During the 2019 Thunder Over Michigan Airshow, I had the opportunity to fly in Yankee Air Museum’s original aircraft, their C-47D Skytrain named “Hairless Joe”.
The C-47 is easily one of the most iconic allied aircraft of World War Two. General Eisenhower named the C-47 as one of the weapons that enabled victory for the Allies. Although the C-47 served in every theatre of operations, it is likely best known to most as the main jump platform for paratroopers participating in the D-Day invasion of France in June, 1944. When the museum made the decision to change the paint scheme of their C-47, they looked at a number of options. With many aircraft already paying tribute to C-47s from the European Theatre of Operations, Yankee Air Museum decided on an aircraft from the China-Burma theatre. Specifically, “Hairless Joe” from the 319th Troop Carrier Squadron, a part of the 1st Air Commando Unit. Hairless Joe was the aircraft piloted by then Maj. Richard “Dick” Cole, more well known as being the co-pilot to General Jimmy Doolittle in aircraft 1 of the April, 1942 raid on Tokyo. The freshly painted aircraft was unveiled at the 2018 Oshkosh show, with Mr. Cole in attendance.
The ride commenced with a short safety briefing outside the aircraft, and included use of safety belts and escape procedures. Riders boarded via a step ladder and were seated paratrooper style in the spacious cargo cabin of the aircraft. The door was closed, and the engines coughed to life. Internal temperatures inside the aircraft quickly rose due to outside temperatures combined with the P dark green color. We quickly taxied to the runway and the rush of air cooled the inside. The engines came up to full power and the tail quickly rose up to level the aircraft. We climbed briefly and the word was given that we could move about the aircraft.
The cramped cockpit area of the C-47Navigator stationRadios
Riders were able to view outside via the cargo the windows and then move forward to sit in the radio and navigator positions. Riders also had the opportunity to stand just behind the pilot and co-pilot positions. It was magical to be flying along in a historic aircraft such as the C-47. It was extra special for me since I had previously met Mr. Cole, and now had a second connection to his service life. I could also vaguely imagine standing up and clicking my parachute release to the static line like one of the brave men during D-Day.
The view from one of the read windows in the C-47 cargo area.
The time passed quickly and the crew informed us to get buckled back into our seats for landing. Shortly thereafter the aircraft slowed as the main landing gear extended and eventually made connection with the runway. We briefly taxied back into the area we loaded and de-planed.
Although my flight was brief, the experience will last with me for a lifetime. I wish to thank the Yankee Air Museum and Executive Director, Kevin Walsh, for the opportunity as well as World Airshow News’ Canadian Editor, Kerry Newstead. For more information about the Yankee Air Museum or purchasing a ride in one of their historic aircraft, visit their website at http://www.yankeeairmuseum.org.
My article originally appeared in World Airshow News. I have added additional supporting photos.
The Thunder Over Michigan airshow was held on July 16-17, and featured a wide variety of which included warbird aircraft, military demonstrations and headlined by the US Navy Blue Angels.
Similar to 2021, the event was a “drive in” style show with people parking in the spot they would occupy on the airshow grounds. The theme of the show was “the British are coming!” A number of British aircraft were scheduled to appear, however large thunderstorm cells across the United States and mechanical issues prevented many of the aircraft from coming in. Thankfully, several flying museums answered the cry for help and provided additional airframes to fill the show.
Louis Horschel FG-1D Corsair
No stranger to Thunder Over Michigan, Lou Horschel returned in his FG-1D Corsair to start off each day with an aerobatic performance. The airframe is former bureau number 88090 and is now registered as NZ5612. The aircraft served in World War II with the New Zealand Air Force in No. 14 and No. 17 squadrons. It was rescued from the scrap yard in 1972. She wears the standard US Navy dark sea blue paint scheme and US rondels but lacks any squadron insignia.
Dean “Cutter” Cutshall F-100F Super Sabre
This aircraft is likely to be my current favorite jet warbird. The “Hun” as the Super Sabre was nicknamed, was America’s first aircraft capable of sustained super sonic flight. Dean’s version was built in 1958 as 56-3948, and is a two-seat variant. She flew in various roles for the USAF until 1973 when she was transferred to the Turkish Air Force. In Turkey, she saw combat in the invasion of Cyprus and was eventually retired to the desert in Turkey where she sat idle for 10 years. She was sold by the Turks and eventually brought back to the United States who intended to restore it. The owner failed to have the work done and eventually sold it to Dean. He and his crew ( Paul Swick and Jim “Prez” Prezbindowski) restored it including a new engine and numerous internal and external updates. She was returned to her USAF livery, although wearing civil registration N2011V. The Hun now resides in Fort Wayne, Indiana and is one of only several known flying examples left in the world. Of those known, Mr. Cutshall’s is the only one that flies regularly.
Hurricane Mk. XII
One of the main British fighter aircraft participants in the Battle of Britain was the Hawker Hurricane. Although the “fame” goes to the Spitfire, the Hurricane was used effectively to repel the German Luftwaffe advances. The Hurricane, much like the American P-40, was used in nearly every theatre of operations that the British Commonwealth fought. The airframe was modified over the years to accommodate different types of armament.
This version, a Mk. XII belongs to the Dakota Air Museum and was piloted by Bernie Vasquez. The museum’s Hurricane is painted in the “tropical” camouflage of the Mediterranean theatre of operations.
P-40M Kittyhawk III
The Tri-state Warbird Museum brought their immaculate P-40M Kittyhawk III for the first time. The airframe is a combat veteran, produced in 1943 as 43-5813, it was transferred to New Zealand Air Force under the lend-lease program. She served as NZ3119 as a training aircraft for 16 Squadron based at Air Station Woodbourne. During one flight, the right main gear collapsed, resulting in significant damage to the aircraft. As the 16 Squadron deployed, the airframe was abandoned.
Luckily, she was rescued from the scrap yard sometime in the 1960s and put into long-term storage. In 2006, the airframe was purchased by the Tri-State Warbird Museum and began the long restoration process with Allied Fighter Rebuilders based in Auckland New Zealand. In 2008 the airframe was shipped to the United States, where the final pieces of the restoration were completed. The airframe returned to flight in 2011. The aircraft suffered a minor accident which required additional repairs. Finally, the aircraft returned to flight in 2016.
Also in 2016, the airframe won the “Grand Champion, World War II” award along with the “Golden Wrench” at the EAA Oshkosh event. These two awards are considered the highest awards and most coveted in the warbird community.
It is refreshing to see a P-40 in an original livery!
USAF F-16 Viper Demo and Heritage Flight
Capt. Aimee Fiedler piloted the USAF F-16 Viper demo jet. She is the commanding officer of the Viper Demo Team based at Shaw AFB, located in Sumpter, South Carolina. The demo jet wears a special snake like scheme and is affectionately known as “Venom”.
Jim Beasley piloted the P-51D Mustang “Bald Eagle” with Capt. Fiedler for the USAF Heritage Flight.
Jerry Conley’s DH-115 Vampire “Vampy Too”
Jerry Conley opened the afternoon portion of the warbird portion of the show in his beautiful Vampire jet known as “Vampy Too”. Jerry has a long history in the airshow community, having previously performed a jet warbird act in a L-29 Delphin and now performs exclusively as Vampire Airshows. He brings the aircraft in as close as he can to the crowd for excellent photo opportunities, and also shows off the capabilities of the historic Vampire.
The Vampire is truly a historic aircraft. The type was the world’s first single engine jet powered aircraft. It was also the first jet to take-off and land on an aircraft carrier as well as the first jet to cross the Atlantic Ocean. Jet engine technology was new and dangerous in the late 1940s. Considering the age of the aircraft and engine technology, the Vampire is an impressive aircraft.
Vampy Too is configured with two wing-mounted extra fuel tanks. Armament consists of four Hispano Mk. V cannon as well as four 8 x 3-inch rockets. Thankfully, more Vampires are beginning to see flight and Jerry is one of the key people making it happen.
Fw 190 F-8
The second aircraft from the Tri-State Warbird Museum to appear was the Focke Wulf Fw 190. The Fw 190 is widely considered the German’s most feared and versatile aircraft of WW II.
Although it looks like an authentic airframe, this is actually a mostly new build aircraft. The data plate and some parts are original. It was produced in Germany in the early 2000s, and was donated to the museum in 2007. After an engine retrofit, and some other work, it was completed in November, 2019. Ray Fowler piloted the aircraft for the demonstrations.
Me-109
One of the long-distance attendees was the Me-109 owned by the Erickson Aircraft Collection, located in Madras, Oregon. The 109 is the most produced aircraft of all time, with some 35,000 units being built. The airframe was produced into 1958. When the type was first flown in 1935, it was cutting edge and revolutionized the fighter aircraft design. The aircraft was very versatile allowing for armament modifications for the type of mission flown and engine tweaks that kept the performance on-par of the Allied aircraft.
This specific version is a Spanish built, Buchon version. The Buchon was powered by the Merlin engine (the same engine used by the Allies in the Spitfire and P-51 Mustang to name a few) and had the engines inverted, placing the exhausts lower on the cowling. The airframe is a movie star, having been used in the filming of the movie Battle of Britain. It has since been restored and modified to resemble a traditional Me-109, and is now powered by an Allison V-1710 which allows for a normal cowling.
Spitfire Mk. IXc
The second airframe from the Dakota Territory Air Museum to participate was the beautiful Spitfire Mk. IXc piloted by Bernie Vasquez.
The aircraft is a combat veteran, having served with the 302 Polish Squadron at Chailey, England serving as a fighter escort. The airframe flew escort for medium-bombers over France during the D-Day invasion. The airframe was transferred to the 329 Squadron, made up of Free French RAF pilots and based at Merston, and flew nineteen missions over the D-Day beachhead. In August, 1944, she was transferred again moving to 165 Squadron based at Detling. The new livery, 5AK flew 41 combat missions, including Operation Market Garden (Netherlands, September 17-27, 1944). The last claim to fame was during the post-war period, the airframe flew as escort for four C-47s transporting the exiled Belgian government officials back to Belgium.
Ohio Air National Guard F-16 Vipers
Two F-16 Vipers from the Ohio Air National Guard were on static display for Saturday’s show, then did a few passes before they flew home on Sunday. The aircraft are part of the 180th Fighter Wing, 112th Fighter Squadron “Stingers”. The unit is based at the Toledo Express Airport, and serves as the alert squadron for aerial intercepts in the Mid-West region,
US Navy Blue Angels
The 2022 headliners were the United States Navy’s Blue Angels. The team is now in the second year with the F/A-18 Super Hornet and C-130J Hercules. While the weather did not allow for a high-show, the team did not miss a beat, performing a low show which provides great views of the formations.
Around the Field
There were a handful of aircraft available to view on static display. Perhaps the most popular was the newly unveiled F/A-18E Super Hornet from VFC-12 “Fighting Omars” painted to represent an Su-57 Felon.
F/A-18E Super Hornet from VFC-12 “Fighting Omars” in a new scheme to replicate an SU-57 Felon
Evening Engine Runup Photo Shoot
Three aircraft were towed over to the ramp for the evening photo shoot. First up was the Toledo ANG F-16 Viper, followed by the Me-109 and lastly the P-40M. We were told that this was the first time an ANG unit participated in this type of photo shoot.
Selfridge ANGB hosted their open house airshow on July 9-10, 2022. Like many airshows across the country, this one was previously postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the show did not feature a military jet team, the action in the sky was filled with warbirds, two parachute teams and was headlined by the USAF F-22 Raptor Demo.
Misty Blues
The all women’s parachute team, Misty Blues, opened the show each day with the flags of the United States and Canada followed by a large streamer promoting the team’s colors. Afterwards, the ladies walked the crowd line signing autographs and posing for photos with members of the audience.
One of the Misty Blues all female jump team brings in the large colorful streamer
JN-4 Jenny
The flying portion of the show each opened with the Friends of Jenny LLC‘s JN-4 Jenny. The Jenny is perhaps the most iconic American built aircraft of the early days of flight. It was one of the nation’s first aircraft designed to teach people how to fly, the aircraft synonymous with “barnstorming”, flew the airmail and eventually created what is commercial aviation.
The JN4 Jenny from the Friends of Jenny organization
This Jenny is only one of seven known to be left flying in the world today. The Jenny underwent a restoration beginning in 2012 and she took her first flight in many years on October 2, 2013. Many of the components needed to be refabricated, which was done using copies of the original Curtiss blueprints. She is painted to replicate the original Jenny “38262” which was in flying with the Army Air Service and was the first aircraft to fly the US Air Mail from Washington DC to New York City on May 15, 1918.
A-1 Skyraider
Warbird Heritage Foundation brought their AD-1 Skyraider. The AD-1 was designed as a single place to replace the dive bombers (Dauntless and Helldivers) and torpedo planes (Avengers) on the decks of the Navy’s carriers in World War II. The aircraft did not see service until 1946. Although too late to see service during WWII, Skyraiders were the light and medium attack aircraft of the fleet until the mid-1960s, seeing service in the Korean and Vietnam wars.
This particular aircraft is BuNo 09257 and built in 1947. It served with the fleet until 1956 when it was stricken from the inventory. It was purchased in 1982 as surplus and returned to flying condition in 1989. It was acquired by the Warbird Heritage Foundation in 2008.
So, if it is a NAVY plane, why does it wear a USAF livery? The answer is simple, when the Navy retired the planes, the USAF needed an aircraft that could loiter in a combat zone a long time, carry a large amount of ordinance and serve as an escort for the combat rescue helicopters. They remained in service with the USAF until the early 1970s.
Greg Colyer – Ace Maker Airshow
Greg Colyer started the jet warbird portion of the airshow with the “Ace Maker” T-33 Shooting Star. The T-33 was the nation’s first jet trainer. It saw service with the USAF, Navy and multiple allied nations into the 1970s. Many of the current versions flying, including “Ace Maker” are license built Canadair variants which had a more powerful engine.
Greg earned his pilot’s license while serving with the US Army. After leaving the Army he continued to fly and worked as an Air Traffic Controller. He continued to fly and performed an occasional airshow. Life changed in 2007 when he took his first flight in a T-33. Every since he wanted to own and perform in a T-33. His dream came true when he purchased the original “Ace Maker” and began performing at airshows across the United States. He now owns three T-33s and is working on developing a 2-ship T-33 team with “Scratch” Mitchell, a former RCAF CF-18 Hornet demo pilot.
AT-6 Texan – Tuskegee Airmen Tribute – Lt. Col. Jefferson
The Tuskegee Airmen Museum flew a tribute to Lt. Col. Alexander Jefferson, a native of Detroit, Michigan. He graduated from pilot training in 1944 and did his combat training at Selfridge Field. He went on to serve with the 332nd Fighter Group, 301st Fighter Squadron “Red Tails” in Ramitelli, Italy. He was shot down on his 18th mission and was a prisoner of war for eight months in Poland. Mr. Jefferson continued to serve in the Air Force Reserves until 1969 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He passed away on June 22, 2022.
P-51D Mustang “Swamp Fox” – RT Dixon
RT Dixon performed an aerobatic display in his beautiful P-51D Mustang “Swamp Fox”. In addition to the aerobatic display, he did a formation pass with the AT-6 Texan as part of the tribute to Lt. Col. Jefferson. The P-51 was another aircraft the Tuskegee Airmen flew during WWII.
Swamp Fox was delivered to the USAAF on May 7, 1945, serial number 44-74202. She was too late to see service during WWII and served stateside in various roles and units until September, 1957 when she was removed from the inventory as surplus. She began a restoration in 2007 in Chino, California and flew again in 2012. The markings are those of Lt. Will Foard, 364th Fighter Squadron, 357th Fighter Group, 8th Air Force, based out of Leiston, England. Mr. Foard was able to see his restored “Swamp Fox” in December, 2012 and took flight in her with Robert Dixon Sr. piloting.
F-100 Super Sabre – Dean Cutshall
Early Vietnam era flight was represented by Dean Cutshall performing in his F-100F Super Sabre. The “Hun” as the Super Sabre was nicknamed, was America’s first aircraft capable of sustained super sonic flight. Dean’s version was built in 1958 as 56-3948, and is a two-seat variant. She flew in various roles for the USAF until 1973 when she was transferred to the Turkish Air Force. In Turkey, she saw combat in the invasion of Cyprus and was eventually retired to the desert in Turkey where she sat idle for 10 years. She was sold by the Turks and eventually brought back to the United States who intended to restore it. The owner failed to have the work done and eventually sold it to Dean. He and his crew ( Paul Swick and Jim “Prez” Prezbindowski) restored it including a new engine and numerous internal and external updates. She was returned to her USAF livery, although wearing civil registration N2011V. The Hun now resides in Fort Wayne, Indiana and is one of only several known flying examples left in the world. Of those known, Mr. Cutshall’s is the only one that flies regularly.
A-4 Skyhawk
The Warbird Heritage Foundation‘s second aircraft participating in the show was their A-4B Skyhawk. The Skyhawk replaced the AD-1 Skyraider on the decks of the Navy’s carrier fleet as the primary light bomber. The A-4 was extremely popular amongst the pilots and served in a number of roles for the Navy, Marines and numerous allied air arms. The aircraft’s agility and high subsonic speed made it an ideal aircraft to serve in other roles such as the Navy’s advanced trainer, adversarial aircraft (the aerial co-star of the original Top Gun film) and the mount of the Navy’s Blue Angels flight demonstration team from 1974 to 1986.
This particular Skyhawk is an early “B” model, built in 1958 and served with the US Navy until stricken from the records in February, 1970. The airframe’s history seems to be hazy from 1970-1980, but it appears she was serving as a technical trainer during that period. She was rescued from that role in 1987 and restoration to flight was initiated. She flew briefly in 1989 and then went on display at the EAA Oshkosh Museum. Warbird Heritage Foundation acquired the aircraft in 2007 and again restored her to flight status. Her first flight took place in 2009 and is now seen regularly at airshows across the Midwest region of the United States.
US Army Golden Knights
US Customs & Border Patrol Demo
The aerial branch of the SE Michigan branch of the US Customs & Border Patrol is stationed at Selfridge. They performed a demonstration of a rope extraction.
Team Selfridge Demo
Selfridge Air National Guard Base is the second largest joint Reserves bases in the United States. The primary occupant is the 127th Wing of the Michigan Air National Guard, with aircraft assets including the KC-135 Stratotanker, A-10 Thunderbolt II (Warthog) and C-130 Hercules. Additionally, the United States Coast Guard uses the facility for MH-65 Dolphin helicopter operations as Air Station Detroit. Other operators include components of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force Reserve, and Army Air National Guard, operating CH-47 Chinooks.
KC-135 Stratotanker from the 171st Air Refueling Squadron showing that fighters are not the only aircraft that can turn tight
Czech-Mate Jet Team Finger Tip formation passCzech-Mate Team Right Echelon Pass
The team formed in 2019 and primarily performs in the Midwest, with the aircraft being based in Michigan. All members of the team belong to the Classic Jet Aircraft Association and the Red Star Pilots Association. The L-39 Albatross is the worlds most numerically popular jet warbird at this time.
USAF C-17 Globemaster III Demo (East Coast)
The USAF C-17 East Coast Demo Team brought the huge Globemaster III to Selfridge. The team is based at Joint Base Charleston South Carolina. Although a large cargo aircraft, the pilots state that it handles like a fighter aircraft and is quite agile.
The C-17 began operations in 1993 with the USAF and is the primary medium cargo and troop transport. The aircraft is designed to to use short runways and allows for a large payload. The storage area can be configured to handle a number of different types of cargo, including seats, palletized cargo, and tracked vehicles.
RCAF CF-18 Hornet Demo
Our Canadian allies were represented by the CF-18 Hornet Demonstration Team. Captain Jesse “Modem” Haggart-Smith is the team’s demonstration pilot. Modem earned his wings in 2016 and has over 600 hours in the Hornet. The CF-18 is Canada’s primary fighter aircraft and the RCAF routinely deploys internationally to support allied nations and perform security duties requested by the United Nations.
Sadly, the CF-18 was only able to perform on Saturday. While the team brought two aircraft (standard for the airshow industry), both were subject to maintenance issues on Sunday.
The 2021 demo jet was brought as the “spare”
USCG MH-65C Dolphin Demo
Selfridge is home to USCG Air Station Detroit. The MH-65 Dolphin is the assigned duties such as search and rescue, law enforcement and homeland security missions. Air Station Detroit has a large area of operations that include southern portion of Lake Huron, Lake St. Clair, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario. In total, the area covers 1,100 miles of shoreline from Saginaw Bay, MI to the St. Lawrence Seaway.
USAF F-22 Raptor Demo
The feature performance of the 2022 show was the USAF F-22 Raptor. Maj. Joshua “Cabo” Gunderson provided a high energy demonstration of America’s premier air-superiority fighter.
Around The Field
Selfridge had a nice static display, but still small compared to prior years.
VAQ-131 Lancers EG-18G Growler
The static display highlight for me had to be the pair of Growlers from VAQ-131. The unit is stationed at NAS Whidbey Island, Washington. Seeing their CAG aircraft was great!
Mid-Atlantic Air Museum hosted the 31st annual World War II Weekend on June 3-5, 2022. Saturday’s crowd was believed to be a record, and enthusiasm was high with a large number of aircraft, WWII vehicles and reenactors.
Weather was near flawless with temperatures in the high 70s all weekend with no rain which traditionally plagues at least one day of the event. The weekend was not without challenges. Several aircraft were down for a portion or the entirety of the event due to mechanical issues. The CAF Corsair also struck a bird during Friday’s show, causing it to miss Saturday’s flight.
L-Birds
L-Bird is slang for the various liaison aircraft that served in nearly every major battle of the war. Liaison aircraft are light aircraft used for local observation and spotting for artillery units. The L-Birds were used from WWII through Vietnam. During Vietnam, the mission was eventually taken over by helicopters.
L-2 GrasshopperL-2 GrasshopperL-4J Grasshopper
Trainers
Trainers were represented by several examples of all levels of the WWII trainers – Basic, Primary and Advanced.
Bay Aviation’s PT-19N2S StearmanBay Aviation’s PT-19PT-26 CornellSV-2CP Stampe
“Jersey Jerk” T-6/SNJ Texan Formation Team
Pacific Theatre Bombers
Bombers from the Pacific Theatre of Operations were represented by the SBD Dauntless, Val Diver Bomber and Kate torpedo bomber.
SBD-5 Dauntless
The Dauntless was the US Navy’s dive bomber. The airframe served from the initial days of the war to the end. Although it was slow and considered obsolete, the aircraft and its crew used it with major success. The Dauntless is credited with sinking over 300,000 tons of enemy shipping, which includes five aircraft carries. Four of those were during the Battle of Midway.
This particular Dauntless is part of the Commemorative Air Force, and is operated at CAF Airbase Georgia. The aircraft has been with the CAF for a number of years, and was restored to its present condition during a multi-year restoration from 1991 – 1999. The paint scheme is accurate to the time period around the Battle of the Marianas (“The Marianas Turkey Shoot).
B5N2 “Kate”
Alan Armstrong owns this reproduction “Kate”, the Japanese Navy’s torpedo bomber. The aircraft is also part of the Commemorative Air Force, and is operated at CAF Airbase Georgia. The airframe was purposely built for use in the movie Tora! Tora! Tora! and has also been used in numerous other movies and television shows.
The aircraft is currently configured in the markings of the Group Leader from the Second Carrier Division of the Carrier Hiryu. The aircraft participated on the Pearl Harbor attack, with the specific target of the on the Battleship, U.S.S. California.
D3A “Val”
The Val was the Japanese equivalent to the SBD Dauntless at the outbreak of WWII. This specific aircraft is also a reproduction and was purposely built for for use in the movie Tora! Tora! Tora! The aircraft is owned by Ken Laird.
Medium Bombers
The medium bombers were represented this year by two B-25 Mitchells. The Delaware Aviation Museum brought their highly polished “Panchito” while Tom Duffy brought the natural aluminum finished “Take-Off Time” Both Mitchells are later “J” models with the bombardier nose.
Panchito is one of the aircraft selling rides during the weekend, making it one of the busiest aircraft on the ramp.
Jerry Wells Aerobatic Demo
Perhaps the act that surprised me the most was Jerry Wells’ aerobatic demonstration in the BU-133 “Jungmeister.” Although an older design, the aircraft was in immaculate condition and was incredibly nimble. I was very entertained and surprised at the aggressiveness of the demo. I look forward to the next time I am able to see Mr. Wells perform.
Jerry Wells performed an aerobatic routine in his Jungmeister.
Heavy Bombers
Heavy bombers in attendance included the Yankee Air Museum‘s B-17G Flying Fortress “Yankee Lady”, Commemorative Air Force’s B-29 Super Fortress “FiFi” and B-24 Liberator “Diamond Lil”.
“FiFi”
“FiFi” is the B-29 Superfortress belonging to the CAF B-29/B-24 Squadron. After the war, she was originally used as a missile target on the China Lake range. Thankfully she was not damaged and rescued by the CAF around 1970. She flew for a number of years as the lone airworthy B-29. In 2006 she was grounded due to engine maintenance. Original engines were problematic and spare parts in short supply. The decision was made to retrofit custom built engines to allow FiFi to return to the skies. After four years, she flew again in 2010.
B-29 Superfortress “Fifi” – the marquee aircraft of the Commemorative Air Force fleet
“Yankee Lady”
Yankee Lady is a B-17G Flying Fortress built by Vega as USAAF serial number 44-85829. She was built too late to be used during the war and was placed into storage. She was eventually transferred to the United States Coast Guard, where she served until 1958. In 1959 she was sold for scrap mental, but was saved when purchased and used as an aerial firefighter in 1966. In 1969 Like several other aircraft in attendance, she was used in the filming of the movie Tora! Tora! Tora!
In 1985, she was purchased by the Yankee Air Force (as the Yankee Air Museum was known by at the time) and was immediately placed into the hangar for restoration. She returned to the skies in 1995 and is painted represent an aircraft in the markings of a B-17G assigned to the 8th Air Force, 381st Bomb Group flying out of Ridgewell, England.
“Diamond Lil”
“Diamond Lil” is the B-24 Liberator belonging to the CAF B-29/B-24 Squadron. She is likely the oldest surviving B-24 as her serial number is the 25th of 18,482 B-24s built. She was originally assigned to the Royal Air Force as a trainer, but a landing accident changed her fate. She was subsequently used as a B-24 trainer, B-24 development and a cargo variant (C-87) hauling parts between B-24 factories.
B-24 Liberator “Diamond Lil” from the Commemorative Air Force Airpowe Squadron
Diamond Lil became a member of the CAF in 1967 and was originally painted in the in the colors of the 98th BG, of the Ploesti oil field raid. In 2006 she was repainted and renamed. Then in 2012 it was decided to return her to her original name “Diamond Lil”. She subsequently suffered from a nose gear failure that required a year’s worth of restoration work. Like the B-29, she is one of two flying examples of the B-24 currently.
Fighters
The WWII fighters were well represented with five different examples flying.
P-39 Airacobra
Certainly one of the highlights was the appearance of the Military Air Museum‘s P-39 Airacobra. There are only a handful of these aircraft flying, so to see one is a rare treat. The aircraft is a P-39F, and was originally serving in Australia when it crashed on May 1, 1942 during a training exercise.
The aircraft was recovered in 1972 and subsequently restored. Although marked in USAAF markings, the aircraft is also marked as a P-39Q that was supplied to the Soviets.
P-63 King Cobra
The King Cobra is part of the Commemorative Air Force, and is operated at CAF Airbase Georgia. Although the P-63 looks similar to the P-39, it is actually a totally new design. It was redesigned to address some of the shortcomings of the P-39.
The airframe was sold as surplus in 1946 and flown by several civilians until 1975. After a legal battle, restoration began on the deteriorated airframe around 1980 by the CAF Missouri Wing. However, a flood damaged the hangar and numerous parts. The restoration was abandoned by the Missouri Wing and subsequently acquired by CAF Airbase Georgia in 1996. Full restoration was restarted in 1999 and the first flight was conducted in February, 2017. CAF decided to mark the aircraft in an accurate livery once completed. The aircraft now wears markings during its time with the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) – the forerunner of today’s NASA.
The weekend highlight was the two Bell machines flying in formation.
“Red Nose” is the nickname of this airframe and as is the aircraft that started the Commemorative Air Force. She now flies out of CAF Airbase Georgia. She began service in 1945 with the USAAF and served until 1947. She went into storage until 1951 when she was sold to the Canadian Air Force, where she served until 1957. She was then sold to the founders of the CAF in 1957.
A restoration was initiated in 1993 and she was transferred to Airbase Georgia in 2002. Red Nose represents the aircraft of Capt. David Howe, who flew with the 334th FS, 4th FG, 8th AF.
FG-1/F4U Corsair
Two Corsairs were present at the event. One from the CAF Airbase Georgia (checker pattern) and the other I believed to be owned by Tom Duffy. The checkered Corsair struck a bird on Saturday, so photo opportunities were limited.
Formation
The USAAF fighters formed up for a rare formation flight of four USAAF fighters.
Military Reenactment
One of the yearly highlights is the large battle reenactments. This year was based on the ETO.
Around the Field
There is so much to see and experience at the event. Aircraft, reenactor camps, WWII era themed entertainment.
P-61 Black Widow
The Mid-Atlantic Air Museum continues to restore their very rare P-61C Black Widow.
A special shout out goes out to the crew of “Beach City Baby”. She is a C-53 Skytrooper owned by Vintage Wings, Inc. My son and I met the crew at breakfast of our hotel, including the owner, Jason Capra. Each of these fellas were very fun, polite and gracious with their time to talk to my son.
I had the opportunity to watch them interact with other people on the show grounds. Their interactions with others were similar to ours. I can honestly say these guys are a class act all around.
Reenactor, Joseph Turi poses in front of his favorite aircraft, the P-40 Warhawk.
The CAF West Texas Wing brought the rare SB2C Helldiver. She was unable to participate in the flying portion of the show due to some mechanical issues. We were able to get a close up look when she was moved to the static display area.
The 2021 Thunder Over Michigan Airshow took place on August 6-8 at the historic Willow Run Airport in Ypsilanti, Michigan. The theme for the event was a gathering of B-25 Mitchells, with the headlining performance of the USAF Thunderbirds. This was also a year for firsts for the show.
Many airshows cancelled due to Covid-19. However, the crew at Thunder Over Michigan elected to try a 2-show per day, drive-in style format show to be socially responsible yet provide an airshow to the airplane fanatics that craved the rumble of round engines and jet noise. The show morphed into one of the largest in the country when the US Navy’s Blue Angels announced that they would also appear at the show. Thunder Over Michigan was one of only several shows that would host both US jet teams at the same show. The lineup of warbird aircraft, military demos and the TWO jet teams made this one of the best airshows I have ever attended.
Jim Tobul – F4U Corsair “Korean War Hero” Aerobatics
The F4U-4 Corsair “Korean War Hero” (BuNo. 97143/N713JT) owned by Jim Tobul has a combat history aboard two aircraft carriers and two squadrons. The aircraft flew with VF-884 aboard the USS Boxer, and then later with VF-653 aboard the USS Valley Forge. In total the aircraft flew 200 sorties during the Korean War. In 1960, the aircraft was sold to and used by the Honduran Air Force until approximately 1970. In 1981, the Tobul family purchased the aircraft and began a 10-year restoration of the aircraft.
German Luftwaffe A400M Atlas Demo
Thunder Over Michigan has had a fantastic relationship with the German Luftwaffe over the past several years, hosting several different types of aircraft. The A400M demo at Thunder Over Michigan was the first in North America for the type. The Atlas is roughly the equivalent to the USAF C-17 Globemaster III. Although the Atlas is a turboprop, it has very good performance and handling for an aircraft of its size. Very impressive demo!
B-17G Flying Fortress “Yankee Lady” and the Little Friends
The Yankee Air Museum’s flagship aircraft, “Yankee Lady” performed in the show making several passes with P-51 Mustangs. Arguably, the B-17 and P-51 are the two most iconic aircraft associated with the USAAF 8th Air Force and the Americans participation in the ETO.
The most impressive single-ship demonstration of the event in my opinion was the USAF F-35 demo. Major Kristen “Beo” Wolfe absolutely shredded the skies in the F-35A Lightning II, the USAF’s newest “lightweight” strike-fighter. The F-35 Demo Team comes from the 388th Fighter Wing, based at Hill AFB, Utah. The skies were challenging, but the crowd was rewarded with amazing photo opportunities of this amazing aircraft and pilot. The aircraft and demo profile bring everything airshow fans want…lots of jet noise, vapes and burner!
USAF A-10 Thunderbolt II Demo Team
Maj. Hayden “Gator” Fullam piloted the USAF A-10 Warthog Demo. The team is based at Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson, AZ. The aircraft continues to be the premier close air support aircraft in the world. Although I have seen this demo many times, it is still one of my favorites! HOOOGGG!!
USAF Heritage Flight
The USAF Heritage Flight was 3-ship performance, consisting of a P-51D Mustang “Moonbeam McSwine”, and the A-10 and F-35 demo teams.
US Navy Blue Angels
As I said in the intro, this was a solid airshow. With the announcement that the Blues would be in attendance as well propelled this show into the stratosphere. This was the 75th Anniversary of the team, as well as, the team’s first year in the F/A-18 Super Hornets. The team was the morning headliner, and for Sunday’s performance, the team wore yellow flightsuits. Yellow flightsuits are now seen very often and are reserved for special occasions.
Gathering of B-25 Mitchells
The warbird headlining act was the gathering of B-25 Mitchells. In attendance were 14 of the medium bombers. On static display was another, “Sandbar Mitchell”, which is currently being restored. There were several others scheduled to attend, but mechanical issues, Covid-19 travel restrictions or weather prevented the aircraft from attended. Regardless, this was a very impressive collection of B-25s.
The only one I was unable to photograph in the air was “Georgia Mae.” She did not participate in Sunday’s performance.
“Champaign Gal”
Champaign Aviation Museum’s B-25 is “J” model with USAAF serial number 44-28866, and wears civilian registration of N744CG. The airframe was used by the Air Force until 1957. It was retired to the boneyard, and then sold for use as an aerial firefighter until the late 1980s. She was acquired by the museum in 2008, and regularly takes her to airshows around the Midwest.
“Devil Dog”
Devil Dog is part of the Commemorative Air Force, and is the lone aircraft of the “Devil Dog” Squadron. The Devil Dog represents a PBJ-1J in the markings of VMB 612 squadron. The airframe is a B-25J-30-NC and has the serial number is 44-86758. Civilian registration is N9643C.
“Georgie’s Gal”
Liberty Aviation Museum’s B-25 is also a “J” model, with USAAF serial number 44-86777, and wears civilian registration N345BG. She continued with USAF service until 1958. After that she was bought and sold several times and used for various task including executive transport and cargo. Liberty Aviation Museum acquired the aircraft in 2011 and underwent an extensive restoration.
“Killer B”
Tom Reilly owns Killer B, a “J” model, with USAAF serial number44-86697, and wears civilian registration N62163. The aircraft was basically surplus upon completion at the factory. She was shipped for storage and then eventually transferred to the RCAF. After RCAF duties, she was owned by serval civilians and subsequently used by several Latin American air forces. Reilly restored the aircraft and made the first flight as Killer B in 1995. The aircraft is now home in Titusville, Florida.
“Lady Luck”
C&P Aviation services brought Lady Luck, a “J” model, with USAAF serial number45-8884, and wears civilian registration N5833B. She served with the USAF until 1958, wherein she was sold to numerous civilian owners, including the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum. She was acquired by C&P in 1993, and the aircraft is located in Minnesota.
“Maid in the Shade”
Commemorative Air Force owns “Maid in the Shade” a “J” model, with USAAF serial number43-35972, and wears civilian registration N125AZ. She is part of the Air Base Arizona squadron. The airframe has combat history in the Mediterranean Theatre of operations based in Corsica. She ended service with the USAF in 1950. After that she was used as an aerial sprayer. She was obtained by the CAF in 1981.
“Miss Mitchell”
Commemorative Air Force owns “Miss Mitchell” a “J” model, with USAAF serial number44-29869, and wears civilian registration N27493. She is part of the Minnesota Wing of the CAF. The aircraft pays tribute to the original aircraft that served with the 310th Bomb Group, 380th Bomb Squadron during 1944-45 in the Mediterranean. The current nose art was painted by the same artist that painted the original “Miss Mitchell” nose art on the original aircraft in 1944.
“Rosie’s Reply”
Yankee Air Museum owns Rosie’s Reply. Unlike most other Mitchells in attendance, she is an early “D” model, with USAAF serial number43-3634, and wears civilian registration N3774. Like “Maid in the Shade”, Rosie has combat history in the Mediterranean, having flown at least eight combat missions. The airframe was initially meant for the RAF, but was forced into USAAF service temporarily. She did return to North America in 1944 and was transferred to the RCAF for use as a training aircraft. She left RCAF service in 1968 and was eventually purchased by Glen Lamont and flown as “Gallant Warrior”. In 1988 she was acquired by the Yankee Air Museum and renamed “Yankee Warrior.” In early 2021, she was repainted into the current scheme, and is representative of the original look during her combat service in the MTO.
“Semper Fi”
Commemorative Air Force owns “Semper Fi”, a PBJ-1J (the only known flying example). The PBJ is the Navy variant of the B-25 and is manufactured as a B-25J-30-NC. Her serial number is 44-30988 and wears civilian registration N5865V. Semper Fi is part of the Southern California Wing of the CAF. Semper Fi was produced too late in the war to see service, was eventually sold as surplus in 1947. CAF acquired her after numerous civilian owners in 1988 and began a lengthy restoration that was completed in 2016.
“Show Me”
Commemorative Air Force owns “Show Me”, a a “J” model, with USAAF serial number44-31385, and wears civilian registration N345TH. She is part of the Missouri Wing of the CAF. The airframe served as a trainer with the USAF until 1959. She was subsequently sold as surplus. After several private owners, she was purchased by the CAF in 1982.
“Take-Off Time”
Tom Duffy owns Take-Off Time, a “J” model, with USAAF serial number44-30832, and wears civilian registration N3155G. The aircraft is frequently seen at many Mid West. Little other details appear to be available about the aircraft.
“Wild Cargo”
The Military Air Museum owns Wild Cargo, a “J” model, with USAAF serial number44-30129, and wears civilian registration N7947C. The airframe served with the USAF as a trainer until 1958. It was subsequently sold as surplus. After a handful of other owners, the Military Air Museum acquired the airframe in 1997 and was restored to flight status in 2005. In addition to the B-25, the Military Air Museum has a large number of flyable WWI and WWII aircraft. It is well worth the trip to Virginia Beach, VA to check this collection out!
“Yankee Doodle” aka “Axis Nightmare”
The Tri-State Warbird Museum owns “Yankee Doodle”, a “J” model, with USAAF serial number45-8898, and wears civilian registration N898BW. The airframe was produced too late in the war to see service. She was immediately placed into storage. Eventually, she served as a trainer with the USAF until 1959. After being purchased as surplus, the aircraft was only flown for a handful of years before sitting derelict. She was recovered in 1983 and began flight again after a restoration in 1985. Tri-State Warbird Museum acquired the aircraft in 2004 and was flown in the markings of the RAF with nose art of “Axis Nightmare.” The aircraft is now a “star”, having been one of the two B-25s used to Hulu remake of the film “Catch-22.” It currently wears the nose art of “Yankee Doodle.” It is uncertain if the current scheme will remain or if the museum will revert it back to “Axis Nightmare.”
“Georgia Mae”
Wiley Sanders from Alabama owns Georgia Mae, a “J” model, with USAAF serial number44-86785, and wears civilian registration N5262V. Like several others in attendance, this airframe was produced too late in the war to see service and was immediately placed into storage. It was eventually used by the USAF as a trainer and sold as surplus in 1958. The current owner purchased it in 1983 and completed restoration in 1985. Little else is known about the aircraft.
US Navy EA-18G Growler Demo Team
The USN Growler team made their first Michigan appearance. The EA-18G Growler is the Navy’s electronic warfare and countermeasures aircraft. The Growler is a variant of the F/A-18F Super Hornet, with modifications to the aircraft for the specifics of electronics warfare. The most notable difference from the Super Hornet is the addition of the electronic pods on the wingtips instead of the usual missile rails.
The team does not perform a full aerobatic demonstration of the aircraft, but does provide several nice high-performance passes and climbs.
“Mad Max” P-51 Mustang Aerobatics
Lou Horschel performed an aerobatic routine in his TP-51D Mustang. The airframe is USAAF serial number 45-11559 and wears civilian registration of N51MX.
US Navy Legacy Flight
The Legacy flight returned to the Michigan skies in the form of the EA-18 Growler along with Jim Tobul’s F4U-4 Corsair. The formation was done fantastically.
USAF Thunderbirds
The featured jet team for the afternoon performance was the USAF Thunderbirds. The ceiling for Sunday’s performance was not ideal, but the team still pulled off a fantastic show and capped a memorable airshow.
Closing
The 2021 show certainly set the bar high for future Thunder Over Michigan airshows. Whether this is a blessing or a curse is yet to be determined. Regardless, the event was a huge success, and it was wonderful to see all of the aircraft in the sky above Michigan. I wish to thank Yankee Air Museum’s Executive Director, Kevin Walsh, for his continued support of my airshow photography.
The Mid-Atlantic Air Museum hosted their annual “World War II Weekend on June 4-6, 2021. This is likely the largest event of its kind in the entire United States. In addition to the remarkable airshow, the museum hosts numerous reenactors that set up camps for the weekend as well as hundreds of WWII era antique military vehicles. Every theatre of operations is represented in some fashion, as well as many of the Allied and Axis units. It really is a case of visual sensory overload with so many things to see.
The aircraft lineup is impressive, with some aircraft visiting each year while others rotate. This year had several aircraft that I had not seen in person, so it was a real treat. Weather across the United States prevented several aircraft from attending and maintenance issues claimed several other airframes (a usual problem for most airshows).
This was my first airshow of 2021, so I was very pleased that Mother Nature cooperated by providing beautiful skies and pleasant temperatures. My last experience here was quite the opposite, and the mud on the airfield is legendary for making a mess of everything.
Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft were represented by replicas of the B5N “Kate” torpedo bomber and D3A “Val” dive bomber. Both aircraft are movie prop conversions of American aircraft to simulate the Japanese aircraft. The Kate was the Japanese equivalent of the TBF/TBM Avenger, while the Val is similar to the SBD Dauntless.
Commemorative Air Force Air Base Georgia owns the Kate. DUring Saturday’s flight, the right main landing gear would not properly retract. Thankfully, the issue was only a visual problem and did not result in any further problems.
USAAF Medium Bombers
B-25 Mitchell “Rosie’s Reply”
The Yankee Air Museum brought several of their aircraft including their recently repainted B-25D, now named “Rosie’s Reply”. The aircraft was repainted in early 2021 to represent its combat service in Italy in 1944. The nose art is not authentic, but the other markings are accurate to the airframe. Prior to the repainting, the aircraft was polished aluminum and flown as “Yankee Warrior”.
B-25 Mitchell “Take-Off Time”
Tom Duffy/Claire Aviation brought their B-25N. I do not have much other information about this B-25, but it was a pleasant surprise to see her. I had not seen this one out in several years.
B-25N Mitchell “Take-Off Time” N3155G / 44-30832A
B-25 Mitchell “Panchito”
Delaware Aviation Museum brought their beautiful Mitchell named “Panchito”. The aircraft was very active throughout the day with numerous passenger flights. However, on a flight in the early afternoon, it performed an emergency landing with one engine feathered. Thankfully, no injuries were reported. The aircraft remained for several weeks while waiting for an engine replacement.
Fighters
P-51 Mustangs
“Tiger’s Revenge”is a 2018 restoration into a TP-51 configuration. I believe it to be owned by Ron Lauder and flown out of New York. This was my first time seeing this aircraft and it is very sharp looking.
Tom Duffy/Claire Aviation’s spectacular Mustang “Kwitcherbitchin”. This is another Mustang that I had not seen up until this show. This is a really sharp looking aircraft!
Tom Duffy’s P-51D Mustang “Kwitcherbitchin” – N63476 / 44-63476
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P-63 King Cobra “Miss Betty” – NX191H /42-68941
Commemorative Air Force Air Base Georgia also brought their rare P-63 King Cobra. The aircraft was originally a test bed aircraft, and the markings are authentic to the aircraft.
F4U Corsairs
Commemorative Air Force Air Base Georgia brought their FG-1D Corsair, BuNo 92468 (N9964Z). It is one of the original Commemorative Air Force aircraft, and is painted to in the colors of VMF-312 representing 1st Lt. MO Chance.
Charlie Lynch piloting Mark Murphy’s FG-1 Corsair NX83JC “God Speed” in tribute to John Glenn.
Yankee Air Museum also brought their C-47 Skytrain “Hairless Joe”. The museum recently repainted the aircraft in the livery of Captain Richard Cole. If the name sounds familiar, it should be. Cole was the co-pilot of aircraft #1 of the famous Doolittle Raid of B-25s of April, 1942. Afterwards, Cole was reassigned to stay and fly the “hump” over Burma. Cole was recruited by the 1st Air Commando and participated in the invasion of Burma. “Hairless Joe” was the name of his aircraft.
Yankee Air Museum brought their flagship aircraft, their B-17G “Yankee Lady”. The aircraft is painted to represent an aircraft serving in the 8th Air Force, 381st Bomb Group located at Ridgewell, England.
B-29 Super Fortress “FiFi” – N529B
Commemorative Air Force brought their marque aircraft the famous B-29 “FiFi”. For many years, it was the lone flying B-29 in the world. While no longer the only flying example, it is remarkable to see one of the most iconic aircraft of WWII up close and personal, as well as in the air flying.
Around the field
Mid-Atlantic Air Museums current project is restoring the ultra-rare P-61 Black Widow to flyable condition.
Antique Military Vehicle Parade
Trainers and L-Birds
The show featured a wide variety of WWII trainers and Liaison (L-Bird) aircraft.
In August, 2018 I had the opportunity to take a ride on the Yankee Air Museum’s B-25D Mitchell. This ride was special in several ways, and it was something I had been dreaming about doing since I was a kid. This specific aircraft was likely the first flying “warbird” I ever encountered. I first saw “Yankee Warrior” back in the mid-1980s at the local Muskegon Air Fair, the main airshow near my home town. Although at the time it was known as “Gallant Warrior”. Every year it seemed to be there, and it was always one I snapped a quick photo of the nose art using my Kodak 110 camera. As my knowledge of WWII history and the B-25’s importance to the war effort increased, so did my desire to fly in one. The dream has finally come true.
B-25D Mitchell “Yankee Warrior” at the 2015 Mid-Atlantic Air Museum’s WWII Weekend Airshow
Aircraft History
Unlike many of the other flying B-25s, this is an early D model. The difference between the early and late models is easily distinguished. On the earlier models, like “Yankee Warrior”, the top turret is located in the rear third of the fuselage, and the tail gun station is merely an observation bubble with a single machine gun. On later models, the turret was moved to just behind the cockpit to allow for waist gunners, and a formal tail gunner’s position was created.
The B-25 was made famous by the “Doolittle Raid” of April, 1942. Sixteen B-25s took off from the aircraft carrier USS Hornet and made the first strikes against mainland Japan. Although the strikes did minimal damage, the impact to the Japanese defense strategy was immense. Additionally, the raid provided a much-needed boost to the morale of the American public.
Yankee Warrior was produced by the North American plant on December 15, 1943 as serial number 43-3634 and was originally destined to be a part of the Royal Air Force (RAF) lend-lease program. Instead the USAAF took possession and assigned it to the 12th Air Force in Corsica, Italy. The aircraft was assigned to the 57th Bomber Wing, 340th Bomber Group, and flew eight combat missions between April and May 1944. The journey to the RAF began on May 12, 1944 when the aircraft was flown back to the United States. The RAF took possession of the aircraft in October 1944 and assigned the airframe to the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Vancouver, British Columbia as a multi-engine trainer. The airframe remained in RCAF service until 1962, and was sold as surplus. After briefly flying in Canadian civil registry, the aircraft was sold to an American and brought to Ohio. Glen Lamont purchased the aircraft from the owner in Ohio in July of 1968 and the registered the aircraft as N3774 with the FAA, the code which remains today. Mr. Gallant had the nose art painted and the aircraft became known as “Gallant Warrior”. In 1988, the fledgling Yankee Air Force (now known as the Yankee Air Museum) purchased the B-25 to add to the museum’s flying collection. The aircraft was later renamed to “Yankee Warrior”.
Flight
The day of my flight was warm with minimal overcast skies. My partner for the ride was my daughter, Samantha, along with three other passengers. We were shuttled out to the active side of the airport and given a planeside safety briefing. The briefing was short yet provided all of the safety needs for the aircraft. Me, Samantha and one other passenger were assigned to start the flight in the aft section of the aircraft. Sammy and I took position near the waist windows while the other fella took the tail gunners seat in the very aft of the aircraft behind the top turret. The other two riders started out in the radio operator and bombardier positions in the front of the aircraft.
Safety Briefing under the wing. Photo by Kerry J. Newstead
Once everyone was seated and the safety belts were inspected, the all clear signal was given and the two large R-2600 Double Cyclone radial engines coughed to life. As the engines warmed up, the loud backfires could be heard and felt. The B-25 has a reputation as being a very loud aircraft inside, and it is one I can confirm! The engines are mounted close to the fuselage and have a “short stack” exhaust system. The minimal sound muffling of the engine exhaust lead to many of the aircrews having some degree of hearing loss after numerous flights on the aircraft. Although loud, I loved it. Reluctantly, we placed the ear protection over our ears and waited to taxi for takeoff. After a brief taxi, we were ready to go. The engines were run up to full power and the brakes were released. The Mitchell began to climb as the wheels retracted into the gear nacelles behind the engines. We leveled off and were cleared to explore the other aircrew positions. The fuselage in the Mitchell is narrow, with little room to move easily about.
The B-25 coughs to life and begins to taxi out for takeoff. Photos by Kerry J. NewsteadSamantha is ready to go!
The real challenge was to move into the forward compartments or stay put. Between the forward cabin and the rear is the bomb bay. The only way between is a small rectangular tunnel that can only be traversed while on your back. I am a big guy, so there was no way I was going to risk getting stuck. However, Sammy swallowed deep and decided to go for it. She climbed up and a few seconds later was into the forward crew compartments. She climbed down into the cockpit area and between the pilot and co-pilot into the bombardier’s position in the glass nose. Also known as the best seat in the house! Meanwhile, I checked out the top turret and went as far as I could to check out the tail gunner area. The other passenger from the front came back and checked out the gunners’ positions while Sammy was up front.
The B-25’s fuselage is very narrow, and is obstructed inside by the Top Turret gunner’s position. The bomb bay tunnel. The pull bars are on the ceiling and the narrow size is obvious. The tunnel looks short, but is actually about 10 feet long.
After a few amazing minutes, I got the signal that Sammy was coming back. She arrived fine and had an enormous smile on her face. “Dad is was awesome” she exclaimed with an equally satisfying smile. We tried to talk about her experience, but the interior noise just did not allow for easy conversation.
View from the Bombardier’s position in the B-25. Photo by Samantha Yost
The signal was sent to get back into our seats and buckle in for landing. A few brief moments later, we touched back down at Willow Run Airport. We pulled back into our parking position and the engines were shut down. A brief calm encapsulated the aircraft. The crew door was opened and we climbed down. There was no doubt that all five passengers were in awe of our experience. Handshakes were exchanged between passengers and crew. Our time with a living piece of history was nearly over.
We took a quick walk around the aircraft for an up-close final inspection. The engines pinged and popped as they cooled. Traces of oil were evident on the engine cowlings, a normal event with radial style engines. We got back on the golf cart and were driven to the inactive area of the airport.
I was quiet. I wanted to listen to Samantha as she told me all about her experience up front. This was her first time in a warbird. It was our first time doing something like this together. It was a special occurrence we shared. We had different experiences. She was awed by the flight and the view. I was transported in time to the 1940s, imagining myself being flown on an important mission. Did I have the guts to do my job, or was this my final flight? Would I get back okay or would I be hurt by enemy gunfire or flak? It is surreal for me to think that these were daily occurrences during the Second World War.
Our ride was arranged by our dear friend and colleague, Kerry J. Newstead, the Canadian Editor of World Airshow News. Although he was originally supposed to be my ride companion, he sacrificed his spot to allow Samantha to experience it with me. Her ride experience ultimately resulted in a published article in World Airshow News. A huge debt of gratitude must also go out to Kevin Walsh, the Executive Director of the Yankee Air Museum, for the amazing support and generous opportunity. I had to wait a number of years to live my dream in a B-25. It was an experience that I will cherish my entire life, and it thrills me that I shared it with my daughter. It was drastically different than I envisioned as a kid, but it was such a fantastic experience. Of the approximately 10,000 B-25s produced, there are only about 100 airframes left, and of those remaining, about 45 are capable of flying. If you’d like to experience a flight in the Yankee Warrior (or one of their other aircraft), check out the Yankee Air Museum’s website for details on how to book a ride for yourself. Take the opportunity if you can, it is an experience that does not disappoint.
Author with daughter, Samantha. Photo by Kerry J. Newstead
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