B-25 Triva

rwdfresno · **Posted:** Thu Feb 15, 2007 12:20 pm

Ok guys I was going through some old pictures and thought some B-25 trivia was in order. Here is a picture of a B-25. Who can id this particular aircraft. I'll give you a hint: The aircraft is still around to this day. I'm sure that some of you know, but thought this might be more fun.

PS: I covered up the serial number on the front (that would be way to easy lol)

Stephanie · **Posted:** Thu Feb 15, 2007 1:08 pm

I could be WAY off, way way off, but I'll nonetheless venture a guess, it isn't "Mitch the Witch" 44-86747, is it? That's really out in left field, but anyhow, PM me with the answer if you will, I've been reasearching about the last 30 minutes now.

Ztex · **Posted:** Thu Feb 15, 2007 2:21 pm

Is that a B-25 or is it an F-10 Mitchell?

I can't seem to match up a survivor B-25D with an F-10...

Hmmm

Z

Eric Friedebach · **Posted:** Thu Feb 15, 2007 2:24 pm

The guy on the right kinda looks like Bill Lear.

Jack Cook · **Posted:** Thu Feb 15, 2007 2:24 pm

AF museum's in Dayton is a modified Photo Joe.

Ztex · **Posted:** Thu Feb 15, 2007 2:47 pm

Changed my mind...
it's not 43-28204..

It's 43-3374
as the Great Jacko says ...USAF Museum..Doolittle machine

rwdfresno · **Posted:** Thu Feb 15, 2007 2:53 pm

Jack, looks like you made short work of that lol.

Virgil Thompson, the man on the left in the photograph is a true unsung aviation hero. He was a long time NAA employee who did everything from right seat in the NA-40 in 1939 to co-pilot of the first B-25 in 1940 to flying to meet Pappy Gunn to get information on his B-25 modifications to develop to B-25G H and gun nosed J. He flew co-pilot during the first 75mm gun tests of the B-25H. He also supervised the conversion, testing and delivery of the B-25D that was converted "backward" to the Doolittle version of the B-25B.

This B-25D that was converted to an F-10 is now a B-25B. It is on display at NMUSAF at WPAFB.

Virgil's father (also a NAA employee) standing in front of the 1000th and last B-25H "Bones" that was autographed by the hundreds of employees that built her.

[/list]

Jack Cook · **Posted:** Thu Feb 15, 2007 3:01 pm

Piece of cake.
It wasn't ours because it wasn't laying in a swamp.
So, it had to be the other

bdk · **Joined:** Sun May 02, 2004 1:16 am **Posts:** 11324

Rats! I was going to guess those two were Carl Scholl and Tony Ritzman... Tony would have been the taller of the two.

Jack Cook · **Posted:** Thu Feb 15, 2007 3:03 pm

BTW-it all started with Tommy Tomlinson's first flight in the NA-21

rwdfresno · **Posted:** Thu Feb 15, 2007 3:18 pm

Quote:

Rats! I was going to guess those two were Carl Scholl and Tony Ritzman... Tony would have been the taller of the two.

..or maybe it is Carl in his suit selling Apache Princess to a young, clean cut Kermit back in the day. :lol:

"See look Kermit, this thing is solid, no corrosion. We can just throw some OD over this US Air Force and we have an EAA Grand Champion." :lol:

rwdfresno · **Posted:** Thu Feb 15, 2007 3:39 pm

The NA-21 sure was an ugly bird.

To bad the NAA B-28 never made it into production that would have made a great looking warbird.

Jack Cook · **Posted:** Thu Feb 15, 2007 7:45 pm

Do I get a prize?
BTW-"Bones" went to the 12th BG in the CBI

Shay · **Posted:** Thu Feb 15, 2007 7:52 pm

That's an interesting field modification and one I can't say I've seen before. I wonder what the story behind removing the H's cannon was? And on top of that what did it take to rebalance the Mitchell afterwards?

Shay
____________
Semper Fortis

rwdfresno · **Posted:** Thu Feb 15, 2007 11:14 pm

Quote:

That's an interesting field modification and one I can't say I've seen before. I wonder what the story behind removing the H's cannon was? And on top of that what did it take to rebalance the Mitchell afterwards?

When I was speaking to his wife she didn't know any specifics about that H model picture except that it was taken while he was in New Guinea with Pappy Gunn.

Here is another couple if interesting Virgil Thompson items that I got from his widow.

An excerpt from some notes he had jotted down in one of his scrap books.

Here is another interesting picture of Mr. Thompson with a member of the drive by media.

Oh what does it say on his badge you ask? Nothing interesting lol!

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