. He is an amazing gentleman and still can handle a B-25 quite well. |
booked marked to buy a copy when available 
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Barbie lll at the local Air Fair this past June.  The business end;   
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I think it's funny to see all the random house hold companies that shifted over to make war equipment. |
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I had the privilege of knowing a Pacific B-25 radio operator. His wife told me after he had passed he was awarded the Bronze Star. Below is a crappy photo of a B-25 at Grissom Air Force Base, Peru, IN. This bird flew in the movie "Catch 22".   Here is a view of just half of the birds on display as seen from the control tower in the first crappy photo. I included this for size reference, a B-17 is left of the B-25 in this view and a C-47 behind it.  |
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We took my Dad last month up to Delaware to see the Collings tour, but sadly, no B25. Dad was a waist gunner on a PB4Y (USN version of the B24). Served in Pacific. PBs carried less bombs as they needed more fuel for LONG runs. Also had twin 50s at waist positions, and bubble turrets there, + single tail. At 82, he was the youngest WWII vet there. Still crawled up and thru her, despite the years and an extra 60+ lbs! There was an OLD belly gunner there, who was maybe 5'2 and 90 lbs! And had the great pleasure to meet and listen to my Dad share stories with a gentleman who was a B24 pilot in the European theater. Had me and the kids' FULL attention! I'll get the pics loaded up here sometime. |
I really love that old bird. There's nothing like having Lunch at Anzio Landing, sitting by the window, and watching them take Barbie III flying. See her all the time when I'm at home, too, I'm in the pattern, so if I'm in the yard... It's worth lunch just to watch them play with her for a while... Anzio Landing |
| My Grandfather was a Chief Master Sgt (E9) in the USAF during WW2. He was one of the chief maintenance NCOs in the AF for the B-25 Mitchell. I think my parents have some B&W photos of him in the cockpit spinning up for test flights. He would have been interested to see this thread, but passed in '99, god bless him. He used to talk about the B-25 Mitchell all the time. |
Can't forget the US Navy and Marines PBJ-1.   National Naval Aviation Museum: Mitchell PBJ-1D BuNo 35087 
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Joe Baugher's website on the North American B-25 Mitchell. home.att.net/~jbaugher2/b25.html Great webpage on the USMC PBJ-1. www.bluejacket.com/usmc_avi_ww2_pbj-1.html
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my grandfather flew the B-25 in WW2, he told stories about the army air corps when i was a kid, at his funeral they had a wreath with his bomber flight jacket and his flight wing next to the coffin. they are a beautiful planes and my grandmother took him to texas to watch B-25's fly before his death, all the pictures taken at the airfield, he had a prema-grin. what a great generation these guys were
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Grandpa flew in 25's in North Africa, was an aerial gunner. The plane got named after his girlfriend at the time cause he was the only one in the crew that had a steady girl. They named the plane the Miss Dee, for his then girlfriend/future wife and my grandma Delores Hawkins (maiden name). Same Hawkins family as relates to the famous Hawkins Rifle. 
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My Grandfather's older brother was a Squadron Navigator on a B-25 during most of WWII. He completed 75 missions, and was a part of the campaign agaisnt Rabaul among other things. He is still alive, and I saw him 3 weeks ago. He is 89 years old. If I can find some pics I will post them. He has some VERY interesting stories to tell about his experiences. Having been in a B-25, I cannot imagine trying to bailout from the bombardier's position in the nose and crawl down that little bitty crawl space as the plane was going down.  Those guys were incredible. |
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Gotta take off, so I'll bump the thread and provide the answer: The Professor flew in one during WWII. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell_Johnson
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