Doolittle B-25 question
Sun Dec 04, 2011 11:11 pm
With the past few years showing us that long lost WWII wrecks are being recovered from remote areas and rebuilt to flying condition, I have a question.
Has there ever been anything recovered of any one of the 16 B-25s that took part in the raid?
Leon
Has there ever been anything recovered of any one of the 16 B-25s that took part in the raid?
Leon
Re: Doolittle B-25 question
Sun Dec 04, 2011 11:23 pm
Parts have been recovered, but no complete aircraft. I personally think it is becoming less and less likely that anything complete will be found.
There are several other threads on here about it if you use the search feature, as well as on www.doolittleraider.com - which is the Raiders' official website run by one of the sons, Todd Joyce.
Ryan
There are several other threads on here about it if you use the search feature, as well as on www.doolittleraider.com - which is the Raiders' official website run by one of the sons, Todd Joyce.
Ryan
Re: Doolittle B-25 question
Mon Dec 05, 2011 4:33 pm
Story goes: all the B-25's that crash landed were scrapped by locals or caught on fire in the crash and burned. The one that landed safely in Russia supposedly was scraped after the war but I've heard that wasn't quite accurate that it still remains in Russia intact. One of the B-25's ditched off the coast of China and sank intact. That would be the one to try and locate. 
Re: Doolittle B-25 question
Mon Dec 05, 2011 6:17 pm
cooper9411 wrote:Story goes: all the B-25's that crash landed were scrapped by locals or caught on fire in the crash and burned. The one that landed safely in Russia supposedly was scraped after the war but I've heard that wasn't quite accurate that it still remains in Russia intact.
And what was your source on that? All of the Raiders' message board sources seem to indicate that the Russians that have tried to located it believe it was scrapped.
One of the B-25's ditched off the coast of China and sank intact. That would be the one to try and locate.
It's been tried at least once, maybe two or three times. It may indeed still be out there, but it's not getting easier to find. Bryan Moon did one of the expeditions, and I think the Chinese may have done one, too.
Ryan
Re: Doolittle B-25 question
Mon Dec 05, 2011 7:43 pm
cooper9411 wrote: One of the B-25's ditched off the coast of China and sank intact. That would be the one to try and locate.
Sounds like a job for TIGHAR!
Re: Doolittle B-25 question
Mon Dec 05, 2011 7:53 pm
Wasn't there a rumour last year about some honcho at the USAFM saying that York's B-25's scrapped remains had been located in a junkyard in Russia?
Re: Doolittle B-25 question
Mon Dec 05, 2011 10:19 pm
I came upon the story about the B-25 in Russia while surfing the net and browsing different sites. I know, everything on the net is true, right? HA!HA!.
Re: Doolittle B-25 question
Mon Dec 05, 2011 10:23 pm
The problem would not be locating the plane, it would be all the permits and permission from the Chinese government. Then once all that is done and the plane is found, the next hassle would be bringing it back to the U.S. I recall a story a few years ago about an organization that purchased a Warbird and our government would not allow the import.