| Driving down New Highway, which skirts the perimeter | | | | 50 Japanese fighters, "Sorry Satchul" so badly |
| of Farmingdale, Long Island's, Republic Airport, on the | | | | damaged that it had been forced to head for shore |
| still-warm, crystal-blue Labor Day morning in 2006, and | | | | and ditch and "Tondelayo," despite its own critical |
| glimpsing the tails of the World War II B-24 Liberator, | | | | wounds, hovering only 30 feet above the water where |
| B-17 Flying Fortress, and B-25 Mitchell bombers, I had | | | | it had managed to shoot down five additional enemy |
| once again realized that the Collings Foundation's | | | | aircraft. Limping into base at Kiriwina, the aircraft had |
| annual Wings of Freedom fleet rotation, more than any | | | | subsequently been repaired and patched, receiving a |
| other year, had transformed the general aviation field | | | | new right wing, engine, propeller blades, and radio |
| into an early-1940s pocket of time, a hub of medium | | | | equipment. Its crew had been awarded the Silver Star. |
| and heavy bomber operations. | | | | Squatting under the forward fuselage and climbing the |
| The aircraft intended for my mission, the North | | | | short ladder into the cockpit section on that Labor Day |
| American B-25 Mitchell registered 130669 "Tondelayo" | | | | in 2006, I took the right of the two observer's seats |
| and wearing its drab olive-green livery, had been the | | | | located a foot below, and behind, the cockpit, while the |
| third parked on the ramp of the American Airpower | | | | four other passengers entered the aft section, located |
| Museum, both an historical and symbolic position | | | | behind the bomb bay, through the ventral hatch, which |
| relative to the two heavier, longer-range aircraft which | | | | had been configured with an aft-facing, three-person |
| had been preceded it. | | | | bench seat and three individual seats. With the ladder |
| Resulting from a 1938 Air Corps requirement for a | | | | now raised and the dual panel folded across it to form |
| twin-engined, medium-range bomber which could fulfill | | | | a portion of the integral floor, the B-25J had been |
| niche roles its larger, quad-engined counterparts had | | | | secured for engine start. |
| been unable to, and tracing its lineage to the B-10, the | | | | The two-person cockpit, sporting bow tie control |
| B-12, the B-18, and the B-23, the B-25 itself, named | | | | yokes, featured a throttle quadrant with the two |
| after the US Army Air Corps Officer General Billy | | | | engine throttles angled toward the pilot, two |
| Mitchell, had been infused life as a self-funded project | | | | propeller-pitch throttles, and two fuel-mixture throttles |
| by North American Aviation in the form of the | | | | angled toward the copilot. |
| NA-40-1. The 19,500-pound prototype, featuring a | | | | Engine start, commencing with the right, number 2 |
| narrow fuselage with a green house cockpit; a straight | | | | powerplant, entailed turning the master ignition switch |
| mid-wing; two, 1,100-horsepower R-1830 piston engines; | | | | and right booster pump on, at which point the Wright |
| an angular, twin vertical tail; and a tricycle undercarriage | | | | R-2600 powerplant rotated and the interior became |
| of single wheels, had first flown in January of 1939, but | | | | saturated with deep, vibrating, Hamilton Standard |
| a power deficiency had necessitated the retrofit of | | | | propeller-created noise. Priming and stabilizing them |
| 1,350-horsepower R-2600s. Although the modified | | | | with the throttle to create between 800 and 1,000 |
| version, designated NA-40-2, had offered superior | | | | revolutions per minute, the captain applied a full-rich |
| performance, it crashed after a two-week test | | | | mixture, causing them to settle into a throaty, 1,200-rpm |
| program. | | | | idle. The process was repeated with the left, number 1 |
| Its NA-62 successor, which had been extensively | | | | engine. |
| modified, featured a wider fuselage which in turn | | | | Contacting Republic Ground on 121.6 for taxi clearance, |
| increased the now lower-mounted, constant root-to-tip | | | | and armed with the latest automatic terminal |
| dihedral mid-wing span, 1,700-horsepower R-2600-9 | | | | information service data, the twin-finned bomber |
| engines, square-geometry vertical tails, and a | | | | released its brakes at 0845, the thrust created by its |
| 27,000-pound gross weight. Approved in September | | | | engines, even at idle settings, sufficient to move it |
| of 1939, this version, designated the XB-25, first flew in | | | | forward over the American Airpower ramp and away |
| prototype form on August 19 of the following year. | | | | from the World War II bomber trio. Taxiing parallel to |
| Initially delivered to the Army Air Corps, the aircraft | | | | the active runway, 32, the B-25J periodically jolted in |
| demonstrated directional stability deficiencies, resulting | | | | response to brake applications, turning on to the run-up |
| in the outer wing mounting redesign with the tenth | | | | area by means of differential power, its |
| aircraft off the production line, which reduced the | | | | slipstream-bombarded twin rudders aerodynamically |
| engine-to-wing tip dihedral and gave it its characteristic | | | | inducing ground turns. Extending its slotted, trailing edge |
| gull-wing profile. | | | | flaps and advancing its throttles, the medium-capacity |
| The B-25 Mitchell, in production form, appeared with an | | | | bomber, assuredly a giant in comparison to the |
| aluminum alloy, semi-monocoque fuselage, constructed | | | | currently landing Piper Warrior, moved on to the |
| of four longerons, which produced a 53.6-foot overall | | | | runway's threshold, just as the B-17 had commenced |
| length. The cantilever, all-metal, mid-mounted wings, | | | | its own taxi roll from the ramp. |
| comprised of a two-spar, fuselage-integral center | | | | Moving into take off position and aligning its nose wheel |
| section housing integral fuel tanks and two outer, | | | | with the centerline, aircraft 130669 received take off |
| single-spar sections with detachable wing tips, featured | | | | clearance from Republic Tower on 125.2, slowly |
| sealed ailerons with both fixed and controllable trimming | | | | advancing its two throttles in order to establish initial |
| tabs and dual-section, hydraulically-operated, trailing | | | | directional control. Firmly maintaining a straight |
| edge slotted flaps divided by the engine nacelles. | | | | acceleration roll, the 1,500-horsepower twin-row radials |
| Spanning 67.7 feet, they sported a 609.8-square-foot | | | | powering the Collings Foundation aircraft exploded with |
| area. Powered by two 1,700-horsepower, | | | | cabin-saturating noise as smooth, steady throttle |
| Wright-Cyclone two-row, 14-cylinder, air-cooled R-2600 | | | | advancements pinnacled them into their METO |
| piston engines housed in aerodynamic nacelles which | | | | settings of 2,600 revolutions-per-minute and 40 inches |
| traversed the wing chord and turned three-bladed, | | | | of manifold pressure. Counteracting wind-induced |
| constant-speed, 12.7-foot, full-feathering, anti-icing | | | | directional variations with subtle rudder deflections, the |
| Hamilton Standard propellers, the aircraft could climb to | | | | captain began applying control column back pressure |
| 15,000 feet in 11.3 minutes and attain a maximum speed | | | | at 75 knots indicated air speed, the now |
| of 303 mph at 13,000 feet. The cantilever twin vertical | | | | ground-separated nose wheel producing a |
| fins and rudders, fitted with fixed and controllable | | | | lift-generating angle-of-attack. The air speed-created |
| trimming tabs, had been modified with rounded tops | | | | pressure differential, bathing the huge, outstretched, |
| and yielded a 16.5-foot aircraft height. The tricycle, | | | | upper wing surfaces in a steady stream of |
| single-wheeled, hydraulically-actuated, aft-retracting | | | | accelerated air, removed all ground restraints and |
| undercarriage, the first such configuration employed by | | | | allowed them to peel the gravity-defying aircraft to |
| a US bomber, featured aerodynamic door covers | | | | which they had been attached off the ground at 115 |
| over all three wheel wells in both the extended and | | | | knots. Retracting its tricycle undercarriage at the |
| retracted positions, while the main wheels were | | | | aircraft's VMC-determined 145-knot speed, and |
| equipped with hydraulic brakes. The aircraft, with a | | | | trimming itself into its initial climb, the twin-engined |
| 21,100-pound empty weight, had a maximum gross | | | | bomber, encased in engine slipstream, rolled into a right |
| weight of 33,500 pounds. | | | | bank over Route 110, headed toward Long Island's |
| Several versions had been produced. The first of | | | | south shore. |
| these, the B-25A, incorporated pilot armor and | | | | Maintaining a 150-degree heading, the now-graceful |
| self-sealing fuel tanks, while its successor, the B-25B, | | | | flying bird reduced its engine rpm to 2300 and its |
| introduced two electrically-operated Bendix turrets, | | | | manifold pressure to 30, moving abreast of the |
| each of which replaced the midship and tail guns and | | | | metallic, erector set-appearing Captree Bridge at 1,000 |
| featured two.50 caliber machine guns. Entering service | | | | feet, which stretched across the deep blue surface of |
| in 1941 with the 17th Bomb Group at McChord Field | | | | the Great South Bay from the island to Jones Beach |
| near Tacoma, Washington, the aircraft, whose | | | | and its signature lighthouse. The azure of the water, |
| production run totaled 120, also featured a separate | | | | seamlessly merging with that of the sky, melded into a |
| photographic station between the upper turret and the | | | | surreal dimension, as viewed from the |
| tail and a shortened, 54.1-foot length. | | | | 270-degree-encompassing Plexiglas nose. |
| Powered by two 1,700-horsepower Wright R-2600-13 | | | | The power-to-weight ratio, coupled to its aerodynamic |
| engines, the B-25C, the third version, introduced an | | | | design, had been the key to the highly-maneuverable, |
| autopilot system and external racks which could carry | | | | medium mission bomber. Unlike its long-range, |
| eight 250-pound bombs, and a later fuel capacity | | | | high-altitude, heavy B-17 and B-24 counterparts, the |
| increase to 1,100 gallons. Of the 3,909 build, 1,619 had | | | | B-25, at half their acquisition costs, had been intended |
| been produced in Inglewood, California, while 2,290 had | | | | for interdiction purposes, delivering tactical blows to |
| been assembled in Kansas City, Kansas, under the | | | | enemy targets closer to the front. Because of its |
| B-25D designation. | | | | maneuverability, it had been able to fly low-level, |
| The singular B-25E and -F variants were intended as | | | | tree-top strafing sorties, where it had remained virtually |
| test vehicles of wing and tail anti-icing systems, while | | | | hidden, and had then dropped parachute-retarding |
| the B-25G replaced the glazed nose with an armored | | | | bombs, which had enabled it to escape before |
| one, the latter containing two.50 caliber machine guns | | | | detonation. Although it had operated extensively in the |
| and one 9.6-foot-long, 900-pound, cradle-mounted, M-4 | | | | Pacific, targeting Japanese air fields from treetop |
| cannon capable of firing 23-inch, 15-pound shells. | | | | altitudes and skip-bombing enemy ships, it had been |
| Although its armament had otherwise adhered to the | | | | used in all theaters of operation, and had been flown |
| B-25C standard, its bomb bay could accommodate an | | | | by the Australians, the British, the Chinese, and the |
| aircraft torpedo. The variant, operated by a crew of | | | | Dutch. It had been the first bomber to have been |
| four and featuring a 50.10-foot overall length, enjoyed a | | | | lend-leased to Russia. |
| 405-unit production run. | | | | The most famous B-25 mission, led by Lieutenant |
| The B-25H, with significantly increased armament, | | | | Colonel James H. Doolittle and occurring on April 18, |
| featured four.50 caliber machine guns in the metallic, | | | | 1942, had entailed the launch of 16 aircraft from the |
| armored nose, and a further four on the side, arranged | | | | aircraft carrier USS Hornet. Of the four candidate |
| in pairs; a repositioned top turret, now located in the | | | | aircraft, inclusive of the B-18, the B-23, the B-26, and |
| roof of the navigator's compartment; the removal of | | | | the B-25 itself, the latter had been chosen because of |
| the ventral turret; enlarged, aft-wing,.50 caliber machine | | | | its performance. The aircraft, B-25Bs modified at the |
| gun waist positions; and a tail gun station with two | | | | Northwest Airlines maintenance facility in Minnesota to |
| further.50 caliber machine guns. As World War II's | | | | increase their fuel tankage from 694 to 1,141 US |
| most extensively armed design, it could attain 293-mph | | | | gallons, had featured dorsal and ventral power turrets, |
| speeds at 13,000 feet and had a 23,800-foot service | | | | but had been devoid of tail armament. Loaded on the |
| ceiling. | | | | USS Hornet for the sea journey to Japan, 16 aircraft, |
| The B-25J, the definitive and numerically most popular | | | | each at 31,000-pound gross weights, would take off |
| version, had been intended for precision bombing. The | | | | from the 467-foot deck at a 450-mile distance, close |
| aircraft, introducing a bombardier who increased the | | | | enough to permit them to bomb targets in Tokyo, |
| crew complement to six, reincorporated the glazed | | | | Yokahama, Kobe, and Nagoya, yet retain sufficient fuel |
| nose which had now been provisioned with one fixed | | | | supplies to continue the 1,200 miles to China. |
| and one flexible.50 caliber machine gun. The largest | | | | Encountering a Japanese picket boat during the |
| single Mitchell order, for 4,318 B-25s, had been placed | | | | morning of April 18, and fearing imminent attack, |
| on April 14, 1943, and the aircraft, attaining 292-mph | | | | Doolittle made the decision to launch the B-25 fleet at |
| speeds at 14,500 feet, could cruise at service ceilings | | | | an 800-mile distance, or 350 miles further, from land, |
| of 25,500 feet. | | | | the first take off occurring at 8:18 a.m., which had been |
| Between 1941 and 1945, the Army Air Corps took | | | | less than an hour after the boat had been sighted. |
| delivery of 9,816 B-25s, 3,218 of which had been | | | | Using strong headwinds and the deck's sea |
| produced in Inglewood, California, until 1943, and the | | | | swell-created inclination, the bombers had just been |
| remaining 6,608 of which had been produced in | | | | able to accomplish the precarious feat, with the last |
| Kansas City. | | | | taking off at 9:21 a.m. |
| The B-25 Mitchell had several post-war applications. | | | | After some four hours of flying, the lead aircraft, flown |
| Demilitarized, and designated TB-25, the type, based | | | | by Doolittle himself, dropped the first bomb over |
| upon the B-25J, had been converted into a trainer with | | | | Tokyo, shortly after which it had been joined by the |
| the installation of an observer's seat in the nose, ahead | | | | remaining 15. Although all safely departed Japanese air |
| and below the cockpit; two student seats behind the | | | | space, insufficient fuel, caused by the earlier launching, |
| standard two pilot-instructor positions; and up to five | | | | and deteriorating weather, resulted in the crash-landing |
| seats in the aft cabin. Of the 400 converted aircraft | | | | or abandonment of 15 B-25s in China, while the 16th |
| operated by the US Air Force during the 1950s, the | | | | landed in Vladivostock, where its crew had been |
| last active-duty staff transport had not been retired | | | | captured. |
| until May 21, 1960, although it had continued to be | | | | Nevertheless, the mission had been both a |
| operated by the air forces of Brazil, Canada, Chile, | | | | technological and operational success, and had |
| Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, Holland, Uruguay, and | | | | elevated troop morale and garnered tremendous |
| Venezuela. | | | | notoriety for the aircraft. |
| A photographic reconnaissance variant, the F-10, had | | | | Banking left to a 240-degree heading, aircraft 1306669 |
| featured a nose-installed tri-metrogon camera along | | | | Tondelayo was carried back over Captree Bridge by |
| with other aerial photography equipment, while other | | | | its gull, variable-dihedral wings and its three-bladed |
| non-military roles had included those of executive | | | | propellers, crossing over Long Island's south shore. The |
| transport, freighter, and fire bomber. | | | | B-17 Flying Fortress, appearing particularly graceful |
| The aircraft operating my Labor Day flight, a B-25J | | | | over the blue surface of the Great South Bay, flexed |
| registered 44-28932, had been produced in August of | | | | off of the port cockpit windows. World War II skies |
| 1944 by North American Aviation in Kansas City, | | | | had somehow been resurrected that morning. |
| Kansas. Accepted by the United States Army Air | | | | Fuel burn depended on engine setting: at 180 mph, with |
| Corps on August 3 of that year, it had served in the | | | | the engines turning at 1,700 revolutions per minute and |
| US in the AAF Flying Training Command Program, | | | | feeding off of 27 inches of manifold pressure, the |
| serving 12 different air bases until January of 1959, at | | | | aircraft burned 120 gallons per hour, while a ten-mph |
| which time it had been declared surplus and had been | | | | cruise speed increase, attained with a 1,800-rpm |
| deleted from the US Air Force inventory. Converted | | | | 28-inch setting, resulted in a 130-gallon per hour |
| into a fire bomber, it had combated forest fires for | | | | consumption. |
| another 25 years. | | | | Recontacting Republic Tower, aircraft 130699 advised |
| Acquired by the Collings Foundation in 1984, and | | | | its intention of "inbound for landing" and reduced power, |
| restored by Tom Reilly Vintage Aircraft over a | | | | now gravity-induced into its descent profile. Maintaining |
| two-year period, the B-25J, the first World War II | | | | a 180-mph speed and a 320-degree heading, it |
| bomber in the collection, had been flown n air shows in | | | | extended its trailing edge flaps, which provided air |
| the Boston area for a decade, whereafter it had been | | | | speed control, by means of progressive drag |
| ferried to Chino, California, in late 2001, for a secondary | | | | production. Flap settings equally depended on flight |
| restoration by Carl Scholl of Aero Trader, Inc. | | | | phase: 1/4 for take off, 1/2 and 3/4 for descent, and |
| Subsequently repositioned to Midland, Texas, it was | | | | full for landing. |
| painted by AVSource West in its current Tondelayo | | | | The aircraft's clean stalling speed had been 95 mph, |
| livery after the B-25 which had been operated by the | | | | which decreased to 83 mph at maximum gross |
| Air Apache 345th BG of the 5th Air Force in the | | | | weight with full flaps and undercarriage at 26,000 feet. |
| Pacific Theater against targets in New Guinea, the | | | | Extending its drag-producing landing gear into the |
| 500th BS of the 5th Air Force itself having been the | | | | slipstream, the aircraft inched toward Runway 32's |
| fourth squadron of the 345th BG to have attacked | | | | threshold, as its altimeter unwound: 600 |
| shipping in Vunapope near Rabaul on October 18, 1943. | | | | feet...500...300...100... |
| The Tondelayo name had been inspired by Hedy | | | | Passing over the fence at 115 mph, the olive-green, |
| Lamarr's character in the 1943 movie White Cargo | | | | twin-engined, twin-finned medium bomber sank toward |
| and given by the crew of Lieutenant Ralph Wallace. | | | | the blurred concrete in a full back-pressure control |
| The three-aircraft formation, comprised of the B-25 | | | | yoke-induced flare, screeching on the ground with its |
| "Snafu" and flown by Captain Lyle Anacker, the | | | | left main wheel at 80 mph, at which time the friction |
| "Tondelayo" flown by Lieutenant Wallace himself, and | | | | sufficiently reduced its air speed to permit the |
| the "Sorry Satchul" flown by Lieutenant Paterson, had | | | | remaining two bogies to settle earthward. |
| claimed three ships, but avenging fighters had attacked | | | | Completing its deceleration roll and taxiing on to the |
| "Sorry Satchul," hitting its port engine and forcing it to | | | | American Airpower Museum ramp, the B-25J Mitchell, |
| ditch, and "Tondelayo," damaging its right engine. Shut | | | | as the medium mission bomber, had appropriately been |
| down and feathered, it had almost wrenched itself | | | | the first to return to base, the B-17 and the B-24 still |
| from its mountings because of severe vibration. | | | | plying the skies. If World War II had still been raging, the |
| Flying over Cape Gazelle toward base, the B-25 duo, | | | | sequence would have been exactly the same. |
| maintaining tight formation, had been targeted by some | | | | |