Participants
Bombers
North American B-25J “Mitchell”
The B-25 was made famous by sixteen B-25s that participated in the raid on Tokyo led by Lt. Col. James Doolittle from the aircraft carrier USS Hornet on April 18, 1942. This was accomplished in spite of the fact that the B-25 was never envisioned or designed to take off from an aircraft carrier. This year’s show will see a J model, which was the last B-25 production version manufactured by North American Aviation (NAA). Almost 4,400 B-25Js were built, far more than any other model of the aircraft. The B-25J was an improved B-25H but looked like a cross between a B-25C and a B-25H, with the solid gun nose of the H model replaced by a ‘greenhouse’ with one fixed and one flexible .50-cal. machine gun in the nose for the bombardier to sit, while still retaining the four .50 cal. package guns in the fuselage.
The TB-25J pictured above was built at the North American Aviation facility in Kansas City, KS and was ready for delivery in August 1945, but because the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) contract for B-25’s had been cancelled, the aircraft has placed in storage at Altus, OK. It was removed from storage in 1948 and assigned to Bolling Field, D.C. where it was converted to a pilot trainer and re-designated as a TB-25J. For the next 11 years it carried out pilot training duties at Bolling, Kelly, Offutt, and Wright-Patterson Air Bases, at which point in 1959 Serial Number 45-8898 was released for disposal in and stricken from USAF inventory.
Sold for surplus for $2,202 in 1959, this B-25 sat derelict in Texas until 1983 when it was purchased by a new owner and totally restored. After passing through a third owner, TB-25J 45-8898 was purchased by the Tri-State Warbird Museum in 2004.
Big, noisy on take-off and always fun to watch fly!
Lockheed PV-2 “Harpoon”
The Lockheed PV-2 Harpoon was introduced late in WWII as a follow up patrol bomber to the PV-1 Ventura, which was used extensively by both the US Navy and the British as a land based anti-submarine/shipping aircraft. The 545 Harpoons that were built in 1944 and 1945 had longer wings that resulted in both better controllability and increased fuel capacity for longer range patrols. The Harpoon during these long range patrols could carry up to 3,000 lbs of bombs or depth charges and normally had 5 forward (7 with the dorsal turret rotated forward) firing .50 caliber machine guns for strafing attacks against enemy shipping and ground targets.
Harpoons served with the US Navy in the Central Pacific and in particular out of the Aleutian Islands, where they were part of a campaign attacking the Kurile Islands in northern Japan that became known as the Empire Express. These missions were flown from Attu Island in some of the worst weather imaginable, most of the missions being flown above the cold ocean waters in sub frigid temperatures in foggy skies. However, the dangerous missions were well worth it as it caused the Japanese to allocate 15% of its valuable fighter force to the Kurile Islands to provide air defenses against these attacks, making it easier for US forces to advance more easily in the Central Pacific.
“Hot Stuff”, the PV-2 which is owned and operated by The American Military Heritage Foundation at the Mt. Comfort airport has always been a favorite of the crowd at the Indianapolis Air Show as both a flying and static display. Being one of only 2 flyable PV-2’s in the United States, this year “Hot Stuff” was recognized by the State of Indiana Historic Preservation Review Board for its rarity and deemed worthy of a high level of preservation. As a result the Review Board moved to list it on both the National and State Historic Registers. Don’t miss exploring this historically recognized aircraft free of charge, and talk to WWII PV-1 and PV-2 veteran pilots and crew members that will be there with the Harpoon. These crew members will be autographing pictures and posters for a donation to “Hot Stuff’ at the show.
Always a crowd pleaser at the Indianapolis Air Show!
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