www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org - U.S.A.A.F. Resource Center - North American B-25 (NA-62) Mitchell

Type: Medium Attack and Level Bomber
Origin: North American Aviation (NAA)
Models: B-25 to TB-25N, PBJ Series, F-10
Crew: Four To Six
First Flight:
   NA-40 Prototype: January 1939
   NA-62 (Production B-25) August 19, 1940
   B-25G: August 1942
Service Delivery: N/A
Final Delivery: N/A
Production: N/A

Powerplant:
B-25A & B
Model: Wright R-2600-9 Double Cyclone
Type: 14-cylinder two row radial
Number: Two       Horsepower: 1,700

B-25C, D & G
Model: Wright R-2600-13 Double Cyclone
Type: 14-cylinder two row radial
Number: Two       Horsepower: 1,700

B-25H, J, & F-10
Model: Wright R-2600-29 Double Cyclone
Type: 14-cylinder two row radial
Number: Two       Horsepower: 1,850*
*Emergency Rating

Dimensions:
Wing Span: 67 ft. 7 in. (20.6m)
Length:
   B-25A: 54 ft. 1 in.
   B-25B, C, & J: 52 ft. 11 in. (16.1m)
   B-25G & H: 51 ft. (15.54m)
Height (Typical): 15 ft. 9 in. (4.80m)
Wing Area: N/A

Weights:
Empty (J, Typical): 21,100 lb. (9580 kg.)
Maximum Loaded:
   B-25A: 27,100 lb.
   B-25B: 28,640 lb.
   B-25C: 34,000 lb. (15,422 kg.)
   B-25G: 35,000 lb. (15,876 kg.)
   B-25H: 36,047 lb. (16,350 kg.)
   B-25J (Normal): 35,000 lb.
   B-25J (Overload): 41,800 lb. (18,960 kg.)

Performance:
Max. Speed:
    B-25A: 315 mph
    B-25B: 300 mph
    B-25C & G: 284 mph (459 km/h)
    B-25H & J: 275 mph (443 km/h)
Initial Climb (A, Typical): 1,500 ft/min (460 m/min)
Initial Climb (Late, Typical): 1,500 ft/min (460 m/min)
Service Ceiling:
    B-25A: 27,000 ft (8230 m)
    Late model, Typical: 24,000 ft (7315 m)
Range (All, Typical): 1,500 miles (2414 km)

Armament:
B-25A:
One 0.5 in. Browning M.G. manually aimed in tail
Two 0.3 in. Brownings M.G. in waist
One 0.3 in. Browning M.G. manually aimed in nose

B-25B:
Two 0.5 in. Brownings M.G. powered dorsal turret
Two 0.5 in. Brownings M.G. in retractable ventral turret
Two 0.3 in. Brownings M.G. in waist
One 0.3 in. Brownings M.G. manually aimed in nose

B-25G:
Two 0.5 in. Brownings M.G. powered dorsal turret
Two 0.5 in. Brownings M.G. in nose
Four 0.5 in. Brownings M.G. on side of nose
Two 0.3 in. Brownings M.G. in waist
75mm M-4 Cannon in nose with 21 rounds

B-25H:
Fourteen 0.5 in. Brownings M.G.
75mm M-4 Cannon in nose with 21 rounds

Bomb Load:
B-25A
3,000 kb (1361 kg) internally

B-25H
One 2,000 lb. (907 kg.) Torpedo
Or
3,200 lb. (1451 kg.) of bombs internally

B-25J
4,000 lb. (1814 kg.) of Bombs internally

Comments: This aircraft is probably one of the most famous and recognizable twin-engined bombers ever produced. The Mitchell flew into the history books on April 18, 1942 when 16 B-25B's led by Lt. Colonel Jimmy Doolittle launched off the carrier Hornet and made a symbolic attack against mainland Japan.
The B-25 was flown by numerous air forces, including England, China and Russia, and was built in numerous variations. Some variants mounted up to 14 0.5 Browning machine guns or even a 75mm M-4 cannon. These attack variants proved devastating to Japanese shipping and in the ground attack role.
Quite a few B-25's survived the post WWII scrapping and served as executive transports, test platforms, and movie camera ships. Today the B-25 has proven to be the most popular and numerous twin-engine warbird.

Image 1 - B-25 production line.
Image 2 - B-25 production line.
Image 3 - B-25 final assembly.
Image 4 - Engine being installed.
Image 5 - Preparing To Be Painted.
Image 6 - Airflow Model.
Image 7 - Test firing forward armament.
Image 8 - Looking down on a B-25 during mission.

Image 9 - Dropping Bombs.
Image 10 - Cockpit.
Image 11 - Being Refueled.
Image 12 - With 75mm Nose gun.
Image 13 - Close-up of 75mm gun.
Image 14 - Close-Up of 75mm Gun Nose.
Image 15 - Close-Up of 75mm Gun Nose with feed doors open.
Image 16 - Mitchell III.

Sources:
Gunston, Bill - The Encyclodepia of the Worlds Combat aircraft, 1976, Chartwell Books, Inc., New York