Two Beautiful Gals............

[Louis of PA]

[Louis of PA]

[Louis of PA]

[Louis of PA]

At the 2008 air show, I spoke with a man who flew these in Europe; I'll try to find and post his photograph.

I also know a fellow who served in New Guinea, maintaining B-25s and other aircraft. He saw a few of these, between bouts of Malaria and Dengue fever; they were so far from supply lines, they lacked medicines to treat such diseases, and just had to live with them.

At Reading Airport, they're trying to restore this. I believe it was salvaged from some jungle. You can't just find parts for it at the local supply house; I don't know how they'll do manage. I'm sure lots of $$$ are involved.

[Louis of PA]

This fellow, shown with the girl he married after the war, flew the P-61 with the 9th Air Force, first from a base in England, then in France, then Belgium. They were in Belgium when the Bulge started; he said the Jerries got within a few miles of the airfield.

Later during that period, the Luftwaffe put everything that could fly into the air and launched a massive attack on our forces. He went up that day and got two; said he could have gotten more but "just wasn't up to it."

Nice fellow, easy to talk with. I let them go because the heat this day was blistering hot, and I was concerned about her.

P.S. Note the multiple Oak Leaf clusters

[Louis of PA]

[Louis of PA]

[Louis of PA]

General Kinney, head of our air force in the southwest Pacific, arranged for optional nose configurations for this B-25 medium bomber. They could be changed in the theater, from solid nose, to multiple machine guns and even to a cannon, though I forget the caliber; it was 75mm or larger.

I could have used John's Photoshop skills with these views.
Regards,
Louis of PA

[jon_norstog]

Louis,

The B-25 optionally carried a 75mm gun in the nose. At least one Japanes destroyer was sunk by B-25s using cannon.It may have been the Ariake in July '43.

jn

[Louis of PA]