Home

Museums

Manufacturers

Mission

Airshows

Performers


North American B-25G 'Mitchell'

Description
  Manufacturer:North American
  Base model:B-25
  Designation:B-25
  Version:G
  Nickname:Mitchell
  Equivalent to: PBJ-1G
  Designation System:U.S. Air Force
  Designation Period:1924-Present
  Basic role:Bomber
  See Also:

Specifications
  Length: 51' 0" 15.5 m
  Height:15' 9" 4.8 m
  Wingspan: 67' 7" 20.6 m
  Gross Weight: 35,000 lb 15,873 kg

Propulsion
  No. of Engines: 2
  Powerplant: Wright R-2600-13
  Horsepower (each): 1700

Performance
  Range: 1,560 miles 2,512 km
  Max Speed: 281 mph 452 km/h 244 kt
  Ceiling: 24,300 ft 7,406 m

Known serial numbers
42-64802 / 42-64901, 42-64902 / 42-65101, 42-65102 / 42-65201


 

Recent comments by our visitors
 Jim Prappas
 League City, TX
My name is Jim Prappas- I was researching the B-25G - because I was looking to build a model of my Uncles plane -(Sgt. Theordore Anagnos )- He was in the 38th bomb group - and he was in the 823rd squadron - referred to as the Flying Tigers - or sometimes Terrible Tigers
He went missing in action on November 3rd, 1943 - he was the radion/gunner - and he and his crew were the first casualties of the 823rd. They had a rendezvous with 9 B25G's of the 822 and a fighter escort of P-47's The 822nd led the way. They crash landed off Bili Bili Island - They were last seen un-injured rowing toward the mainland - but were never seen from again.

I have all the information regarding the incident but I really wanted to know more about what his B-25 G (Serial # 42-64850 ) would have looked like.
What color was it - did it have the light underbelly
I know the nose art often changed - and would really love to find pictures to use as a reference.
Some of the questions I have are regarding the armament of his plane - the Missing Aircraft Report filed the day after (November 4, 1943) listed the following armament on board (including serial numbers)
The guns on the plane were
6 - Browning fixed Cal. 50 M2 Machine guns
2 - Browning flexible Cal 30 Machine guns M2 (these were mentioned in the same item line)
1 - Browning flexible Cal 30 Machine gun M2 (mentioned seperately from the other two)
1 75 mm Aircraft Cannon
1 Thompson sub machine gun.

I have a very poor picture of the plan in flight - taken from another plan - I can make out the top turret - so I know that 2 guns (which models I do not know) would be located there.
I can not make out any tail guns (or if it actually had one) - could it have had one?
Do you happen to know what the configuration of the other guns were (I know the 75mm was in front).

There were only 5 crew members - the pilot and co-pilot; Navigator , Radio /Gunner and Gunner.

Hope this e-mail reaches you
I would appreciate any information (and pictures) available.
04/17/2008 @ 14:14 [ref: 20596]
 Jim Prappas
 League City, TX
My name is Jim Prappas- I was researching the B-25G - because I was looking to build a model of my Uncles plane -(Sgt. Theordore Anagnos )- He was in the 38th bomb group - and he was in the 823rd squadron - referred to as the Flying Tigers - or sometimes Terrible Tigers
He went missing in action on November 3rd, 1943 - he was the radion/gunner - and he and his crew were the first casualties of the 823rd. They had a rendezvous with 9 B25G's of the 822 and a fighter escort of P-47's The 822nd led the way. They crash landed off Bili Bili Island - They were last seen un-injured rowing toward the mainland - but were never seen from again.

I have all the information regarding the incident but I really wanted to know more about what his B-25 G (Serial # 42-64850 ) would have looked like.
What color was it - did it have the light underbelly
I know the nose art often changed - and would really love to find pictures to use as a reference.
Some of the questions I have are regarding the armament of his plane - the Missing Aircraft Report filed the day after (November 4, 1943) listed the following armament on board (including serial numbers)
The guns on the plane were
6 - Browning fixed Cal. 50 M2 Machine guns
2 - Browning flexible Cal 30 Machine guns M2 (these were mentioned in the same item line)
1 - Browning flexible Cal 30 Machine gun M2 (mentioned seperately from the other two)
1 75 mm Aircraft Cannon
1 Thompson sub machine gun.

I have a very poor picture of the plan in flight - taken from another plan - I can make out the top turret - so I know that 2 guns (which models I do not know) would be located there.
I can not make out any tail guns (or if it actually had one) - could it have had one?
Do you happen to know what the configuration of the other guns were (I know the 75mm was in front).

There were only 5 crew members - the pilot and co-pilot; Navigator , Radio /Gunner and Gunner.

Hope this e-mail reaches you
I would appreciate any information (and pictures) available.
04/17/2008 @ 14:14 [ref: 20595]
 Jim Prappas
 League City, TX
My name is Jim Prappas- I was researching the B-25G - because I was looking to build a model of my Uncles plane -(Sgt. Theordore Anagnos )- He was in the 38th bomb group - and he was in the 823rd squadron - referred to as the Flying Tigers - or sometimes Terrible Tigers
He went missing in action on November 3rd, 1943 - he was the radion/gunner - and he and his crew were the first casualties of the 823rd. They had a rendezvous with 9 B25G's of the 822 and a fighter escort of P-47's The 822nd led the way. They crash landed off Bili Bili Island - They were last seen un-injured rowing toward the mainland - but were never seen from again.

I have all the information regarding the incident but I really wanted to know more about what his B-25 G (Serial # 42-64850 ) would have looked like.
What color was it - did it have the light underbelly
I know the nose art often changed - and would really love to find pictures to use as a reference.
Some of the questions I have are regarding the armament of his plane - the Missing Aircraft Report filed the day after (November 4, 1943) listed the following armament on board (including serial numbers)
The guns on the plane were
6 - Browning fixed Cal. 50 M2 Machine guns
2 - Browning flexible Cal 30 Machine guns M2 (these were mentioned in the same item line)
1 - Browning flexible Cal 30 Machine gun M2 (mentioned seperately from the other two)
1 75 mm Aircraft Cannon
1 Thompson sub machine gun.

I have a very poor picture of the plan in flight - taken from another plan - I can make out the top turret - so I know that 2 guns (which models I do not know) would be located there.
I can not make out any tail guns (or if it actually had one) - could it have had one?
Do you happen to know what the configuration of the other guns were (I know the 75mm was in front).

There were only 5 crew members - the pilot and co-pilot; Navigator , Radio /Gunner and Gunner.

Hope this e-mail reaches you
I would appreciate any information (and pictures) available.
04/17/2008 @ 14:14 [ref: 20594]
 Bill Adams
 Mount Hope, WV
I wish Mr. English would get in touch with me via email (heybulas@gmail.com) regarding his relative's experience in the 38th Bombardment Group.(Collectively the 38th was known as the "Sunsetters") My Dad was in that group, flying with the "Wolfpack". I've got belly pictures of Hollandia airdrome, as well as other bombed targets like Wewak, Rabaul, Wakde, Zamboanga, etc. (collectively the 38th was known as the "Sunsetters"). He flew a B-25G, with 8 .50's in the nose, 4 in "packets" or "blisters" on each side of the nose, 2 in the front turret---all of these facing forward--a very formidable "Strafer" (as the planes were called). I've got the written history of the 38th, comprised of 4 groups of planes, each with individual names/nose art. Dad's was the "Wolfpack"--with a wolf painted on the nose. There were the "Green Dragons" and two other groups whose nose art I have (they're big Cats!) but I don't know what they called themselves. Maybe Mr. English can shed some light.
The definitive history of the 38th is being written, along with 1000+ pics by a publisher that I know and will be available in 2007. So, if anyone reads this and has any info to share about the B-25G or 38th (or is just inquistive), email me.
02/22/2007 @ 22:16 [ref: 15633]
 Phil Marchese
 , PA
The B-25G was originally classified as a fighter-bomber in AAF documents about its combat introduction in the MTO. Project 90099-R sent several B-25G to the XII Fighter Command. Project 90101-R sent an additional squadron equvalent which later formed the 379BS detached from the 310 th. BG to serve in the combined Allied NA Coastal Airforce. Unlike the project 90099-R, the later project and those which followed into the MTO were m,podified to the B-25G-12 standard. Many were re-painted in theater in RAf blues. The later configuration approximated that of the NA-100 B-25D2 series. These had waist unstaggered windows and a tail gunner's position with a unique gunner's canopy.

The V Bomber Command had been promised a Group equivalent of B-25G (63 each) and these too were some of earliest B-25G in combat. The 38th BG introduced many of this movement to combat in the SWPA. Later, the planes were transfer to other V BC groups including the 345 BG Air Apaches. The 42 BG took the G-12 version into combat in the South Pacific but by the time they joined the FEAF these Mitchells had the 75MM cannons removed and were configured as Commerce Staffers, as had been the remaining V BC Mitchells.

The largest and longest use of the B-25G was with the 41st BG in the Central Pacific. This Group flew the G-12 version exculsively, their planes having been modified at Fairfax/Kansas City, and Omaha, NE from a wide range of factory blocks. The operations against the bypassed atolls of the Marshalls was done exclusively at minimum altitude for about six weeks in early 1944 before the Group stood down to reoganized into mixed formations with B-25D2 lead ships striking from medium altitude by March. With an organized Depot(HAD)refurbishment, the 41st BG return a squadrton equivalent of B-25G to Okinawa for the final air offensive against Japan. These B-25G could easily been mistaken form B-25J with there J2 8-gun noses and underwing rocket launchers. Thus this breed of B-25G also joined the FEAF in July,1945 after having flown in combat with the 820th BS since December 1943.

The last of the sea-fairing B-25 groups in combat was the 25 BG(M) in the Sixth Air force areas. The patrols with the B-25G were not long-lived and the Group return to the US with its radar equiped planes.

The 341 BG in the CBI had a few B-25G and G-12 including one modified from a B-25C, perhaps the oldest G-12. The 28 BG(C) also had a few B-25G in the Northern Pacific.

In contrast to most published reports which state that the B-25H was widely accepted as superior, the facts support the wider use of the B-25G in the AAF especially in the anti-shipping role. The lack of co-pilot controls in the B-25H was unsatisfactory to the Pacific Groups.

While vulerable at low level, the B-25G fufilled the role invisioned by its developers. The USN and USSR each tested examples.

The B-25G/G-1 included 58 C-20/25 conversions bringing the B-25G total output to 464 including the prototype XB-25G.

Philip Marchese
10/13/2006 @ 18:59 [ref: 14449]
 Jeff English
 San Antonio, TX
My 3rd cousin...1st Lt. Matthew L. "ML" English was a B-25G pilot for the 38th BOmb Group, 822nd Squadron...he and his crew were shot down on April 12, 1944 after a low level mission to Hollandia, New Guinea.....the aircraft he was flying was 42-64835. The aircraft is still laying in the grass where it was belly landed during the return to their home base. The crew survived the landing in good condition and were captured by enemy forces three days later. Three of them were made to dig their own graves and were executed by animals posing as human beings known as Japanese soldiers. The other two crewmembers were sent for further interrogation and the crew was never heard from again and declared dead in 1946. This crew flew 38 missions over enemy held territory where a failure to return to their home base meant certain death either to the jungle or to the animals that inhabited the jungle...including Jap soldiers. (The essence of courage is going ahead and doing something that you fear.......) Flying those missions...often at 50 feet...took balls any way you cut it......
03/11/2005 @ 07:36 [ref: 9678]

 

Recent photos uploaded by our visitors