The North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engine military medium bomber. Named for air-power advocate William Mitchell, it served in widely separated theatres and became particularly associated with low-level attacks in the Pacific. Its best-known early operation was the carrier-launched Doolittle raid of April 1942.[1][2]
From proposal to production
The Army's 1939 medium-bomber competition produced orders for both the Martin B-26 and North American's design. The B-25 developed from the company's earlier NA-40 work but incorporated a different wing position and a side-by-side cockpit. Its twin fins and Wright R-2600 radial engines became characteristic features of the production aircraft.[2]
The first B-25 flew on 19 August 1940, and the Army accepted its first five aircraft in February 1941. North American subsequently built the type at factories in California and Kansas, creating a large family of bombers and attack aircraft.[1]
Raiding and low-level attack
Sixteen B-25s launched from USS Hornet on 18 April 1942 to strike Japan. Although designed for medium-altitude level bombing, the Mitchell also became an effective low-level attacker. Pacific units used bombs and forward-firing guns against airfields, coastal positions and shipping, including skip-bombing attacks.[1]
The B-25G introduced a 75 mm cannon in the nose. The H-model developed the heavily armed attack configuration further, while other Mitchells retained a bombardier's position. This range of installations reflects the different methods by which units employed the same basic airframe.[1]
Other operators and later careers
British, Dutch, Chinese, Soviet and Australian forces also flew Mitchells. The U.S. Navy operated its versions as PBJs. After the war, training conversions and civilian uses extended the aircraft's life; the Smithsonian's former B-25J became a TB-25N trainer before civilian firefighting and film work.[1][2]