North American B-25 Mitchell PDF eBook & Flight Manuals

General Characteristics

• Crew: 6 (one pilot, one co-pilot, navigator/bombardier, turret gunner/engineer, radio operator/waist gunner, tail gunner)
• Length: 52 ft 11 in (16.13 m)
• Wingspan: 67 ft 7 in (20.60 m)
• Height: 16 ft 4 in (4.98 m)
• Wing area: 610 sq ft (56.7 m²)
• Empty weight: 19,480 lb (8,855 kg)
• Max. takeoff weight: 35,000 lb (15,910 kg)
• Powerplant: 2 × Wright R-2600-92 Twin Cyclone 14-cylinder air-cooled radial engine, 1,700 hp (1,267 kW) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 272 mph (237 kn, 438 km/h) at 13,000 ft (3,960 m)
• Cruise speed: 230 mph (200 knots, 370 km/h)
• Range: 1,350 mi (1,174 nmi, 2,174 km)
• Service ceiling: 24,200 ft (7,378 m)

Armament

• Guns: 12–18 × .50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns and 75 mm (2.95 in) T13E1 cannon
• Hardpoints: 2,000 lb (900 kg) ventral shackles to hold one external Mark 13 torpedo
• Rockets: racks for eight 5 in (127 mm) high velocity aircraft rockets (HVAR)
• Bombs: 3,000 lb (1,360 kg) bombs

• NA-40 – Twin-engined five-seat bomber to meet 1938 USAAF requirement for attack bomber. Powered by two 1,100 hp (825 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1830-56C3G radials. Wingspan 66 ft (20.12 m), length 48 ft 3 in (14.71 m) length. First flew on 29 January 1939 but proved to be underpowered and unstable.
• NA-40B – The NA-40B (also known as the NA-40-2) was a modification of the NA-40 prototype with two 1,600 hp (1,200 kW) Wright R-2600-A71-3 radials and numerous minor changes. First flew in revised form on 1 March 1939. Crashed: 11 April 1940.
• B-25 – Initial production version of B-25, powered by 1,350 hp (1,012 kW) R-2600-9 engines. Up to 3,600 lb (1,600 kg) bombs and defensive armament of three .30 machine guns in nose, waist and ventral positions, with one .50 machine gun in the tail. The first nine aircraft were built with constant dihedralangle. Due to low stability, the wing was redesigned so that the dihedral was eliminated on the outboard section. (Number made: 24.)
• B-25A – Version of the B-25 modified to make it combat ready; additions included self-sealing fuel tanks, crew armor, and an improved tail gunner station. No changes were made in the armament. Re-designated obsolete (RB-25A) in 1942. (Number made: 40.)
• B-25B – Tail and gun position removed and replaced by manned dorsal turret on rear fuselage and retractable, remotely operated ventral turret, each with a pair of .50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns. A total of 120 were built (this version was used in the Doolittle Raid). A total of 23 were supplied to the Royal Air Force as the Mitchell Mk I.
• B-25C – Improved version of the B-25B: powerplants upgraded from Wright R-2600-9 radials to R-2600-13s; de-icing and anti-icing equipment added; the navigator received a sighting blister; nose armament was increased to two .50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns, one fixed and one flexible. The B-25C model was the first mass-produced B-25 version; it was also used in the United Kingdom (as the Mitchell II), in Canada, China, the Netherlands and the Soviet Union. (Number made: 1,625.)
• B-25D – Through block 20 the series was near identical to the B-25C. The series designation differentiated that the B-25D was made in Kansas City, Kansas, whereas the B-25C was made in Inglewood, California. Later blocks with interim armament upgrades were the D2. First flew on 3 January 1942. (Number made: 2,290.)
• F-10 – The F-10 designation distinguished 45 B-25D modified for photographic reconnaissance. All armament, armor and bombing equipment was stripped. Three K.17 cameras were installed, one pointing down and two more mounted at oblique angles within blisters on each side of the nose. Optionally, a second downward-pointing camera could also be installed in the aft fuselage. Although designed for combat operations these aircraft were mainly used for ground mapping.
• B-25D Weather reconnaissance variant – In 1944, four B-25Ds were converted for weather reconnaissance. One later user was the 53d Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, originally called the Army Hurricane Reconnaissance Unit, now called the “Hurricane Hunters”. Weather reconnaissance first started in 1943 with the 1st Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, with flights on the North Atlantic ferry routes.
• XB-25E – Single B-25C modified to test de-icing and anti-icing equipment that circulated exhaust from the engines in chambers in the leading and trailing edges and empennage. The aircraft was tested for almost two years, beginning in 1942; while the system proved extremely effective, no production models were built that used it prior to the end of World War II. Many surviving warbird-flown B-25 aircraft today use the de-icing system from the XB-25E. (Number made: 1, converted.)
• XB-25F-A – Modified B-25C with insulated electrical coils mounted inside the wing and empennage leading edges to test the effectiveness as a de-icing system. The hot air de-icing system tested on the XB-25E was determined to be the more practical of the two. (Number made: 1, converted.)
• XB-25G – Modified B-25C in which the transparent nose was replaced to create a short nosed gunship carrying two fixed .50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns and a 75 mm (2.95 in) M4 cannon, then the largest weapon ever carried on an American bomber. (Number made: 1, converted.)
• B-25G – The B-25G followed the success of the prototype XB-25G and production was a continuation of the NA96. The production model featured increased armor and a greater fuel supply than the XB-25G. One B-25G was passed to the British, who gave it the name Mitchell II that had been used for the B-25C. The USSR also tested the G. (Number made: 463; 5 converted Cs; 58 modified Cs; 400 production.)
• B-25H – An improved version of the B-25G. This version relocated the manned dorsal turret to a more forward location on the fuselage just aft of the flight deck. It also featured two additional fixed .50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns in the nose and in the H-5 onward, four in fuselage-mounted pods. the T13E1 light weight cannon replaced the heavy M4 cannon 75 mm (2.95 in). Single controls from factory with navigator in right seat. (Number made: 1000; two airworthy as of 2015)
• B-25J-NC – Follow-on production at Kansas city, the B-25J, could be called a cross between the B-25D and the B-25H. It had a transparent nose, but many of the delivered aircraft were modified to have a strafer nose (J2). Most of its 14–18 machine guns were forward-facing for strafing missions, including the two guns of the forward-located dorsal turret. The RAF received 316 aircraft, which were known as the Mitchell III. The J series was the last factory series production of the B-25. (Number made: 4,318.)
• CB-25J – Utility transport version.
• VB-25J – A number of B-25s were converted for use as staff and VIP transports. Henry H. Arnold and Dwight D. Eisenhower both used converted B-25Js as their personal transports. The last VB-25J in active service was retired in May 1960 at the Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.

Trainer variants

Most models of the B-25 were used at some point as training aircraft.

• TB-25D – Originally designated AT-24A (Advanced Trainer, Model 24, Version A). Trainer modification of B-25D often with the dorsal turret omitted. In total, 60 AT-24s were built.
• TB-25G – Originally designated AT-24B. Trainer modification of B-25G.
• TB-25C – Originally designated AT-24C. Trainer modification of B-25C.
• TB-25J – Originally designated AT-24D. Trainer modification of B-25J. Another 600 B-25Js were modified after the war.
• TB-25K – Hughes E1 fire-control radar trainer (Hughes). (Number made: 117.)
• TB-25L – Hayes pilot-trainer conversion. (Number made: 90.)
• TB-25M – Hughes E5 fire-control radar trainer. (Number made: 40.)
• TB-25N – Hayes navigator-trainer conversion. (Number made: 47.)

U.S. Navy / U.S. Marine Corps variants

• PBJ-1C – Similar to the B-25C for the U.S. Navy; often fitted with airborne search radar and used in the anti-submarine role.
• PBJ-1D – Similar to the B-25D for the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps. Differed in having a single .50 in (12.7 mm) machine gun in the tail turret and waist gun positions similar to the B-25H. Often fitted with airborne search radar and used in the anti-submarine role.
• PBJ-1G – U.S. Navy/U.S. Marine Corps designation for the B-25G. Trials only.
• PBJ-1H – U.S. Navy/U.S. Marine Corps designation for the B-25H. One PBJ-1H was modified with carrier takeoff and landing equipment and successfully tested on the USS Shangri-La, but the Navy did not continue development.
• PBJ-1J – U.S. Navy designation for the B-25J-NC (Blocks ?1 through ?35) with improvements in radio and other equipment. Beside the standard armament package, the Marines often fitted with 5″ underwing rockets and search radar for the anti-shipping/anti-submarine role. The large Tiny Tim rocket-powered warhead saw use in 1945.

Argentina

• 44-31173 B-25J – under restoration to flightworthiness by Gustavo M. Passano and his team.

Australia

• 41-30222 B-25D Hawg-Mouth – Australian Aviation Heritage Center in Darwin, Northern Territory.

Austria

• 44-86893 B-25J Red Bull – based in Salzburg, flown for the Flying Bulls/Red Bull and owned by Aircraft Guarantee Corp Trustee of Onalaska, Texas, USA.

Brazil

• 44-29500 B-25J – Museu Eduardo Andre Matarazzo, Bebedouro, Sao Paulo.
• 44-30069 B-25J – Museu Aerospacial in Campos dos Afonsos Air Force Base, Rio de Janeiro.
• 44-30245 B-25J – Praca das Velhas Aguias in Natal Air Force Base.

Canada

Airworthy

• 45-8883 B-25J Hot Gen! (formerly Grumpy)- Canadian Warplane Heritage in Hamilton, Ontario.

On display

• 44-30791 B-25J – Alberta Aviation Museum in Edmonton, Alberta. Ex-RCAF 5273, restored in 418 (City of Edmonton Squadron) markings as FW251 “Daisy Mae”.
• 44-86699 B-25J – Canada Aviation and Space Museum in Ottawa, Ontario.
• 44-86724 B-25J – CFB Winnipeg in Manitoba.
• 44-86726 B-25J – Reynolds-Alberta Museum in Wetaskiwin, Alberta.

Ecuador

• 44-86866 B-25J – Museo Aeronautico de la FAE Ecuadorian, Quito Air Force Base, partially restored and repainted in the famous “Apache Princess livery”

Indonesia

• 44-29022 B-25J – Indonesian Air Force Academy Collection in Jawa Tengah, Yogyakarta Air Force Base.
• 44-29032 B-25J – Indonesian Air Force Museum in Yogyakarta Air Force Base.
• 44-30399 B-25J – Armed Forces Museum in Jakarta.

Mexico

On display

• 44-29128 B-25J – Museum of Technology in Mexico City.

Under Restoration

• 44-29145 B-25J – San Juan de Aragon Park in Mexico City.
• 44-30692 B-25J – San Juan de Aragon Park in Mexico City.

Netherlands

Airworthy

• 44-29507 B-25J Sarinah.

On display

• 41-30792 B-25D – Overloon War Museum in Overloon.
• 44-31258 B-25J – Militaire Luchtvaart Museum in Soesterberg.

Papua New Guinea

• 41-12442 B-25C – Girua Airfield in Tadji.
• 41-30163 B-25D – National Museum in Port Moresby.

Russia

• 43-3355 B-25D – Moscow Air Force Museum.

Spain

• 44-29121 B-25J – Museo del Aire, Madrid.

United Kingdom

• 44-29366 B-25J – RAF Museum in Hendon.
• 44-31171 B-25J – American Air Museum in Duxford.

United States

Airworthy

• 40-2168 B-25 Miss Hap – American Airpower Museum in Farmingdale, NY. This aircraft was the fourth off the North American production line in 1940 and was designated an RB-25 (the “R” indicating restricted from combat, not a reconnaissance aircraft) and was assigned to General Henry H. “Hap” Arnold in 1943 and 1944. It was later sold to Howard Hughes in 1951 and took Elizabeth Taylor to the funeral of her husband, Mike Todd. Hughes sold the aircraft in 1961. It also served with the Indonesian Air Force.,

• 43-3318 B-25D Grumpy – Historic Flight Foundation in Mukilteo, Washington.
• 43-3634 B-25D Yankee Warrior – Yankee Air Museum in Ypsilanti, Michigan.

• 43-4106 B-25H Barbie III – History Flight in Wilmington, Delaware.
• 43-27868 B-25H Yellow Rose – Commemorative Air Force (Central Texas Wing) in San Marcos, Texas.
• 43-28059 B-25H Apache Princess – Fantasy of Flight in Polk City, Florida.
• 43-28204 B-25H Pacific Princess – B-25 Mitchell LCC in Missoula, Montana.
• 43-35972 B-25H Maid in the Shade – Commemorative Air Force (Airbase Arizona) in Mesa, Arizona. This aircraft flew fifteen actual combat missions from Seraggia Airport on the island of Corsica in November and December 1944 as Battle 18 with the distinctive blue tail and blue ring cowls she now displays. She was later an aerial pest spray aircraft and arrived at the then Arizona Wing of the CAF and was in restoration for almost 29 years until her first flight in May 2009.
• 44-28866 B-25H Champaign Gal – Champaign Aviation Museum in Urbana, Ohio.
• 44-28925 B-25H How Boot That – Cavanaugh Flight Museum in Addison, Texas.
• 44-28932 B-25H Tondelayo (listed as B-25J but had been a TB-25N)- Collings Foundation in Stow, Massachusetts, aircraft was based at the Foundation’s maintenance plant at American Aero Services at New Smyrna Beach Airport in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, but in August 2013 the aircraft was moved to Nut Tree Airport in Solano County, California to aid the fundraising campaigns of the Jimmy Doolittle Air and Space Center by offering rides over the San Francisco Bay area.
• 44-28938 B-25H Old Glory – J L Ward Aviation Co. Inc. in Coulterville, California.
• 44-29199 B-25H In The Mood – Westpac Restorations in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
• 44-29465 B-25H Guardian Of Freedom – Lyon Air Museum in Santa Ana, California.
• 44-29869 B-25H Miss Mitchell – Commemorative Air Force (Minnesota Wing) in South St. Paul, Minnesota.
• 44-29939 B-25H Briefing Time – Mid-Atlantic Air Museum in Reading, Pennsylvania.
• 44-30129 B-25H Wild Cargo – Military Aviation Museum in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
• 44-30254 B-25H (unnamed) – Flying Heritage Collection in Everett, Washington.
• 44-30423 B-25H Photo Fanny – Planes of Fame in Chino, California. This airplane has appeared in numerous movies, e.g. Catch-22 and Forever Young.
• 44-30456 B-25H Russian Ta Get Ya – Lewis Air Legends in San Antonio, Texas.
• 44-30606 B-25H Tootsie – TSM Enterprises in Carson City, Nevada.
• 44-30734 B-25H Panchito – Delaware Aviation Museum in Georgetown, Delaware.
• 44-30748 B-25H Heavenly Body – Erickson Aircraft Collection in Madras, Oregon.
• 44-30801 B-25H Executive Sweet – American Aeronautical Foundation in Camarillo, California.
• 44-30823 B-25H Pacific Prowler – William Glover in Mount Pleasant, Texas.
• 44-30832 B-25H Buck U – Claire Aviation Inc. in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
• 44-31385 B-25H Show Me – Commemorative Air Force (Missouri Wing) in St. Charles, Missouri.
• 44-86697 B-25H Killer B – T Reilly Vintage Aircraft Inc. in Wilmington, Delaware.
• 44-86698 B-25H Paper Doll – Fagen Fighters WWII Museum in Granite Falls, Minnesota.
• 44-86725 B-25H Super Rabbit – Oklahoma Museum of Flying in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
• 44-86734 B-25H Special Delivery – Lone Star Flight Museum in Galveston, Texas.
• 44-86747 B-25H Mitch The Witch II – Palm Springs Air Museum in Palm Springs, California.
• 44-86777 B-25H Georgie’s Gal – Liberty Aviation Museum in Port Clinton, Ohio.
• 44-86785 B-25H Georgia Mae – Wiley Sanders Truck Lines Inc. in Troy, Alabama.
• 44-86791 B-25H (unnamed) – Yanks Air Museum in Chino, California.
• 44-86797 B-25H Ol Grey Mare – Lauridsen Aviation Museum in Buckeye, Arizona.
• 45-8835 B-25H Betty’s Dream – Texas Flying Legends Museum in Houston, Texas.
• 45-8884 B-25H Lady Luck – Lady Luck LCC in Blaine, Minnesota.
• 45-8887 B-25H Ah’m Available Too – Mitchell Aircraft Components Inc. in Chino, California.
• 45-8898 B-25H Axis Nighmare – Tri-State Warbird Museum in Batavia, Ohio.

• 44-86758 PBJ-1J Devil Dog – Commemorative Air Force (Devil Dog Squadron) at Georgetown Municipal Airport in Georgetown, Texas.
• 35857 PBJ-1J Semper Fi – Commemorative Air Force (Southern California Wing) at Camarillo Airport(former Oxnard AFB) in Camarillo, California.

On display

• 41-29784 B-25D Fertile Myrtle – Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina.
• 43-3308 B-25D (unnamed) – Freedom Museum in Pampa, Texas. It is on loan from the USMC Museum in Quantico, Virginia.
• 43-3374 B-25D (unnamed) – National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, Ohio.

• 43-4432 B-25H City of Burlington – EAA AirVenture Museum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
• 43-4899 B-25H (unnamed) – Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
• 43-4999 B-25H Dog Daize – New England Air Museum in Windsor Locks, Connecticut.

• 43-4030 B-25J Blonde Bomber – South Dakota Air and Space Museum at Ellsworth AFB in South Dakota.
• 43-27712 B-25J The Spirit Of Al Penn – Pima Air & Space Museum adjacent to Davis-Monthan AFBin Tucson, Arizona.
• 43-28222 B-25J (unnamed) – Hurlburt Field, Florida.
• 44-28834 B-25J Flo – Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota.
• 44-28875 B-25J (unnamed) – Goodfellow AFB, San Angelo, Texas.
• 44-29035 B-25J (unnamed) – National Naval Aviation Museum at NAS Pensacola in Pensacola, Florida; painted as a PBJ-1 of VMB-423.
• 44-29812 B-25J Safe Return – National World War II Museum in New Orleans, Louisiana.
• 44-29835 B-25J (unnamed) – Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas.
• 44-30077 B-25J Mouthy Mitchell – Pacific Aviation Museum at the former NAS Ford Island in Honolulu, Hawaii.
• 44-30243 B-25J (unnamed) – Pendelton Air Museum in Pendelton, Oregon.
• 44-30363 B-25J Desert Bloom – Strategic Air and Space Museum in Ashland, Nebraska. The museum also features a partial fuselage display of another B-25.
• 44-30444 B-25J (unnamed) – General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
• 44-30493 B-25J (unnamed) – Malmstrom AFB, Great Falls, Montana.
• 44-30535 B-25J Iron Laiden Maiden – Mid-America Air Museum in Liberal, Kansas.
• 44-30635 B-25J Whiskey Pete – Octave Chanute Aerospace Museum at the former Chanute AFB in Rantoul, Illinois.
• 44-30649 B-25J Poopsie – Maxwell AFB, Alabama.
• 44-30854 B-25J (unnamed) – Air Force Armament Museum at Eglin AFB in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. This aircraft, retired in 1960, was the last operational B-25 in the USAF inventory.
• 44-31004 B-25J Mary Alice II – Battleship Memorial Park in Mobile, Alabama.
• 44-31032 B-25J Problem Child – March Field Air Museum at March ARB (former March AFB) in Riverside, California. It is on loan from the Military Aircraft Restoration Corp in Chino, California.
• 44-86727 B-25J (unnamed) – Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in California.
• 44-86772 B-25J (unnamed) – Hill Aerospace Museum at Hill AFB, Utah.
• 44-86843 B-25J Passionette Paulette – Grissom Air Museum at Grissom ARB (former Grissom AFB) in Indiana.
• 44-86872 B-25J The Little King – Museum of Aviation at Robins AFB in Warner Robins, Georgia.
• 44-86880 B-25J (unnamed) – National Museum of the Pacific War in Fredericksburg, Texas.
• 44-86891 B-25J Lazy Daisy Mae – Castle Air Museum at the former Castle AFB in Atwater, California.

Under restoration or in storage

• 40-2347 B-25B – fuselage in storage at Aero Trader in Ocotillo Wells, California.

• 41-13285 B-25C Skunkie – to flightworthiness or display status by South Carolina Historic Aviation Foundation in Columbia, South Carolina.
• 42-32354 B-25C – in storage at Aero Trader in Ocotillo Wells, California. This aircraft was featured in the season 2 premiere of The Twilight Zone “King Nine Will Not Return”.

• 44-29877 B-25J Carol Jean – in storage at the Paul Garber Facility of the National Air and Space Museum in Silver Hill, Maryland.
• 44-29943 B-25J – to flightworthiness by S&R Aviation Services Inc. in Chino, California.
• 44-30203 B-25J – for display by the Pacific Coast Air Museum in Santa Rosa, California.
• 44-30210 B-25J – to flightworthiness by Latshaw Drilling & Exportation Co. in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
• 44-30324 B-25J – to flightworthiness by Ken McBride in San Martin, California.
• 44-30627 B-25J – to flightworthiness by Mitchell Aircraft Components in Chino, California.
• 44-30733 B-25J Sandbar Mitchell – to flightworthiness by Warbirds of Glory Museum in Brighton, Michigan.
• 44-30756 B-25J – to flightworthiness by Southwest Aircraft Inc. in Fairacres, New Mexico.
• 44-86715 B-25J – to flightworthiness by Westpac Restorations in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
• 44-86844 B-25J – to flightworthiness by Training Services Inc. in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Venezuela

• 43-28096 B-25J – Museo Aeronautico FAV in Maracay Air Force Base.
• 44-30631 B-25J – Teniente Vicente Landaeta Gil AB in Barquisimeto.