Author Topic: B-25  (Read 3812 times)

Offline Krusty

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« Reply #60 on: August 17, 2006, 07:49:02 PM »
But, compared to the 8-pack with the 2 in each cheek? That's nothing :)

Offline Toad

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« Reply #61 on: August 17, 2006, 08:26:35 PM »
Quote
Originally posted by Krusty
I'm not a big fan of the field-modified C/D simply because it only has 4 forward 50cals. The Havoc has 6 of them and flies a lot lighter, it will do the job nicely.

I'd like the non-modified versions. Glass nose and factory-made hard nose.


As you like.

But the C/D had 8 forward firing, not 4.
If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animated contest of freedom, go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen!

Offline Krusty

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« Reply #62 on: August 17, 2006, 08:40:50 PM »
Well, when did they start introducing the cheek guns? I notice those cheek guns are 2 and 2, and the later ones are staggered in separate pods. Is that part of the field modification (the cheek guns, I mean)?

Offline Toad

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« Reply #63 on: August 17, 2006, 08:55:10 PM »
The blister guns were part of the original "Pappy" Gunn mod in Townsville from the very first strafer. See the above picture.

Quote
B-25C serial number 41-12437 was chosen for the initial tests. Since in a low-level, high-speed attack the bombs would be released by the pilot, there was no need for a bombardier. Consequently, the bombardier position was removed and replaced with a package of four fixed 0.50-inch machine guns with 500 rpg and aimed directly forward. The guns protruded from a metal plate that replaced the flat bomb-aiming panel. In addition, four more fixed 0.50-inch machine guns were installed in individual external blisters, two on each side of the fuselage. Blast protection from the fuselage blister guns was achieved by using blast tubes on the gun barrels and by mounting large sheet metal plates on the fuselage sides that covered the entire blast area. The plane was appropriately named Pappy's Folly. In the first tests, the fuselage guns were found to be too far forward for the center of gravity, and were later moved further aft.

Trials were sufficiently impressive for General Kenney to order more strafer conversions. By the end of February 1943, twelve strafers were completed by the Eagle Farms operation in Australia and assigned to the 90th Squadron.



Here
If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animated contest of freedom, go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen!

Offline Guppy35

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« Reply #64 on: August 17, 2006, 11:20:40 PM »
Pappy's Folly, the first B25 "strafer" in the image below.  That's 8 guns and originally they had 3 more under the fuselage but everytime they fired the nose gear door came off and they also had trouble with the ammo feeds so they were discarded.

Here's the deal Krusty, from my point of view, and that's the history aspect of it.  The battle of the Bismarck Sea was these early Strafers.  All the Rabaul runs were these early strafers.  There's one from Toad's Dad's outfit that flew 180 combat missions.

Sure the late J would be cool, but it didn't do the dirty work and wouldn't fit for nearly the number of scenarios that the early 25s would.  Also, if you look at wartime photos of operational solid nose J's they don't seem to have the cheek guns.  It's just the nose guns so it's still 8.

And if for no other reason then Toad and the other guy in this thread whose father's flew these strafers, it would seem fitting, if we ever get a 25 that it would be one of those modified C/D birds.  The paint schemes on those would be something to see once the skinners got going too and wouldn't it be kinda cool to see Toad out flying his Dad's bird?

« Last Edit: August 17, 2006, 11:26:22 PM by Guppy35 »
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Offline Toad

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« Reply #65 on: August 18, 2006, 06:30:20 AM »
It'll be even cooler to get my Dad flying Quitch in here!

At one time he had more hours in the B-25 than anyone else in the AF, a bit over 4000 at that time. I was a newborn then.  ;)
If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animated contest of freedom, go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen!

Offline Hajo

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« Reply #66 on: August 18, 2006, 07:03:46 AM »
Agreed......would be a real boost to Aces High to have Quitch and the original pilot.  B25 was a war winning aircraft.  Very versatile and did most of it's work down and dirty.


Great aircraft.....great History.
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Offline Bruv119

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« Reply #67 on: August 18, 2006, 08:34:17 AM »
Get  it in  ....  Perk it if you have too....
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Offline MajWoody

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« Reply #68 on: August 18, 2006, 12:11:54 PM »
What a HOing machine that would be in the ma:D
Lets keep the stupid to a minimum.
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Offline toon

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« Reply #69 on: August 18, 2006, 12:25:55 PM »
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Offline toon

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« Reply #70 on: August 18, 2006, 12:26:37 PM »

Offline toon

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« Reply #71 on: August 18, 2006, 12:49:11 PM »



Offline toon

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« Reply #72 on: August 18, 2006, 12:49:46 PM »




Offline toon

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« Reply #73 on: August 18, 2006, 12:50:21 PM »




Offline toon

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« Reply #74 on: August 18, 2006, 12:51:03 PM »