The B-25's of "Hanover Street"

[Dan Jones]

I discovered this last night surfing Youtube: the ferrying of the B-25's to England in 1978(?) for making the movie "Hanover Street". Wow, what junk!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GemaxIvbF9s

Does anyone know where they all are now? I assume that "PBJ" at Duxford was one of them?

[Thomas_Mac]

Found this old Key.Aero thread on the whereabouts of each B-25 in the 2nd post.
https://www.key.aero/forum/historic-avi ... -mitchells

[Dan Jones]

I have my doubts about 44-86843.

[Archer]

A few posts further on in that Key Publishing thread I corrected that list:

151632 Gorgeous George Ann / Thar She Blows B-25J-30NC 44-30925 N9494Z Brussels Air Museum, being restored at Gembloux, Belgium
151645 Marvellous Miriam B-25J-20NC 44-29366 N9115Z RAF Museum Hendon (moving soon)
151790 Amazing Andrea B-25J-30NC 44-86701 N7681C Destroyed – Hangar Fire
151863 Big Bad Bonnie B-25J-30NC 44-30210 N9455Z Latshaw Drilling and Exporation Co, Tulsa, OK
151724 Brenda’s Boys B-25J-20NC 44-29121 N86427 Museo del Aire, Madrid, Spain

While the N-number for Big Bad Bonnie was correct, the original poster had it linked to a different B-25. Another thing is that the location of 44-29366 is due to change very soon. Scroll down in this post to see photos of it being taken apart: https://forums.airshows.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=86915

Edit: the 'PBJ' at Duxford was not part of that movie although it was owned by 'Jeff' Hawke at one point. It is 44-31171, see here: http://www.warbirdregistry.org/b25regis ... 31171.html

[Firebird]

I can remember seeing 2 or 3 of them still sitting parked up together at Blackbushe Airport in Sept 1979, when I attended an end of season drag racing meeting at Blackbushe. I did have a photo taken on an old 110 camera of them from the other side of the runway, but I can no longer find it after several house moves in the past 42 years!

[Hooligan2]

Remember seeing the five of them parked at Blackbushe in September '78. Very interesting airfield in those days... Ah, memories!

Recently bought a copy of the B-25s do fly in IMC on DVD, it's a magic little film.

[Craig59]

Scott Thompson (aerovin) dedicates two full pages to Hanover Street in his excellent, B-25 Mitchell in Civil Service. In my world of ADS, CPDLC, HF, etc., I have to give great credit to the folks who flew these things across the North Atlantic back in the day.

[Dan Jones]

It's a shame that the RAF Museum is disposing of the -190 and their B-25. Given that they'll never get their hands on a B-26 it told an important part of the story, though maybe it would have been a better fit for the museum were it finished in RAF markings. I can see them selling the -190 to raise money but I can't see that B-25 being worth much more than $100G's or so which isn't much of a reason to get rid of it. Makes you wonder who's running the place - probably some helicopter wank with a degree in Edwardian poetry.

[Firebird]

It's a shame that the RAF Museum is disposing of the -190 and their B-25. Given that they'll never get their hands on a B-26 it told an important part of the story, though maybe it would have been a better fit for the museum were it finished in RAF markings. I can see them selling the -190 to raise money but I can't see that B-25 being worth much more than $100G's or so which isn't much of a reason to get rid of it. Makes you wonder who's running the place - probably some helicopter wank with a degree in Edwardian poetry.

Sadly, unlike in the first few decades of its existence when run and managed by ex-RAF people with a knowledge and interest in the RAF's history, the RAFM is now run by young and trendy 'professional' museum staff, that are only interested in the latest whizz bang 'interactive' nonsense than anything to do with the history of the RAF. The place is now a shocking travesty of what it was in the 1970's when it opened or even up until the turn of the century.
The IWM at Lambeth and Duxford has also been infected by the same trendy young thing woke mentality.......and is fast heading the same way. In fact IIRC, one of the idiots that has ruined the RAFM is now working for IWM at Duxford.

[AG pilot]

How sad.

[quemerford]

In fact IIRC, one of the idiots that has ruined the RAFM is now working for IWM at Duxford.

I think 'ruined' is a bit steep: the new(ish) Grahame-White hangar is a world-class collection on its own.

[k5083]

In fact IIRC, one of the idiots that has ruined the RAFM is now working for IWM at Duxford.

I think 'ruined' is a bit steep: the new(ish) Grahame-White hangar is a world-class collection on its own.

I don't see any facts, details, or merit in Firebird's post, it just seems like an empty rant that you should dump a whole shaker of salt on.

August

[Mike]

Perhaps you should visit and see for yourself then August. Sadly it’s a pale shadow of what it once was. Still, they have a nice collection of hats on display at the entrance now. And a case full of RAF toilet rolls too. And I’m sure all the aircraft they’re getting rid of (over 30 on the latest disposals list) will give them more room for cafes and video games, which are taking up much of the space previously occupied by aeroplanes.

I agree that the exhibition in the Grahame-White Factory is indeed excellent, but that was conceived by the previous Director, shortly before he was replaced.

[Firebird]

I don't see any facts, details, or merit in Firebird's post, it just seems like an empty rant that you should dump a whole shaker of salt on.

August

So, how many times have you been there and over what time scale?

My first visit was in early 1973, about 6 weeks after it opened, and I've probably been 50+ times over the following 45+ years, as I lived only about 30 mins drive away from it up to the late 2000's, so I think I can say I've seen the changes, for the good, and sadly now not so good during the lifespan of Hendon.