B-25 flight experience photo essay

[vg-photo]

I took a media ride in a B-25 Mitchell in August and finally got around to putting it up on my website. You can read about it and see the pictures here:

http://www.vg-photo.com/articles/b25flight.html

[Warbird Kid]

Man she looks beat up and weathered in those pics.

I like it

[vg-photo]

Yeah, she gets plenty of weathering outside at Camarillo. I prefer that look anyway, looks like it's seen some action.

[Warbird Kid]

Yea, i wonder if theres ever been a list of Warbirds that have had that 'beaten up' look out there on the airshow circut? Guessing not, due to the fact that renovations and repaints happen like every, what? 5 to 10 years depending on the operator?

[vg-photo]

I doubt it. The warbird operators I know like to keep them looking clean and pristine. I can certainly understand that. I have had operators of all kinds of aircraft get disappointed that I took a picture of their airplane when it was "dirty" or dusty.

[corsair166b]

Great montage of photos....as one who has been up in a few B-25's during my airshow photo career, I'm sure YOU know you NEVER take your earphones off during a flight in a B-25....unle4ss you wanna go deaf!! My last flight in one was in 2005 at the Corsair wingding in CT and we did a photo flight out over Long Island Sound with 3 Corsairs in tow, and our shots looked remarkably similar to yours only over East Coast water, and it was my first ride in the nose.....some of those pics from that mission adorn my cubicle wall here at work as I write this....anyway, great stuff and glad you had fun....

Mark

[gary1954]

Great Great Photos man....I would however, imagine that with the available capital of Challenge Publications (if they still own this aircraft) that someon on their staff could take care of a lot of the rust on the belt links on the ammo, and the rear gunsight. Great photos though, great

[vg-photo]

Thanks guys. It was my first media flight, so I wanted to take full advantage of the opportunity.

[noizeedave]

Its not rust, we refer to it as "seasoning" and soon as we get back around to the aramament overhaul during winter maintenance this season, she'll get cleaned right up for another year of full fledged flying and shows!

The tailgun sight, which isnt the correct for the aircraft is being removed this winter and the original opitcal sight will be getting installed along with her tail gun controller unit.

Waist guns will get the original yoke mounts for the windows along with the pulleys, cables and drives to assist in the lift of the guns.

New windows will adone her on the backside completely and hopefully the nose windows aswell.

Her " Seasoned" paint is being redone as I type, sectionally throughout the winter, and new nose art will be applied. Photos and images wont be disclosed until its complete though. Hopefully our long list of winter overhauls will get done this winter and we are hoping that we will get a load of new volunteers this winter to help out on all the projects. Help is always wanted and appreciated!!

For updates, check in the WIX HANGER as soon as the christmas week is over.

[gary1954]

Seasoned, I like that. I know that we all look forward to seeing her 'refreshed" I know I do. Thanks for setting me straight on the difference between rust and seasoned. Well done.