Thank you August for taking the time to share all of these wonderful photos to your webpage!
If you want, here is some more information to accompany your photos of the CAF Minnesota Wing's B-25J "Miss Mitchell":
- This particular airframe, 44-29869, was used as a trainer during WWII and then converted to a TB-25K in the 1950's for airborne radar interceptor training. - The aircraft is painted in the authentic markings of the original B-25J "Miss Mitchell", 43-27493, belonging to the 380th BS, 310th BG. - The nose art on the restoration was painted by Ray "Jack" Kowalik, the same artist that painted the nose art originally during WWII (several years later, he did the same for Cavanaugh on their B-25J "How Boot That"). - The aircraft made its first test flight following restoration on the 50th Anniversary of the Doolittle Raid, on April 18, 1992 (from 1993 onward, it was flown to many of the Doolittle Raider reunions that were held over the years) - "Miss Mitchell", upon request, was the B-25 that flew over Jimmy Doolittle's funeral at Arlington in 1993. - The aircraft was the very first restored B-25 to have a functioning, correct, Bendix top turret installed. - It is one of only a select few B-25's flying today (3 or 4 at the most) to have both a functioning top turret and tail turret (Paul Allen’s, “Betty’s Dream”, and possibly “Lady Luck” being the only other examples). - The complete bomb release system, including the bomb sight, bomb release computer, related control panels and shackles, all work. - The interior and exterior is authentically detailed throughout, including all of the period radios, radio control boxes, control panels, flares, target camera, all of the correct radio antennas, factory stencils/markings, etc.
It is great to see all of the photos of "I See No Problem", which was the first of three B-25's that have been operated by the CAF Minnesota Wing (the first ever CAF detachment). It is now owned by Ken McBride and has a glass nose on it (there never seems to be a clear confirmation of whether or not it is being worked on or if it is just being stored for the time being). After "I See No Problem", The CAF Minnesota Wing's second B-25, half-jokingly, became known as "I See A Problem", as it was full of them (due to shoddy work that had been done to the aircraft in the years prior to it coming to the CAF). That aircraft later went to the Arizona Wing and over an 18-year period was restored as "Maid in the Shade". The CAF Minnesota Wing's third B-25 is of course "Miss Mitchell", which they restored from 1978 to 1992, which has been operated by the CAF Minnesota Wing continuously ever since - over the years, taking it to airshows from Minnesota to as far west as Alaska and California, as far east as Virginia and South Carolina, and as far south as Texas and Georgia.
As for the EAA's B-25H, the aircraft hasn't flown since the 1980's, when it had a main landing gear failure on landing. It was cosmetically restored and put on static display for a few decades, but since 2015 it has been undergoing active restoration to fly. It is slated to be completed/flying again by next year. The work has been headed by EAA Chapter 237 from Blaine, Minnesota, though the restoration is taking place at Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The aircraft is being painted in the same markings it wore for "Catch-22", with the name "Berlin Express".
As for the B-25J 44-30210 “Big Bad Bonnie”, that aircraft is now owned by Trent Latshaw, and has been undergoing restoration to fly at Aero Trader. I saw it there in 2014, completely stripped of paint, and I recall it was in the process of having the "Doolittle Raider B-model" modifications removed that had taken place at one time with a previous owner, such as removing the paneling that had been placed over the waist gunner stations.
The "Oklahoma owner" for the B-25J "Super Rabbit" is Brent Hisey/Oklahoma Museum of Flying, and the aircraft is flown.
Also, the B-25H “Barbie III” is now owned and operated by the Cavanaugh Flight Museum, and “Heavenly Body” is now owned and operated by the Erickson Aircraft Collection at Madras, Oregon.
Both "Panchito" and "Betty's Dream" are currently for sale.
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