Classic Cockpits Flying the B-25 Mitchell DVD - Description
The North American B-25 Mitchell is perhaps the best known allied medium bomber
of World War Two. It was named to honour General Billy Mitchell, a pioneer of
military aviation on the United States, in particular the use of bombers against
battleships. A rugged, reliable aircraft, the B-25 saw service in almost every
theatre with several air forces and was much loved by aircrews.
It first
captured public attention after General Jimmy Doolittle's audacious raid on
Tokyo in April 1942. Sixteen B-25s took off from the carrier USS Hornet, flew to
Japan and bombed their target successfully. Return to the Hornet was not part of
the plan because the B-25 was never designed for shipboard operation, so the
aircraft flew on towards China. Unfortunately, they had been forced to launch
prematurely, and at the limit of their fuel, all but one crash-landed short of
their pre-arranged destinations.
More than 10,000 B-25s were built. The
aircraft featured in this DVD is a B-25J, operated by the Canadian Warplane
Heritage Museum, based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It came off the production
line in 1945, too late for active service so began its working life as a
corporate transport. It has been restored in the markings of 98 Squadron RAF and
is dedicated to the Canadian personnel who served in that squadron and also to
all the members of the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum who were awarded the
Distinguished Flying Cross.
