North American B-25 Mitchells Gather For 68th Doolittle Reunion

The National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, hosted the 68th reunion of the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders. Museum Director Major General Charles D. Metcalf, United States Air Force (USAF), Ret., said: “It was a great privilege for the museum to be selected as the site for the Doolittle Raiders’ reunion. The Doolittle Raiders are living legends and their story is a fascinating part of American history. By hosting their reunion at the museum, the public will have a chance to meet them and perhaps get an autograph, but most importantly, thank them for their courageous and admirable service to our nation.”

To honor and give tribute to this reunion, the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders Association had hoped to bring 25 North American B-25 Mitchell medium-range bombers to the runway behind the museum. They succeeded in bringing in 17 B-25s, the type that Colonel Doolittle’s unit flew to attack Japan off the aircraft carrier, the USS Hornet, on April 18, 1942, to conduct the first U.S. bombing of Japan after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The following is the story of these B-25s at the museum.

Ohio was the site of this historic aviation event with Urbana’s Grimes Field the initial arrival point for the B-25s to arrive from around the United States. The presence of these B-25s was the largest gathering of privately-owned B-25s since the end of World War II (WWII). Prior to flying to the museum on the morning of April 17, the crews of “The Grimes Gathering of B-25s” practiced formation flying, and offered aviation enthusiasts and military veterans rides and tours of the bombers on static display.

The crowds were huge and even though cold, aviation enthusiasts and WWII veterans walked up and down the parked row of Mitchells.

At 7 a.m. on April 17, 2010, a mass flight of 17 B-25s started landing on Wright Patterson AFB’s inactive runway, temporarily opened for flight operations to allow their arrival. Four of the eight surviving Doolittle raiders were given a private close-up inspection of the B-25s. The four in attendance were Retired Lt. Col. Richard E. Cole, 94, of Comfort, Texas; Major Thomas C. Griffin, 92, of Cincinnati, Ohio; Lt. Col. Robert L. Hite, 90, of Nashville, Tennessee; and MSgt David J. Thatcher, 88, of Missoula, Montana. The honorees signed books, aircraft photographs and wings of model B-25s for two hours each day on Saturday and Sunday. On Friday evening a dinner, honoring these veterans, was held with over 400 in attendance. At the dinner, USAF Secretary Michael B. Donley commented: “The Doolittle Raiders have a very special place in the history of our Air Force. They’ve provided such great examples to us of leadership, of audacity, of innovation and personal courage of World War II.”

The gathering and static display of the B-25s at the museum opened to the public at 10 a.m. Prior to this, Doolittle Raiders, their families and guests were allowed to view these aircraft without crowds and jostling. It was a cold and windy day, with countless rows of cars parked on the grass near the parked line of B-25s. Crowds were estimated at between 10,000-12,000, as they constantly milled around the gleaming B-25s on display. One cannot cover all the B-25s on display, so the following were selected as representatives of the WWII medium-range bombers flown to the museum.

“Miss Hap,” the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) General Hap Arnold’s personal aircraft, is the oldest Mitchell in existence, and it drew large crowds throughout the day. The aircraft (serial #40-2168) was accepted by the USAAF in February 1941 and assigned to the 17th Bomb Group (BG). As General Arnold’s personal aircraft, 1943 to 1944, it was designated as the RB-25 VIP transport.

The linage of the aircraft is interesting: Charles R. Bates of Chattanooga, Tennessee, January 22, 1947-1948; civilian registration XB-GOG, reserved but not used; issued ferry permit but not used; registered as NL7583 in April 1947. Bankers Life & Casualty Company of Chicago, Illinois, on November 4, 1948. Registered as N7581. Hughes Tool Company of Houston, Texas on June 28, 1951 to 1962. Hughes/Acme Aircraft Company of Lomita, California, June 1962-64. Last FAA inspection in November 1956. Removed from U.S. civil registration as salvaged in March 1965. JRT Aero Service at Wichita Falls, Texas, October 1966-1971. Registered as N2825B. John P. Silberman of Savannah, Georgia on August 25, 1971-1974. SST Aviation Museum of Kissimmee, Florida, 8 October 1974-1979. Chuck Thompson/Mustang Productions of Polk City, Florida, June 1975-1976. Grover R. Summers and Samuel E. Pool of Lake Wales, Florida, February 1977. Charles “Dewey” Miller of Mobile, Alabama on August 28, 1977 to 1983. Delivered from Kissimmee, Florida to Mobile, Alabama on December 12, 1978. Restored to airworthy condition. First flight on September 9, 1980. Flew as “Proud Mary.” Alan Clarke/Fighting Air Command/Flytex Inc., of Dallas, Texas, July 1983-1987. Solid nose replaced with Plexiglas nose. Flew as 02168/The General. Jeff Clyman/TBF Inc. of Tenafly, New York, November 1989-2002. To American Airpower Museum at Farmingdale, New York. Flown as 02168/”Avirex Express” on starboard side and “Miss Hap” on port side.

“Axis Nightmare” appeared on the flight line in WWII Royal Air Force (RAF) camouflage, complete with RAF markings. Delivered to the USAAF, aircraft number 45-8898. H.H. Coffield/Rockdale Flying Service of Rockdale, Texas. August 1959-1983. Sold at auction, October 15, 1983. Carol Scholl/Aerotrader of Chino, California, October 15, 1983. Trucked to Ocotillo Wells, California for storage. Vern Raburn/Binary Warriors Inc. (i.e. Eclipse Aircraft) of Weston, Massachusetts, November 1985-1997. Registered as N8998BW. Trucked to Kissimmee,Florida for rebuild. Used center section of aircraft number 44-28765/N9443Z. First flight 1988. Donald J. George of Springfield, Illinois, July 2, 1997-1999. Mike George/Warbirds Inc. of Springfield, Illinois, April 8, 1999-2002. Tri State Warbirds of Cincinnati, Ohio 2004. The WWII camouflage gave the aircraft a dramatic draw for visitors throughout the day with professional aviation photographers setting up their cameras with tripods. One local photographer was using a 1930s vintage single reflex camera, which in turn drew the attention of visitors with their modern digital cameras and handheld video cameras.

Probably the most colorful nose art decorated B-25/PBJ on the flight line was “Betty’s Dream.” Built by North American, August 1945. Not accepted by the USAAF, delivered to RFC, Walnut Ridge, Arkansas, October 31, 1945. Lodwick Aircraft Industries of Lakeland, Florida, February 28, 1946. Registered as NX69345. Bendix Aviation Corporation of Teterboro, New Jersey, June 1946-1966. Registered as N69345, 1948. Radar and avionics testing required modifying radar nose. Bendix Field Engineering Corporation of Columbia, Maryland, November 1967-1972. Ernest H. Koons of Edmonton, Alberta, August 1972. Registered as CF-DKU. Aurora Aviation LTD of Edmonton, Alberta, December 1972-1978. G & M Aircraft LTD. of St. Albert, Alberta, 1978-1993. Registered as C-FDKU. Flew as tanker #1 (later #336). Aero Trader Inc., of Chino, California, September 1993. Delivered for resale. Chris and Patrick Harker/C & P Aviation Services of St. Paul-Anoka County, Minnesota, June 1994. Restored to airworthy condition at Chino, California, 1994-1999. Bomb bay doors fitted on the aircraft. First flight, March 1999. Flown as “Betty’s Dream.” Registered as N5672V. The aircraft is equipped with eight nose mounted .50 caliber machine guns, representing the lethality of firepower a B-25 could pour out onto ground targets in combat. It also carried camouflage paint scheme and attracted many veterans and their families.

“Miss Mitchell” delivered to USAAF, aircraft number 44-26869. Stored at Davis Monthan AFB, Arizona, December 1957-1958. Lindale Flying Service of St. Paul, Minnesota, October 1958-1970. Registered as N3160G. Stored uncovered at Anoka, Minnesota, 1963-1970. Robert Kundel of Rice Lake, Wisconsin, June 1970-1978. Stored. Harvard Corporation/Confederate Air Force (now Commemorative Air Force) of Minneapolis, Minnesota, December 1978. Commemorative Air Force of Harlington,Texas, August 13, 1979-1991. Facility moved to Midland, Texas, June 1991. Underwent long-term restoration for return to flight status. Minnesota Wing of the Commemorative Air Force at South St. Paul, Minnesota, May 1991. Restoration completed at Fleming Field, Minnesota. First flight, April 16, 1993. Registered as N27493. The aircraft’s aluminum skin shined in the morning and afternoon sun, highly polished by its flight crew. There was not a streak of oil, fuel or grease on the aircraft, which was symbolic of the dedication of CAF members. The Plexiglas nose was clear, without scratches, allowing closeup photographs of the bombardier’s forward section of the aircraft. This aircraft only had one .50 caliber machine gun mounted in the nose for the bombardier’s use.

There was one additional Mitchell at the B-25 gathering, but in the museum’s WWII Air Power Gallery. The aircraft is an impressive diorama as if the B-25 was tied down to the flight deck of the carrier USS Hornet, with engines covered to prevent fouling by salt water sea spray over the flight deck. The two figures near the aircraft are Colonel Doolittle to the right and Admiral William Halsey to the colonel’s side. Captain Cole, copilot of the aircraft, is leaning out the window. The bombardier is inside the nose. The Norden bombsight had been removed, and replaced by a simple metal triangle, with v-shaped sight for the bombardier to release bombs at low-level.

Delivered to the USAAF, 31 October 1943, B-25D. Modified into F-10 for photographic mapping. Assigned 91st Photographic Mapping Squadron at Buckley Army Air Field, Colorado. Assigned to 3705th AAFB Unit, Air Training Command, Lowry Air Field, Colorado, December 1944. Redesignated RB-25D. Transferred to 1360th Air Base Group at Orlando, Florida, 1956. Retired to Air Force Storage Facility at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, September 1957. North American Aviation reconfigured the aircraft to a B-25B. Flown to the museum by General Jimmy Doolittle and Lt. Col. Richard E. Cole in April 1958.

On Sunday, April 18, 2010, the 17 B-25s completed a mass take-off and flyover to honor three of the surviving Doolittle Raiders after a memorial service held in the museum’s memorial garden.