Doolittle Raid Reunion and Largest B-25 Gathering

[warbird1]

They have been working on this for a while, and have several sponsors already, but it seems to me that this was an appeal for more people to help financially, as the fuel bill alone is going to be HUGE just to get the planes there. As Operations Officer for the B-25 Yellow Rose, I have known about, and been planning for this, for a while already. I assume most of the other B-25 operators have been as well.

That's good to know, but it still seems like whoever is in charge of public relations of this event could have gotten the word out to the general public much earlier. The B-25 operators may have known, but did everyone else? The most important part of this equation is the money and it would seem to me sponsorship should have been the most public aspect of it from the get-go. Remember the Corsair gathering at Indy in '02? I don't remember the exact time it was made public, but I do remember it was at least a year in advance, as I planned my whole vacation around it. I might have heard about the earlier stages of it a year and a half or so prior, I don't remember.

From everything that Mint Moore and his website published, they were extremely successful in getting all of the sponsorship they needed well before the event. That is not happening in this case. Sponsorship, money, fuel - whatever you want to call it- can only benefit from very early press releases, not later ones. Unless the Doolittle organization somehow thought they had the sponsorship already lined up and somebody bailed at the last minute, this just doesn't seem like an effective strategy to maximize potential donors/sponsors/contributors. Waiting a mere 4 months from one of the largest warbird reunion events ever (possible GML excepted), to start a public plea for more money does not sound like the action of a well planned and executed event. That's why my confidence in this event is not there.

I really hope they are successful in this event, and I wish them the best of luck! If they can reasonably expect at least 18 B-25's to show up, I'll go.

[bluehawk15]

I think all of us who operate B-25's need to make a super effort to get our planes to the Reunion this coming year. Face it, if it weren't for the Raiders, our planes wouldn't be any more in demand than a U-11A! (thought I'd put C-45 at first, but I put my plane in there just for you, Cuz!)

Anyone who doesn't operate a B-25, but loves the plane, PLEASE help this become a reality by sending whatever amount of a donation you can to Tom! You can make a difference! Together, we can do it! Yes, we can! (hope I don't get sued for copywrite violations or anything!)

[Obergrafeter]

Hey Mike, got a seat for your good old cuz?

[corsairboss]

The Corsair Gathering took me 2 years to put together, 1st started with the Planes and Owners, then Vought found out what I was trying to do, I got a e-mail and Phone Call from Vought and Me and Steve Hilligoss had to go to Dallas and did a Presentation of what we where going to do. I told them I needed money in the Bank before this was going to happen. Deposit was made and the Gathering happened..!!!

Last edited by corsairboss on Tue Dec 22, 2009 7:14 am, edited 1 time in total.

[warbird1]

Thanks for your input Mint. Based off of what you know, would you say this Gathering of B-25's is going well, and on pace for what is expected in April?

[tom d. friedman]

that's alot of leg work behind the scenes!! it's appreciated!!

[RyanShort1]

well that's enough said..I hope it works out for them I would like to see it happen. Would be alot of fun.
BTW... I work for the Major Oil Company, and can also help with the Oil and Fuel Equipment and people that will be needed.
I live 20 min. away from the Museum.

Mint,
Would you mind going over to www.doolittleraider.com and posting that on the forum there? I can pretty much guarantee that someone in the organization will read it if it's posted there.

Ryan

[gary1954]

Mint, Sounds like you be Da Man! for the job . I know nothing about putting a "gathering" together , sounds like you have
plenty of Hands On Experiance

[mustangdriver]

Just a word of advice, be careful of what vendor you get to sell the items for the show such as T-shirts and hats, as some of the vendors have a clause in their contract that says no one else can sell items while there. This would mean that none of the B-25's that have a PX could sell anything.

[corsairboss]

just talked with one of the Guy's in charge of the B-25's and they are working on the funding.

Last edited by corsairboss on Tue Dec 22, 2009 7:13 am, edited 1 time in total.

[mustangdriver]

Corsair boss that wasn't directed at you I am just saying in the past it has happened and can be a big blow to both the museums wanting to sell their stuff, and the public wanting to buy items from them. It happened a few years ago at the Wings Over Pittsburgh

[richkolasa]

Since there's only one Mitchell operating up here, it looks as though CWH's 'Hot Gen' is going to be there.

I sure hope they can pull it off.

Will it be "Hot Gen" or "Grumpy" by then? Half of my photos it's one, half it's the other. I think you guys have the nose-art on one of those magnetic graphics and you keep switching them.

Love the bird, but it needs a top turret!

Rich

[bluehawk15]

Wow! I just put pencil to paper and was surprised at how much it would cost to get the Yellow Rose up just in fuel! If fuel averaged $5 a gallon, it would cost about $8000 just for the fuel bill. We can handle a flight crew of 8 right now, so that means $1000 each just for fuel. By the time of the Reunion we should have two additional seats, but that's still $800 each. And that doesn't count anything towards engine replacement and maintenance, not to mention insurance and the CAF HQ fee.

My guess is it would average close to $250,000 to get 25 B-25's to the Reunion, and that's just for fuel.

[corsairboss]

[b]Thanks for your input Mint. Based off of what you know, would you say this Gathering of B-25's is going well, and on pace for what is expected in April?

Last edited by corsairboss on Tue Dec 22, 2009 7:12 am, edited 1 time in total.

[RMAllnutt]

The guys doing the organizing here are old pros... they know what they are doing. It's been in the works for a long time. News of the gathering went public because their plans were more firmly based and they could announce them. The only significant thing determining how many aircraft will show up (other than aircraft serviceability) is how much funding comes in. Regardless of how many aircraft do turn up, it is sure to be an event not to be missed.

Cheers,
Richard

The Corsair Gathering took me 2 years to put together, 1st started with the Planes and Owners, then Vought found out what I was trying to do, I got a e-mail and Phone Call from Vought and Me and Steve Hilligoss had to go to Dallas and did a Presentation of what we where going to do. I told them I needed money in the Bank before this was going to happen. Deposit was made and the Gathering happened..!!!

Now my 2 cents for the Doolittle Raiders thing...I know how this all got started about the B-25's going to the Museum, and a couple of e-mails that where past around and Public Affairs Office got involved.

Now for the Planning,... the Raiders people need to get in touch with all the Owners and find out who wants to come.
They need to figure out how much fuel it is going to take for them "B-25's " to get here and back home.
They need to "Talk" price for them to come.
They need to set some "Standards".. Pilot, Co-Pilot and 3 Crew Member's.
Hotel Rooms..they need to talk to Hotels in the Area for Rooms for these Crew...or Base VOQ.
Rental Car's for the Crew's.
Feed and Take care of the Crew's.

They need to "Hire" a AIR BOSS...!!! to handle all the Paper Work for the Airspace and The FAA. and Talk to the B-25's while Flying Demo.
They need to Find out who will handle ALL the Oil for these B-25's. The Local Distributor and what Kind they will need.
The Museum does not have 100LL on the Field...Need someone to handle the Fuel, and Trucks to Pump with.
They will need Fire and Rescue on the Field ..."Just In Case"
You will need a Home field for the B-25's to stay ... they can not get in or out of the Museum Runway Loaded Down..."Safety"...!!!
Ramp People while the B-25's are in Motion...!!! "Safety"
Crowd Lines... FAA ..!!!! Fly By's... House's, Buildings, Schools, Highways.... there is alot around The Museum

B-25 Legends..Pilots , Crew, Maint. People from WWII...Old Photos, Get Squadrons to have Re-Unions.
They should have a Dinner at the Museum with Tickets sold in "Advance " ... !!!!
They Need to "Hire" Rob Reider to MC this Event... He is The Best and Can Handle the Job..!!!
They need to "Hire" a T-shirt Company for Promo Stuff to sell, with a Cut back to The Raiders Org.
Food for the Public to Buy.
"Security"...needs to be addressed... You are on "WPAFB"...!!!
Public "Parking"...!!!!
Let the B-25 Owners Sell their Stuff that Keeps the B-25 Flying..!!!

Now they need "Sponsors"...people with Money. Get it in the Bank ...!!!!
There is a Major Oil Company here in Ohio that may be interested, there is a Sub Company of this Oil Company here that may be interested.
The Oil Company is a Supporter of the USAF Museum....!!!!!
There are some Big Company's in Dayton and Cincy that may be interested in helping.
There are also some Owner's that have Funds to help with this if you talk to them...!!! some of them "REALLY" like their B-25's...!!!

well that's enough said..I hope it works out for them I would like to see it happen. Would be alot of fun.
BTW... I work for the Major Oil Company, and can also help with the Oil and Fuel Equipment and people that will be needed.
I live 20 min. away from the Museum.