Doolittle Raiders 70th Anniversary April 2012

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I received this as an email. Text and images as received:

 

In case you haven't seen this series. Enjoy

 

… A photo-essay sampling of photography from attending the Doolittle Raiders’ 70th Anniversary Reunion events last week (17-19 Apr 2012) … courtesy of Dan Hogberg.

 

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The static display on Tuesday -- this line-up of 20 North American B-25 “Mitchell” fast medium bombers, of various versions and paint schemes, gathered at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in observance of the Doolittle Tokyo Raid on Japan, 18 April 1942: Only 4+ months after

 

Japan 's Pearl Harbor surprise attack !

 

I spent about eight hours walking up and down the flightline, doing about three circuits of the aircraft, taking many photographs, learning additional new history, listening to war stories by modern aircrews and WWII veterans, seeing some old friends and making a few new ones, and absorbing lots of solar radiation -- a great day!

 

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This nicely-painted B-25J carries the Doolittle Raiders’ official badge:

 

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(B-25J “Doolittle Raiders, Special Delivery”)

 

Patriotic nose art, polished aluminum and a sunny morning combine for this warbird character study:

 

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(B-25J “Old Glory”)

 

It was a very bad day for a Japanese merchant ship, if a patrolling B-25H crossed its path. According to Mr. Ralph Anderson, my high school science teacher who flew B-25s and B-29s in WWII, the proper attack technique is a shallow dive at the ship, while firing your 50-caliber machine guns. When you see bullet hits at the waterline, fire the semi-automatic 75-mm howitzer to put *BIG* holes in the target vessel … a very successful anti-shipping tactic that rarely required a second pass!

 

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(B-25H “Barbie III”)

 

Noontime on Wednesday: 40 Wright R-2600 engines starting and warming up in front of the large crowd, which has gathered at the Museum and on Colonel Glenn Highway to see the B-25 takeoffs and commemorative flyover:

 

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The first B-25 is in the air and the wheels are coming up, for the formation join-up over Beavercreek and the flyovers at the Museum:

 

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(B-25J “Panchito”)

 

Here’s a good shot of the 16-ship fly-over commemorating the Doolittle Raid of 18 April 1942. These aircraft came over the Museum at approximately the Raid's bombing altitude of 1200 ft AGL:

 

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Yes, they were loud … but not nearly as irritating as if they were jet engines!

 

I obtained several good close-ups during the flyover:

 

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(B-25J “Executive Sweet / My Buck”)

 

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(B-25J “Devil Dog”)

 

(Maximum number of images uploaded. Remainder to come in another thread.)

 

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