Yankee Air Museum

TAKE A RIDE ON THE “YANKEE WARRIOR”

The Yankee Warrior is the only B-25D, documented combat medium bomber still flying. From the Mediterranean to the Pacific the B-25 Mitchell lived up to its namesake during World War 2, helping to prove the true value of air power. The B-25 was already a famed medium bomber by the time it started arriving at bases throughout the Mediterranean and Pacific, for on 18 April 1942, Lt. Col. James H. Doolittle had led 16 B-25’s from the carrier deck of the USS Hornet on the now legendary attack on Japan.

As you approach the nose of the “Yankee Warrior” you see the twin .50 Cal. Machine Guns, one fixed and one flexible. Upon closer inspection the Nordon Bomb Sight is visible from the front. As you move around to the right you take notice of the twin .50 cal gun packs on the pilot’s side, the other twin .50 is on the co-pilots side. Standing next to the propeller you look thru the cowling and marvel at the 1,700 horsepower Wright R-2600 radial engine. At the tail are the waist gun windows and the glass tail cone where another .50 Cal machine gun was mounted. The top turret, with its twin .50’s, looks menacing. Each gun had 400 rounds of ammunition. Completing your pre-flight walk around, you stop to check the main landing gear. The large tires made it possible for landings on grassy fields. You enter the bomb bay that could carry between 3,000 and 4,500 pounds of ordinance. The crew has arrived and described where you will be flying on today’s mission and that you will be assigned to the front or the rear for your flight.

The pilots have completed their checklist and are ready to start the engines. You watch as the starter turns the propeller and the engine comes to life with a thunderous roar. With both engines running, you hear the pops and bangs of the short exhaust stacks. The aircraft taxis out to the turn up area and the pilots perform their final engine checklist. Engine power, propeller feather and magneto checks are completed. The tower clears you for take-off.

Suddenly, you are thrown back in your seat as 3400 horsepower comes to life as you roar down the runway. At about 90 knots the nose begins to rise, just as quickly, you are airborne and the landing gear and flaps are coming up. Our altitude for today will be about 4500 feet, this will provide you with an excellent view of the surrounding countryside. Although movement around the inside of the aircraft is limited, whether assigned to the front or rear, the view is spectacular. You may have the opportunity to go up in the nose and sit in the bombardier’s seat. You can observe the pilots as they maintain level flight or bank the aircraft to left or right to change course. If you’re in the back of the aircraft you can look out the waist gun windows, to see if you can spot any aircraft. The rear observer seat provides an unobstructed view of the ground and sky. For a real thrill you can get up into the top turret and look out over the top of the aircraft, what a view.

All too soon it’s time to return to the airport. As the landing procedures are being performed, you feel and hear the changes in prop pitch, the flaps and landing gear being lowered. The concrete ribbon of the runway is approaching quickly and suddenly you feel the tires chirp as they touch down. The nose slowly begins to settle down and soon you’re taxing to the hanger. The aircraft comes to stop and the engines are shut down. The deafening noise is gone but your ears are still ringing, your smile has become a little wider and you heart is still pounding and somewhere inside you hear a voice saying, “Let’s do that again”.