Doolittle Raid B-25's

[69goatpgh]

I was watching 'Missions That Changed History' about the Doolittle raid and was wondering what happened to the B-25 that landed in Russia. Is it still in Russia? Is it restored and on display or is it just rotting away somewhere? Have any of the other planes been recovered or attempted to be recovered?

[Steve Nelson]

There have been rumors about the plane that landed in Russia for years. Most likely, it was pressed into service with the Red Air Force, and eventually either lost or scrapped.

As for the others, I think a few years ago there was an expedition to find Lawson's "Ruptured Duck" (which ditched along the coast.) I don't recall if they found it or not. The ones that crashed on the mainland were pretty much reduced to raw materials by the locals. I believe a few artifacts remain, but no major airframe components.

SN

[DaveM2]

Hit the search button, been discussed at length numerous times. Advice from Russia says it was destroyed in a hangar fire back in the fifties IIRC

[Dan Jones]

But don't worry - TIGHAR's on it!!

[The Inspector]

.......and, depending on what the lab tests show, they could be in for some serious 12 step time!

[Ken]

If the site search falls short, be sure to use Google to search the site instead. One of the biggest discoveries, IMHO, has been the 2 or 3 snapshots of York's airplane sitting in Vladivostok after the raid that finally filtered out of Russia. Some cool history right there.

Ken

[mustangdriver]

They did find the Ruptured Duck. I have a piece of it in my home. I am not sure how much of it the found.

[Steve Nelson]

I remember you saying you had a piece of one of the planes, Mustangdriver, but I couldn't recall which one. Also, there's a bit of structural metal from Doolittle's plane on display at the NASM.

SN

[Ken]

As has been said, there have been several threads that touch on this. Here is a good example:
http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/p ... =3&t=12057

[fotobass]

They did find the Ruptured Duck. I have a piece of it in my home. I am not sure how much of it the found.

I need your address.

Oh yeah, and let me know when you're next on vacation.

[Cking]

An intact Doolittle B-25 would proberbly be the "Holy grail" of American aviation history.
Do you think there is a more important aircraft in American history?

Rgds Cking

[tulsaboy]

Cking-

Yes.

I would argue that the Wright Flyer, the Spirit of St. Louis, and the Enola Gay are more historically significant than one of the Doolittle Raiders. And thankfully, each and every one of those three are safely and carefully preserved in our national collection. Way to go NASM!

That being said, it would still be pretty cool to have one of the Doolittle Raiders recovered and given the Enola Gay treatment.

kevin

[Dan Jones]

Cking-

Yes.

I would argue that the Wright Flyer, the Spirit of St. Louis, and the Enola Gay are more historically significant than one of the Doolittle Raiders. And thankfully, each and every one of those three are safely and carefully preserved in our national collection. Way to go NASM!

That being said, it would still be pretty cool to have one of the Doolittle Raiders recovered and given the Enola Gay treatment.

kevin

I'd have to add "Bockscar" to that list. It was her bomb that ended the war after all.

[Dan Jones]

They did find the Ruptured Duck. I have a piece of it in my home. I am not sure how much of it the found.

Any chance you could post a photo of it? I'd sure like to see that. I'd always wanted to meet Ted Lawson.

Dan

[RyanShort1]

An intact Doolittle B-25 would proberbly be the "Holy grail" of American aviation history.
Do you think there is a more important aircraft in American history?

Rgds Cking

Other aircraft that come to mind are the DC-2 / DC-3 prototypes amd the Consolidated NY-2 that Jimmy Doolittle flew blind for the first time in. Speaking of which, has anyone ever seen a good picture of the NY-2 and maybe a set of drawings?

Ryan