PBJ-1 with a kick ...

[Mark Allen M]

Robert Tenholder and Donald D. McBeth in front of PBJ-1H Mitchell BuNo 88966 (USAAF s/n 43-4799) on the flight line at Harvey Field, Inyokern. In the background is the tail of another PBJ-1H, the tail of a JRC, a GB-1 Staggerwing, a Nordyn Norseman and another JRC, 1945.


NAF China Lake PBJ-1H Mitchell BuNo 88995 (USAAF s/n 43-4828), two side mounted 11.75" Tiny Tim rockets, Harvey Field, Inyokern, 28 April 1945. Official U.S. Navy photo.


NAF China Lake PBJ-1H Mitchell BuNo 88966 (USAAF s/n 43-4799), Tiny Tim, 11.75 inch, 1,250 lb. rocket wing drop launcher, Harvey Field, Inyokern, 19 March 1945. R4D-1 Skytrain BuNo 5053, NOTS-7, in the background. Official U.S. Navy photo.


NAF China Lake PBJ-1H Mitchell BuNo 88995 (USAAF s/n 43-4828), 11.75" Tiny Tim rocket, Harvey Field, Inyokern, 24 February 1945. PV Hudson at right. Official U.S. Navy photo.


NAF China Lake PBJ-1J Mitchell BuNo 35849 (USAAF s/n 44-30980), Harvey 5.0" rocket launcher detail, 02 June 1947. Official U.S. Navy photo.


NAF China Lake PBJ-1J Mitchell BuNo 35849 (USAAF s/n 44-30980), Harvey launcher spinner rocket loading, 1946. Official U.S. Navy photo.


NAF China Lake PBJ-1J Mitchell BuNo 35849 (USAAF s/n 44-30980), Harvey 5.0" rocket launcher test firing, 07 March 1947. Official U.S. Navy photo.


NAF China Lake PBJ-1J Mitchell BuNo 35849 (USAAF s/n 44-30980), Harvey 5.0" rocket launcher test firing, 02 June 1947. Official U.S. Navy photo.


NAF China Lake PBJ-1J Mitchell BuNo 35849 (USAAF s/n 44-30980), PMTC Spinner rocket firing, 03 June 1947. Official U.S. Navy photo.

[Craig59]

My Dad flew PBJ’s equipped with the smaller wing-mounted rockets (4 on each wing) with VMB -433. The idea was to provide close air-ground support during the invasion of mainland Japan.

Thanks for those, Mark, very interesting.

[bdk]

Interesting how these rockets attach to supports actually mounted onto the moveable bomb bay doors.

Robert Tenholder and Donald D. McBeth in front of PBJ-1H Mitchell BuNo 88966 (USAAF s/n 43-4799) on the flight line at Harvey Field, Inyokern. In the background is the tail of another PBJ-1H, the tail of a JRC, a GB-1 Staggerwing, a Nordyn Norseman and another JRC, 1945.


NAF China Lake PBJ-1H Mitchell BuNo 88995 (USAAF s/n 43-4828), two side mounted 11.75" Tiny Tim rockets, Harvey Field, Inyokern, 28 April 1945. Official U.S. Navy photo.

[Lynn Allen]

That dog will hunt...

[menards]

Question if anyone knows. After the "success" of the Doolittle raid using army bombers off of american flat tops, was there ever any further testing or thoughts to a mitchell with folding wings?

[Malo 1]

Probably not, they would have to beef up the landing gear, and reinforce the tail so that it won't get ripped off during carrier landings by the tail hook, put folding wings wouldn't be too hard, but all these improvements would put the Mitchells weight way overboard, with the carriers having straight decks can you imagine a 25 missing the wires and crashing into all the aircraft parked on the bow.

[phil65]

On a side note, was there any thought to launching another raid using B-25 off a carrier during World War II ?

Phil

[Noha307]

British Pathé has video that appears to show a turret mounted version of the 5 inch rocket launcher. The voice-over seems to suggest that both systems are versions of the Tiny Tim, but I think it is just the way the film is cut:


The nose mounted unit was also mentioned in the March 1947 issue of Popular Mechanics:

(Source: Google Books)

Similar to a number of designs from other sources, the Navy patented a rocket launcher that may be the version in the PBJ:

(Source: United States Patent and Trademark Office)

If anyone is interested in this sort of weapons testing, more pictures can be found on the China Lake Alumni website.

On a side note, was there any thought to launching another raid using B-25 off a carrier during World War II ?

I remember being told that the B-23 was originally considered for the Doolittle Raid, but that the wings were too long for the carrier deck.