My Dad flew a B-25 Mitchell in the South Pacific in WWII. And to be really precise, since he was a Marine, they called them the PBJ's.
When I finally saw one in real life, I asked my Dad, "Is that a half-scale mockup?" and he said, "Nope. That's how small they are"
My respect for my Dad, which was already huge, grew another three sizes that day. To get into a tiny bomber like that, fly over the ocean and drop bombs while being constantly shot at, was more than my safe little existence could handle.
Registered: 07/11/01
Posts: 28789
Loc: Westborough, MA, USA
We gave my dad a ride on a B-17 for his birthday one year. He was a kid during the war and he had always loved that plane. It is one of the only times I ever saw him cry, he was so happy about that gift.
He was a radio operator during the Korean War and they let him sit at the radio operator's spot and "send messages" using the Morse code setup. He taught other operators Morse code in the Army and he used to just .. .tap stuff out for fun all the time.
And I thought his head was going to split in two when he finished his ride, he was smiling so big.
Have a great, great time.
_________________________ The internet, and the whole technology sector on which it floats, feels like a giant organ for bullshittery—for upscaling human access to speech and for amplifying lies. - Ian Bogost
Professor Truth T. Sweetness says,"Mind your manners!"
Registered: 07/11/01
Posts: 28789
Loc: Westborough, MA, USA
That is AWESOME Jim! Can't wait to see.
When we took my dad on his flight I could not believe the sound of those four engines on that B-17. Holy cannoli.
_________________________ The internet, and the whole technology sector on which it floats, feels like a giant organ for bullshittery—for upscaling human access to speech and for amplifying lies. - Ian Bogost
Professor Truth T. Sweetness says,"Mind your manners!"
Nice! Thanks for sharing. Those are excellent shots you took. I feel like I have a sense of what that was like. I would absolutely love a shot at that.
Any idea when that particular plane last saw service?
_________________________
"Well well well, if it isn't the consequences of my own actions."
Registered: 09/09/00
Posts: 10384
Loc: Phoenix, AZ
Quote:
Our particular B-25J Maid In The Shade served her wartime duty with the 319th Bomb Group, 437th Squadron at Serragia Airbase, Corsica. There it was assigned Battle Number 18. The plane flew 15 combat missions over Italy and Yugoslavia between November 4 and December 31, 1944. The majority of the targets were railroad bridges.
