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89-630: In 2013, the Commemorative Air Force announced that they would build a "National Airbase" at Executive which would include their headquarters and main museum, both of which would be moved from Midland. As of 2016, the Commemorative Air Force established their headquarters at the airport and currently occupies a hangar on the southeast side of the airfield. The Dallas Police Department operates their helicopter(s) from Dallas Executive Airport. During 2017, extensive work

178-916: A PT-26 Cornell operated by CAF crashed in Williamson, Georgia , killing both crew members. The NTSB found that the pilot "attempted a takeoff with flaps extended." On November 12, 2022, during the Wings Over Dallas airshow, two planes owned and operated by CAF—a Bell P-63F and the Boeing B-17G Texas Raiders —suffered a mid-air collision that killed six people. As of 2020 , the Commemorative Air Force had more than 13,000 members, in more than 70 regional groups, called wings or detachments, in 27 states and five countries. Several hundred members actively serve as pilots and flight and/or maintenance crew members committed to preserving American combat aviation heritage. The CAF

267-687: A 30-second television spot. In 1991, the CAF moved operations to Midland, Texas , where the group opened the CAF Airpower Museum and the American Combat Airman Hall of Fame. In April 2014, the CAF announced the move of their headquarters and all of the planes associated with the headquarters to Dallas Executive Airport in Dallas, Texas. The museum and its artifacts (including the nose art collection) were moved to

356-542: A constant-dihedral, meaning the wing had a consistent, upward angle from the fuselage to the wingtip. This design caused stability problems. "Flattening" the outer wing panels just outboard of the engine nacelles nullified the problem and gave the B-25 its gull wing configuration. Less noticeable changes during this period included an increase in the size of the tail fins and a decrease in their inward tilt at their tops. NAA continued design and development in 1940 and 1941. Both

445-574: A few hundred. Some B-25s continued in service into the 1950s in training, reconnaissance, and support roles. The principal use during this period was undergraduate training of multiengine aircraft pilots slated for reciprocating engine or turboprop cargo, aerial refueling, or reconnaissance aircraft. Others were assigned to units of the Air National Guard in training roles in support of Northrop F-89 Scorpion and Lockheed F-94 Starfire operations. During its USAF tenure, many B-25s received

534-498: A new Rebel Field at Harlingen, Texas , and moved there in 1968, occupying three large buildings including 26,000 square feet (2,400 m ) of museum space. By the end of the decade, the CAF fleet had added medium and heavy bombers such as the North American B-25 Mitchell , B-17 , Consolidated B-24 Liberator . In 1971, they bought one of the two airworthy Boeing B-29 Superfortresses , FIFI . In 1976,

623-464: A rallying cry of " Semper, Mint Julep " ("Always Mint Julep "). In 1957, Lloyd Nolen and four friends purchased a P-51 Mustang called "Red Nose", splitting the $ 1,500 cost. In 1958, the group made their second purchase: two Grumman F8F Bearcats for $ 805 each. Along with the P-51, this gave the pilots two of the most-advanced piston-engine fighters to see service with the U.S. Army Air Forces and

712-517: A single strafing run), relative ineffectiveness against ground targets, and the substantial recoil, the 75 mm gun was sometimes removed from both G and H models and replaced with two additional .50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns as a field modification. In the new FEAF, these were redesignated the G1 and H1 series, respectively. The H series normally came from the factory mounting four fixed, forward-firing .50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns in

801-538: A total of 464 B-25Gs. In its final version, the G-12, an interim armament modification, eliminated the lower Bendix turret and added a starboard dual gun pack, waist guns, and a canopy for the tail gunner to improve the view when firing the single tail gun. In April 1945, the air depots in Hawaii refurbished about two dozen of these and included the eight-gun nose and rocket launchers in the upgrade. The B-25H series continued

890-457: Is an all-volunteer organization, made up of members from all backgrounds. Membership is open to everyone age 18 or older, and cadet membership is available for those over 12 years of age. Although a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, tax-exempt group, the CAF has received financial incentives from state and local governments to move to Dallas and operate in Midland. The American Airpower Heritage Group

979-569: Is the largest warbird air show in the world, with more than eighty warbirds flying per show. The CAF has more than 80 wings and squadrons. Starting in 2013, a limited number of larger units may be designated as an "airbase." The first is Airbase Arizona, located at Falcon Field in Mesa, Arizona and redesignated in June 2013. Most CAF units are in the United States, but there are three outside

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1068-566: Is the parent organization and is made up of four corporations: The original name, Confederate Air Force, alluding to the Confederate States of America , started as a joke about the organization's ragtag beginnings. As the collection of warbirds at Central Valley Airport in Mercedes, Texas , started to grow, one member painted the name on the side of the original North American P-51 Mustang Red Nose . The name stuck, and it grew to

1157-542: The Confederate Air Force , is an American non-profit organization based in Dallas , Texas , that preserves and shows historical aircraft at airshows , primarily in the U.S. and Canada. The CAF has about 13,000 members, more than 70 chapters, and more than 170 aircraft, including the world's largest collection of airworthy warbirds . The origin of the Commemorative Air Force is the organization called

1246-669: The Henschel Hs 129B-3 and Junkers Ju 88P-1 . The B-25G's shorter nose placed the cannon breech behind the pilot, where it could be manually loaded and serviced by the navigator; his crew station was moved to a position just behind the pilot. The navigator signaled the pilot when the gun was ready and the pilot fired the weapon using a button on his control wheel. The Royal Air Force, U.S. Navy, and Soviet VVS each conducted trials with this series, but none adopted it. The G series comprised one prototype, five preproduction C conversions, 58 C series modifications, and 400 production aircraft for

1335-663: The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor (a 16th plane which participated was forced to abort, landing in Russia, where it and the crew were initially interned). The mission gave a much-needed lift in morale to the Americans and alarmed the Japanese, who had believed their home islands to be inviolable by enemy forces. Although the amount of actual damage done was relatively minor, it forced the Japanese to divert troops for home defense for

1424-716: The Marshall Islands . The first B-25s arrived in Egypt and were carrying out independent operations by October 1942. Operations there against Axis airfields and motorized vehicle columns supported the ground actions of the Second Battle of El Alamein . Thereafter, the aircraft took part in the rest of the campaign in North Africa , the invasion of Sicily , and the advance up Italy . In the Strait of Messina to

1513-465: The MiG 17 Fresco C . AIRSHO is a yearly event at Midland International Airport showcasing the CAF's aircraft. Because its aircraft tend to be spread out over large geographic distances, and most Ghost Squadron aircraft rarely fly more than a few hours from their home base, AIRSHO is also an opportunity for CAF members to meet up. Ghost Squadron aircraft usually attend AIRSHO every other year. The CAF AIRSHO

1602-808: The Netherlands East Indies to help deter any Japanese aggression into the region. In February 1942, the British Overseas Airways Corporation agreed to ferry 20 Dutch B-25s from Florida to Australia travelling via Africa and India, and an additional 10 via the South Pacific route from California. During March, five of the bombers on the Dutch order had reached Bangalore , India, and 12 had reached Archerfield in Australia. The B-25s in Australia were used as

1691-708: The Normandy invasion, the RAF and France used Mitchells in support of the Allies in Europe. Several squadrons moved to forward airbases on the continent. The USAAF used the B-25 in combat in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations . The B-25B found fame as the bomber used in the 18 April 1942 Doolittle Raid , in which 15 B-25Bs led by Lieutenant Colonel Jimmy Doolittle attacked mainland Japan, four months after

1780-853: The Royal Dutch Naval Air Service , who had escaped to England after the German occupation of the Netherlands. Equipped with various British aircraft, No. 320 Squadron flew antisubmarine patrols, convoy escort missions, and performed air-sea rescue duties. They acquired the Mitchell II in September 1943, performing operations over Europe against gun emplacements, railway yards, bridges, troops, and other tactical targets. They moved to Belgium in October 1944, and transitioned to

1869-705: The United States Navy . In 1960, the CAF began to seriously search for other World War II aircraft. The CAF colonels were shocked to find that the aircraft which played such a major role in winning World War II were being rapidly and systematically scrapped as obsolete with no efforts, not even by the Air Force or Navy , to preserve any for display for future generations. The warbirds that remained airworthy were mostly in private hands modified for air racing or had been converted for commercial use as air freighters and aerial firefighters. On September 6, 1961,

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1958-644: The de Havilland Mosquito . In addition to No. 2 Group, the B-25 was used by various second-line RAF units in the UK and abroad. In the Far East, No. 3 PRU, which consisted of Nos. 681 and 684 Squadrons, flew the Mitchell (primarily Mk IIs) on photographic reconnaissance sorties. The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) used the B-25 Mitchell for training during the war. Postwar use continued operations with most of

2047-559: The "Confederate Air Corps" created by Oscar Harper in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1953. Led by the fictional character "Thaddeus P. Throckmorton" and his recruiting officer "Jethro Culpepper", the CAC established several features that later became key characteristics of the CAF: folksy, tongue-in-cheek southern humor; a membership structure based on each member having the equal rank of colonel; and

2136-459: The 162 Mitchells received. The first B-25s had been diverted to Canada from RAF orders. These included one Mitchell I, 42 Mitchell IIs, and 19 Mitchell IIIs. No 13 (P) Squadron was formed unofficially at RCAF Rockcliffe in May 1944 and used Mitchell IIs on high-altitude aerial photography sorties. No. 5 Operational Training Unit at Boundary Bay, British Columbia and Abbotsford, British Columbia, operated

2225-644: The AAFAC format, the Marine Mitchells had search radar in a retractable radome replacing the remotely operated ventral turret. Later D and J series had nose-mounted APS-3 radar; and later still, J and H series mounted radar in the starboard wingtip. The large quantities of B-25H and J series became known as PBJ-1H and PBJ-1J, respectively. These aircraft often operated along with earlier PBJ series in Marine squadrons. The PBJs were operated almost exclusively by

2314-645: The Aegean Sea, the B-25 conducted sea sweeps as part of the coastal air forces. In Italy, the B-25 was used in the ground attack role, concentrating on attacks against road and rail links in Italy, Austria, and the Balkans. The B-25 had a longer range than the Douglas A-20 Havoc and Douglas A-26 Invader , allowing it to reach further into occupied Europe. The five bombardment groups – 20 squadrons – of

2403-572: The B-25A and B-25B series entered USAAF service. The B-25B was operational in 1942. Combat requirements led to further developments. Before the year was over, NAA was producing the B-25C and B-25D series at different plants. Also in 1942, the manufacturer began design work on the cannon-armed B-25G series. The NA-100 of 1943 and 1944 was an interim armament development at the Kansas City complex known as

2492-708: The B-25D Mitchell in the training role together with B-24 Liberators for Heavy Conversion as part of the BCATP. The RCAF retained the Mitchell until October 1963. No 418 (Auxiliary) Squadron received its first Mitchell IIs in January 1947. It was followed by No 406 (auxiliary), which flew Mitchell IIs and IIIs from April 1947 to June 1958. No 418 operated a mix of IIs and IIIs until March 1958. No 12 Squadron of Air Transport Command also flew Mitchell IIIs along with other types from September 1956 to November 1960. In 1951,

2581-761: The B-25D2 and ordered as the NA-100. NAA built a total of 3,915 B-25Cs and Ds during World War II. Although the B-25 was designed to bomb from medium altitudes in level flight, it was frequently used in the Southwest Pacific theatre in treetop-level strafing and missions with parachute-retarded fragmentation bombs against Japanese airfields in New Guinea and the Philippines. These heavily armed Mitchells were field-modified at Townsville , Australia, under

2670-625: The B-25D2. Similar armament upgrades by U.S-based commercial modification centers involved about half of the B-25G series. Further development led to the B-25H, B-25J, and B-25J2. The gunship design concept dates to late 1942 and NAA sent a field technical representative to the SWPA. The factory-produced B-25G entered production during the NA-96 order followed by the redesigned B-25H gunship. The B-25J reverted to

2759-518: The B-25G. In this series, the transparent nose and bombardier/navigator position was changed for a shorter, hatched nose with two fixed .50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns and a manually loaded 75 mm (2.95 in) M4 cannon , one of the largest weapons fitted to an aircraft, similar to the British 57 mm gun -armed Mosquito Mk. XVIII and the autoloading German 75 mm long-barrel Bordkanone BK 7,5 heavy-caliber ordnance fitted to both

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2848-409: The B-25H could "bring to bear 10 machine guns coming and four going, in addition to the 75 mm cannon, eight rockets , and 3,000 lb (1,360 kg) of bombs." The H had a modified cockpit with single flight controls operated by the pilot. The co-pilot's station and controls were removed and replaced by a smaller seat used by the navigator/cannoneer, The radio operator crew position was aft of

2937-519: The B-25J series. It optimized the mix of the interim NA-100 and the H series, having both the bombardier's station and fixed guns of the D and the forward turret and refined armament of the H series. NAA also produced a strafer nose-first shipped to air depots as kits, then introduced on the production line in alternating blocks with the bombardier nose. The solid metal "strafer" nose housed eight centerline Browning M2 .50 caliber machine guns. The remainder of

3026-452: The CAF pilot of a Fairchild PT-19A was killed in a crash shortly after takeoff at Midland International Airport ; the plane's one passenger survived. The NTSB cited the pilot's "failure to maintain airspeed which resulted in an inadvertent stall". On May 14, 2001, both CAF crew members aboard a Vultee BT-13A died in a crash southeast of Odessa, Texas. The NTSB found that the pilot failed to maintain minimum airspeed. On June 16, 2005,

3115-658: The CAF sponsored an air show where a B-29 bomber piloted by Paul Tibbets , the pilot who flew the B-29 which bombed Hiroshima during World War II, reenacted the atomic bombing of Hiroshima (including a mock mushroom cloud). This air show prompted the Japanese government to lodge a formal complaint with the United States Embassy, resulting in the U.S. government issuing an apology. In 1983, the American Airpower Heritage Foundation

3204-460: The CAF was chartered as a nonprofit Texas corporation to restore and preserve World War II-era combat aircraft. By the end of the year, the CAF owned nine aircraft. By 1963, the group had achieved their initial goal of acquiring one of each fighter plane operated by U.S. forces during World War II. They held their first airshow on March 10, 1963. In 1965, the first museum building was completed at old Rebel Field, Mercedes, Texas . The CAF created

3293-565: The CAF's aircraft titles . The second was the American Airpower Heritage Museum , which acquired and maintained the CAF's non-aircraft pieces and static displays. In September 1990, CAF joined a statewide anti-littering campaign ( Don't Mess With Texas ), filming a low-level, high-speed pass of the B-17 Sentimental Journey on a mock bombing run of a highway-littering pickup truck, as part of

3382-852: The Consolidated Liberator B Mk I/B-24A Liberator AM927. Many of the CAF aircraft are rare; the CAF operates one of only two flying examples of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, and the only remaining flightworthy Curtiss SB2C Helldiver . Others, such as the B-24/LB-30 Liberator ; the Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zero ; and the Douglas SBD Dauntless are one of only two or three of that type left flying today. The CAF also operates Axis and Warsaw Pact aircraft such as

3471-506: The Far East of Russia, and one Doolittle Raid aircraft landed there short of fuel after attacking Japan. This lone airworthy Doolittle Raid aircraft to reach the Soviet Union was lost in a hangar fire in the early 1950s while undergoing routine maintenance. In general, the B-25 was operated as a ground-support and tactical day bomber (as similar Douglas A-20 Havocs were used). It saw action in fights from Stalingrad (with B/C/D models) to

3560-444: The J followed the overall configuration of the H series from the cockpit aft. It had the forward dorsal turret and other armament and airframe advancements. All J models included four .50 in (12.7 mm) light-barrel Browning AN/M2 guns in a pair of "fuselage packages", conformal gun pods each flanking the lower cockpit, each pod containing two Browning M2s . By 1945, however, combat squadrons removed these. The J series restored

3649-736: The Marine Corps PBJ-1s began in March 1944. The Marine PBJs flew from the Philippines, Saipan, Iwo Jima , and Okinawa during the last few months of the Pacific war. Their primary mission was the long-range interdiction of enemy shipping trying to run the blockade, which was strangling Japan. The weapon of choice during these missions was usually the five-inch HVAR rocket, eight of which could be carried. Some VMB-612 intruder PBJ-1D and J series planes flew without top turrets to save weight and increase range on night patrols, especially towards

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3738-484: The Marine Corps as land-based bombers. The U.S. Marine Corps established Marine bomber squadrons (VMB), beginning with VMB-413, in March 1943 at MCAS Cherry Point , North Carolina. Eight VMB squadrons were flying PBJs by the end of 1943 as the initial Marine medium bombardment group. Four more squadrons were in the process of formation in late 1945, but had not yet deployed by the time the war ended. Operations of

3827-480: The Mitchell III in 1945. No. 320 Squadron was disbanded in August 1945. Following the war, B-25s were used by Dutch forces during the Indonesian National Revolution . The USSR received 862 B-25s (B, C, D, G, and J types) from the United States under Lend-Lease during World War II via the Alaska–Siberia ALSIB ferry route. A total of 870 B-25s were sent to the Soviets, meaning that 8 aircraft were lost during transportation. Other damaged B-25s arrived or crashed in

3916-403: The Mitchell on coastal patrols after the Pearl Harbor attack, prior to the AAFAC organization. Many of the two dozen or so antisubmarine squadrons flew the B-25C, D, and G series in the American Theater antisubmarine campaign, often in the distinctive, white sea-search camouflage. In anti-shipping operations, the USAAF had an urgent need for hard-hitting aircraft, and North American responded with

4005-404: The Mitchell served in fairly large numbers with the Air Force of the Dutch government-in-exile. They participated in combat in the East Indies , as well as on the European front. On 30 June 1941, the Netherlands Purchasing Commission, acting on behalf of the Dutch government-in-exile in London, signed a contract with North American Aviation for 162 B-25C aircraft. The bombers were to be delivered to

4094-413: The NA-62, which competed for the medium bomber contract. No YB-25 was available for prototype service tests. In September 1939, the Air Corps ordered the NA-62 into production as the B-25, along with the other new Air Corps medium bomber, the Martin B-26 Marauder "off the drawing board". Early into B-25 production, NAA incorporated a significant redesign to the wing dihedral . The first nine aircraft had

4183-535: The NAA strafer nose, the J2 subseries. In Burma, the B-25 was used to attack Japanese communication links, especially bridges in central Burma. It also helped supply the besieged troops at Imphal in 1944. The China Air Task Force, the Chinese American Composite Wing, the First Air Commando Group, the 341st Bomb Group, and eventually, the relocated 12th Bomb Group, all operated the B-25 in the China Burma India Theater . Many of these missions involved battle-field isolation, interdiction, and close air support . Later in

4272-579: The Navy and the USAAF exchanging the Boeing Renton plant for the Kansas plant for B-29 Superfortress production. The Boeing XPBB Sea Ranger flying boat, competing for B-29 engines, was cancelled in exchange for part of the Kansas City Mitchell production. Other terms included the interservice transfer of 50 B-25Cs and 152 B-25Ds to the Navy. The bombers carried Navy bureau numbers (BuNos), beginning with BuNo 34998. The first PBJ-1 arrived in February 1943, and nearly all reached Marine Corps squadrons, beginning with Marine Bombing Squadron 413 (VMB-413). Following

4361-404: The Niceville-Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce. Four of the original Tokyo Raiders were present for the ceremony, Colonel (later Major General) David Jones , Colonel Jack Simms, Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Manske, and retired Master Sergeant Edwin W. Horton. It was donated back to the Air Force Armament Museum c. 1974 and marked as Doolittle's 40-2344 . The U.S. Navy designation for the Mitchell

4450-414: The Ninth and Twelfth Air Forces that used the B-25 in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations were the only U.S. units to employ the B-25 in Europe. The RAF received nearly 900 Mitchells, using them to replace Douglas Bostons , Lockheed Venturas , and Vickers Wellington bombers . The Mitchell entered active RAF service on 22 January 1943. At first, it was used to bomb targets in occupied Europe. After

4539-441: The Pacific . The Mitchell fought from the Northern Pacific to the South Pacific and the Far East. These areas included the campaigns in the Aleutian Islands , Papua New Guinea , the Solomon Islands, New Britain , China, Burma and the island hopping campaign in the Central Pacific, as well as in the Doolittle Raid . The aircraft's potential as a ground- attack aircraft emerged during the Pacific war. The jungle environment reduced

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4628-492: The RAF. The RAF tested the cannon-armed G series but did not adopt the series nor the follow-on H series. By the end of 1942, the RAF had taken delivery of 93 Mitchells, marks I and II. Some served with squadrons of No. 2 Group RAF , the RAF's tactical medium-bomber force, including No. 139 Wing RAF at RAF Dunsfold . The first RAF operation with the Mitchell II took place on 22 January 1943, when six aircraft from No. 180 Squadron RAF attacked oil installations at Ghent . After

4717-422: The RCAF received an additional 75 B-25Js from USAF stocks to make up for attrition and to equip various second-line units. The Australians received Mitchells by the spring of 1944. The joint Australian-Dutch No. 18 (Netherlands East Indies) Squadron RAAF had more than enough Mitchells for one squadron, so the surplus went to re-equip the RAAF's No. 2 Squadron , replacing their Beauforts . During World War II,

4806-404: The Southwest Pacific Theater during 1944 to 1945. The USAAF played a significant role in pushing the Japanese back to their home islands. The type operated with great effect in the Central Pacific , Alaska , North Africa , Mediterranean , and China-Burma-India theaters. The USAAF Antisubmarine Command made great use of the B-25 in 1942 and 1943. Some of the earliest B-25 bomb groups also flew

4895-423: The aircraft could snap out of control. The tricycle landing gear made for excellent visibility while taxiing. The only significant complaint about the B-25 was its extremely noisy engines; as a result, many pilots eventually suffered from some degree of hearing loss . The high noise level was due to design and space restrictions in the engine cowlings, which resulted in the exhaust "stacks" protruding directly from

4984-402: The aircraft did not enter production. The B-25 was a safe and forgiving aircraft to fly. With one engine out, 60° banking turns into the dead engine were possible, and control could be easily maintained down to 145 mph (230 km/h). The pilot had to remember to maintain engine-out directional control at low speeds after takeoff with rudder; if this maneuver were attempted with ailerons,

5073-431: The armament was as in the H-5. NAA also supplied kits to mount eight underwing 5 inch High Velocity Airborne Rockets just outside the propeller arcs. These were mounted on zero-length launch rails, four per wing. The final, and most numerous, series of the Mitchell, the B-25J , looked less like earlier series apart from the well-glazed bombardier's nose of nearly identical appearance to the earliest B-25 subtypes. Instead,

5162-404: The bomb bay with access to the waist guns. Factory production totals were 405 B-25Gs and 1,000 B-25Hs, with 248 of the latter being used by the Navy as PBJ-1Hs. Elimination of the co-pilot saved weight, and moving the dorsal turret forward partially counterbalanced the waist guns and the manned rear turret. Following the two-gunship series, NAA again produced the medium bomber configuration with

5251-440: The bomber role, but it, too, could be outfitted as a strafer. NAA manufactured the greatest number of aircraft in World War II, the first time a company had produced trainers, bombers, and fighters simultaneously (the AT-6/SNJ Texan/Harvard , B-25 Mitchell, and the P-51 Mustang ). It produced B-25s at both its Inglewood main plant and an additional 6,608 aircraft at its Kansas City, Kansas , plant at Fairfax Airport . After

5340-402: The co-pilot's seat and dual flight controls. The factory-made kits available to the Air Depot system to create the strafer-nose B-25J-2. This configuration carried a total of 18 .50 in (12.7 mm) light-barrel AN/M2 Browning M2 machine guns: eight in the nose, four in the flank-mount conformal gun pod packages, two in the dorsal turret, one each in the pair of waist positions, and a pair in

5429-490: The country. North American B-25 Mitchell The North American B-25 Mitchell is an American medium bomber that was introduced in 1941 and named in honor of Brigadier General William "Billy" Mitchell , a pioneer of U.S. military aviation. Used by many Allied air forces, the B-25 served in every theater of World War II , and after the war ended, many remained in service, operating across four decades. Produced in numerous variants, nearly 10,000 B-25s were built. It

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5518-417: The cowling ring and partly covered by a small triangular fairing. This arrangement directed exhaust and noise directly at the pilot and crew compartments. The Mitchell was exceptionally sturdy and could withstand tremendous punishment. One B-25C of the 321st Bomb Group was nicknamed "Patches" because its crew chief painted all the aircraft's flak hole patches with bright yellow zinc chromate primer . By

5607-504: The development of the gunship version. NAA Inglewood produced 1000. The H had even more firepower. Most replaced the M4 gun with the lighter T13E1 , designed specifically for the aircraft, but 20-odd H-1 block aircraft completed by the Republic Aviation modification center at Evansville had the M4 and two-machine-gun nose armament. The 75 mm (2.95 in) gun fired at a muzzle velocity of 2,362  ft/s (720  m/s ). Due to its slow rate of fire (about four rounds could be fired in

5696-446: The direction of Major Paul I. "Pappy" Gunn and North American technical representative Jack Fox. These "commerce destroyers" were also used on strafing and skip bombing missions against Japanese shipping trying to resupply their armies. Under the leadership of Lieutenant General George C. Kenney , Mitchells of the Far East Air Forces and its existing components, the Fifth and Thirteenth Air Forces , devastated Japanese targets in

5785-417: The end of the war when air superiority had been achieved. During the war, the Navy tested the cannon-armed G series and conducted carrier trials with an H equipped with arresting gear. After World War II, some PBJs stationed at the Navy's rocket laboratory in Inyokern, California , site of the present-day Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake , tested air-to-ground rockets and arrangements. One arrangement

5874-423: The end of the war, this aircraft had completed over 300 missions, had been belly-landed six times, and had over 400 patched holes. The airframe of "Patches" was so distorted from battle damage that straight-and-level flight required 8° of left aileron trim and 6° of right rudder, causing the aircraft to "crab" sideways across the sky. Most B-25s in American service were used in the war against Japan in Asia and

5963-420: The failure to activate electronic homing aids at the recovery bases. Only one B-25 bomber landed intact, in Vladivostok , where its five-man crew was interned and the aircraft confiscated. Of the 80 aircrew members, 69 survived their historic mission and eventually made it back to American lines. Following additional modifications, including the addition of a Plexiglas dome for navigational sightings to replace

6052-438: The group voted to rename, using the initials "CAF" until a permanent name was selected. Following a 2001 membership vote, the group changed its name to "Commemorative Air Force", effective January 1, 2002. Many felt the name Confederate Air Force was confusing, did not accurately reflect the purpose of the organization, and was detrimental to fundraising efforts. According to CAF chief of staff Ray Kinney, "In many people's minds,

6141-456: The invasion of Europe (by which point 2 Group was part of Second Tactical Air Force ), all four Mitchell squadrons moved to bases in France and Belgium (Melsbroek) to support Allied ground forces. The British Mitchell squadrons were joined by No. 342 (Lorraine) Squadron of the French Air Force in April 1945. As part of its move from Bomber Command, No 305 (Polish) Squadron flew Mitchell IIs from September to December 1943 before converting to

6230-454: The new headquarters, which it operates as the Henry B. Tippie National Aviation Education Center . In 2015, the CAF acquired the C-47 That's All, Brother , the plane that led the parachute assault on Normandy during D-Day . On September 28, 1995, a Martin B-26 Marauder operated by CAF crashed near Odessa, Texas , killing all five crew members. The NTSB found that the pilot failed to maintain minimum airspeed. On April 14, 2001,

6319-451: The nose; four in a pair of under-cockpit conformal flank-mount gun pod packages (two guns per side); two more in the manned dorsal turret, relocated forward to a position just behind the cockpit (which became standard for the J-model); one each in a pair of new waist positions, introduced simultaneously with the forward-relocated dorsal turret; and lastly, a pair of guns in a new tail-gunner's position. Company promotional material bragged that

6408-400: The nucleus of a new squadron, No. 18. This squadron was staffed jointly by Australian and Dutch aircrews plus a smattering of aircrews from other nations and operated under Royal Australian Air Force command for the remainder of the war. The B-25s of No. 18 Squadron were painted with the Dutch national insignia (at that time a rectangular Netherlands flag) and carried NEIAF serials. Discounting

6497-436: The overhead window for the navigator, and heavier nose armament, de-icing and anti-icing equipment, the B-25C entered USAAF operations. Through block 20, the B-25C and B-25D differed only in the location of manufacture: C series at Inglewood, California , and D series at Kansas City, Kansas . After block 20, some NA-96s began the transition to the G series, while some NA-87s acquired interim modifications eventually produced as

6586-494: The point where the airport was renamed Rebel Field, all members were called " colonels " (a tradition which still remains), and it led to the creation of a fictitious leader named Colonel Jethro E. Culpepper. A blood chit written on the backs of flight suits and flight jackets stated, "This is a CAF aviator. If found lost or unconscious, please hide him from Yankees , revive with mint julep and assist him in returning to friendly territory. CONFEDERATE AIR FORCE." In November 2000,

6675-446: The remainder of the war. The raiders took off from the carrier USS  Hornet and bombed Tokyo and four other Japanese cities. Fifteen of the bombers subsequently crash-landed en route to recovery fields in eastern China. The losses resulted from the task force being spotted by a Japanese vessel, which forced the bombers to take off 170 mi (270 km) early, fuel exhaustion, stormy nighttime conditions with zero visibility, and

6764-465: The so-called "Hayes modification" and as a result, surviving B-25s often have exhaust systems with a semi collector ring that splits emissions into two different systems. The upper seven cylinders are collected by a ring, while the other cylinders remain directed to individual ports. TB-25J-25-NC Mitchell, 44-30854 , the last B-25 in the USAF inventory, assigned at March AFB , California, as of March 1960,

6853-531: The tail – with 14 of the guns either aimed directly forward or aimed to fire directly forward for strafing missions. Some aircraft had eight 5-inch (130 mm) high-velocity aircraft rockets . NAA introduced the J-2 into production in alternating blocks at the J-22. Total J series production was 4,318. In 1947, legislation created an independent United States Air Force and by that time, the B-25 inventory numbered only

6942-553: The ten "temporary" B-25s delivered to 18 Squadron in early 1942, a total of 150 Mitchells were taken on strength by the NEIAF, 19 in 1942, 16 in 1943, 87 in 1944, and 28 in 1945. They flew bombing raids against Japanese targets in the East Indies. In 1944, the more capable B-25J Mitchells replaced most of the earlier C and D models. In June 1940, No. 320 (Netherlands) Squadron RAF had been formed from personnel formerly serving with

7031-522: The usefulness of medium-level bombing, and made low-level attack the best tactic. Using similar mast height level tactics and skip bombing , the B-25 proved itself to be a capable anti-shipping weapon and sank many enemy sea vessels. An ever-increasing number of forward firing guns made the B-25 a formidable strafing aircraft for island warfare. The strafer models were the B-25C1/D1, the B-25J1 and with

7120-583: The war, as the USAAF acquired bases in other parts of the Pacific, the Mitchell could strike targets in Indochina , Formosa , and Kyushu , increasing the usefulness of the B-25. It was also used in some of the shortest raids of the Pacific War, striking from Saipan against Guam and Tinian . The 41st Bomb Group used it against Japanese-occupied islands that had been bypassed by the main campaign, such as

7209-599: The war, the USAF placed a contract for the TB-25L trainer in 1952. This was a modification program by Hayes of Birmingham, Alabama . Its primary role was reciprocating engine pilot training. A development of the B-25 was the North American XB-28 Dragon , designed as a high-altitude bomber. Two prototypes were built with the second prototype, the XB-28A, evaluated as a photo-reconnaissance platform, but

7298-561: The word 'confederacy' brings up the image of slavery and discrimination. We, in no way, are associated with that kind of stuff. So, it gives us, in a way, a black eye." As of 2022 , the CAF owned 179 aircraft, a collection known as the CAF Ghost Squadron. Its aircraft range from the small Stinson L-5 Sentinel and Ryan PT-22 to the giant Boeing B-29 Superfortress; the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress; and

7387-649: Was a twin-barrel nose that could fire 10 spin-stabilized five-inch rockets in one salvo. The Royal Air Force (RAF) was an early customer for the B-25 via Lend-Lease . The first Mitchells were given the service name Mitchell I by the RAF and were delivered in August 1941, to No. 111 Operational Training Unit based in the Bahamas . These bombers were used exclusively for training and familiarization and never became operational. The B-25Cs and Ds were designated Mitchell II. Altogether, 167 B-25Cs and 371 B-25Ds were delivered to

7476-464: Was done to improve the existing runway, and more work is being done in 2018 to extend runway 13/31 to move the safety areas and protections zones onto the airport. Dallas Executive Airport covers 1,070 acres (433 ha) and has two runways: Redbird Airport (KRBD) was established in 1944 after 1026 acres were purchased by the City of Dallas to serve the general aviation needs in southwest Dallas. Redbird

7565-544: Was flown to Eglin AFB , Florida, from Turner Air Force Base , Georgia, on 21 May 1960, the last flight by a USAF B-25. It was presented by Brigadier General A. J. Russell, Commander of SAC 's 822d Air Division at Turner AFB, to the Air Proving Ground Center Commander, Brigadier General Robert H. Warren. He in turn presented the bomber to Valparaiso, Florida , Mayor Randall Roberts on behalf of

7654-516: Was founded to financially support the CAF. The group's accomplishments were recognized in 1989 with a National Aviation Hall of Fame Spirit of Flight Award. That year, Texas Governor William Clements signed a resolution designating the CAF the air force of Texas. In 1990, the CAF added two corporations. The first was the American Airpower Heritage Flying Museum, tasked with obtaining and maintaining

7743-535: Was renamed Dallas Executive Airport, effective May 1, 2002. The airport briefly saw scheduled commercial air service in 2011 by Corporate Flight Management operating as Branson Air Express . The carrier flew to Branson, Missouri using British Aerospace Jetstream 41 aircraft. This article about an airport in Texas is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Commemorative Air Force The Commemorative Air Force ( CAF ), formerly known as

7832-467: Was the PBJ-1 and apart from increased use of radar, it was configured like its Army Air Forces counterparts. Under the pre-1962 USN/USMC/USCG aircraft designation system, PBJ-1 stood for Patrol (P) Bomber (B) built by North American Aviation (J), first variant (-1) under the existing American naval aircraft designation system of the era . The PBJ had its origin in an inter-service agreement of mid-1942 between

7921-807: Was the most-produced American medium bomber and the third most-produced American bomber overall . These included several limited models such as the F-10 reconnaissance aircraft , the AT-24 crew trainers, and the United States Marine Corps ' PBJ-1 patrol bomber . In March 1939, the US Army Air Corps issued a specification for a medium bomber that was capable of carrying a payload of 2,400 lb (1,100 kg) over 1,200 miles (1,900 km) at 300 mph (480 km/h). North American Aviation (NAA) used its NA-40B design to develop

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