Friday, August 1, 2014

ON BOARD B-25 BOMBER HD

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  1. Published on Aug 1, 2014
    TAKE A FLIGHT FROM VICTORIA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT BACK IN TIME ABOARD B-25 MAID IN THE SHADE
    AREAL VIEWS OF SIDNEY AND VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA
    The versitile B-25J Maid in the Shade was delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force on June 9, 1944. The medium sized bomber departed Morrison Field in Florida on July 7, 1944, and followed the southern route through Brazil, then across the Atlantic to Africa where it was delivered to the 3rd Air Facility Depot. Later that Fall it was picked up by the 319th Bomb Group, 437th Squadron at Serraggia Airbase, Corsica where it was assigned Battle Number 18. The plane proceeded to fly 15 combat missions over Italy between Nov. 4 and Dec. 31, 1944. The majority of the targets were railroad bridges.
    B-25 "Maid in the Shade"The North American B-25 Mitchell, a twin-engine bomber that became standard equipment for the Allied Air Forces in World War II, was perhaps the most versatile aircraft of the war. It became the most heavily armed airplane in the world, was used for high- and low-level bombing, strafing, photoreconnaissance, submarine patrol and even as a fighter, and was distinguished as the aircraft that completed the historic raid over Tokyo in 1942.
    Basically, it was a twin-tail, mid-wing land monoplane powered by two 1,700-hp Wright Cyclone engines.
    Normal bomb capacity was 5,000 pounds. Some versions carried 75 mm cannon, machine guns and added firepower of 13 .50-caliber guns in the conventional bombardier's compartment. One version carried eight .50-caliber guns in the nose in an arrangement that provided 14 forward-firing guns.
    Specifications
    First flight: Aug. 19, 1940
    Span: 67 feet 6.7 inches
    Wing area: 610 square feet
    Length: 53 feet
    Weight: Empty, 20,305 pounds; normal gross weight, 27,051 pounds; useful load, 6,746 pounds
    Power plant: Two 1,700-hp Wright Cyclone supercharged 14-cylinder radial engines, driving 12-foot-7-inch full-feathering, constant-speed Hamilton Standard three-bladed props
    Speed: In excess of 300 miles per hour
    Crew: Pilot, co-pilot, bombardier, radio operator, gunner
    Range: In excess of 3,000 miles, using droppable tanks
    Landing gear: Hydraulically operated tricycle

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