2012 Doolittle Reunion

[Wittpilot]

So for those that don't know, the 2012 Doolittle Reunion will once again be in Dayton, OH. Urbana will also be the staging area. So far it looks like they have anywhere from 22-25 planes lined up to arrive around April 14th. It is going to be a super exciting time as it is looking like it might be bigger and better than two years ago.

With the Champaign Aviation Museum's B-25 back to airworthy status, she needed a bit of a 'nose lift'......
Just the underpainting....
-witt

*Stay tuned for updates!

[brad kaste]

So for those that don't know, the 2012 Doolittle Reunion will once again be in Dayton, OH. Urbana will also be the staging area. So far it looks like they have anywhere from 22-25 planes lined up to arrive around April 14th. It is going to be a super exciting time as it is looking like it might be bigger and better than two years ago.

With the Champaign Aviation Museum's B-25 back to airworthy status, she needed a bit of a 'nose lift'......
Just the underpainting....
-witt

*Stay tuned for updates!
There's only Five Raiders that remain. Those are: Lt. Richard Cole (upper left) Lt.Col. Robert Hite (upper right) Major Thomas Griffin (middle left) Lt.Col. Edward Saylor (middle right) and Staff Sgt. David Thatcher (bottom) All are in the 90's now. God bless them! There's a good article in the latest 'Aviation History' magazine. It's titled "They Flew From Shangri-La" by C.V. Glines

[Bomber_12th]

Looking good, Witt, and great news too about the updated status on the aircraft! It's just amazingly great that this reunion, and all that surrounds it, will be happening again. I know the various operators of these aircraft have also been faced with that mandated main-gear strut inspection/linkage replacement, and to get it done/completed in-time for the reunion event. I 'believe' that Miss Mitchell is nearing her first flight of the season, and there's some nice weather coming soon, so I'll be keeping an ear out.

Although a bit of a 'lofty' chance, unless work really has been under-going to do so, it would be great to see Kermit Weeks bring his B-25 "Apache Princess". I believe he's mentioned within the last year or so that he was planning on having the aircraft brought back up to flight status again soon (it's actually not all that of an older restoration at all, having first flown in 2000, but it seemed other aircraft priorities ended up parking it shortly there after, at no fault of the aircraft).

[HouseHobbit]

So for those that don't know, the 2012 Doolittle Reunion will once again be in Dayton, OH. Urbana will also be the staging area. So far it looks like they have anywhere from 22-25 planes lined up to arrive around April 14th. It is going to be a super exciting time as it is looking like it might be bigger and better than two years ago.

With the Champaign Aviation Museum's B-25 back to airworthy status, she needed a bit of a 'nose lift'......
Just the underpainting....
-witt

*Stay tuned for updates!


I can see a Hobbit on a Harley with a digital camera showing up for this..
:applause: :applause: :applause:
Wonderful news..
Can't wait to see all the B-25's in the air again..
:salute: :salute: :salute:
Thanks Witt..

[Bomber_12th]

"Wild Cargo" appears ready to go - a few photos from what sounds like the aircraft's first flight of the season:

http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=44732

[Ickie]

I just watched the movie the other day and a great bunch they were. At Eglin AFB they have a B-25 on display outside at the entrance of their little museum by the back gate.
I wonder how many more these guys will have.

[PRB]

Hmm, 350-ish miles from where I live. This is doable...

[Jagdflieger]

Thanks for the update. That should be quite a collection of B-25s.

I'm aquainted with LTC Saylor. He lives fairly close to me, but I haven't seen him since before my last extended deployment a few years ago. He was the crew chief on plane 15 on the raid.

[Wittpilot]

"Wild Cargo" appears ready to go - a few photos from what sounds like the aircraft's first flight of the season:

http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=44732

Yep... Thanks John.... And that looks like Mr Ray Fowler in the flesh in the right seat...

[Wittpilot]

Here is the schedule of events.... Sorry, I just copy pasted from a .pdf and didn't re-type it all... So it's a bit combobulated......
Doolittle’s Raiders 70th Reunion Schedule - 2012


Saturday, April 14th 080-2000 B-25s begin arrival at Urbana.
B-25s with Exemptions may offer rides for sale.
Sunday, April 15
th 0800-2000 B-25s continue arrivals.

B-25s practice formation flying.
B-25s with Exemptions may offer rides for sale.
Monday, April 16
th 0800-1600 B-25s final arrival window.

B-25s practice formation flying.
1800 Raiders and Escorts arrive in Urbana in luxury motorcoach.
1800-2000 Dinner in Hangar for Raiders/escorts, B25 crews, CAM VIPs

**1600 ** Alternate time to move B-25s to Wright Field, if necessary.
Dinner would be moved to Brunch on Tuesday during the original time allotted for B-25 move
.

Tuesday, April 17
th 0600 Briefing at Urbana for all Pilots.

0700 Departure for Wright Field begins at 120 second intervals.
0815 Last B-25 arrives on Wright Field.
0815-0830 B-25s taxi to parking spots.
0900-1000 VIP and special guests (Hornet, Chinese, sponsors) access to B-25s.
1000-1800 Static Displays on Runway
1700-1800 Media session with Raiders, Chinese and Hornet Survivors on runway.
Evening Reception.- Location TBD.
Wednesday, April 18
th 0800-1130 Private tour of restoration and storage facility for all B-25 crews. 1130-1200 Pilot briefing for mass Flyover.

1230 B-25s begin take off and form up.
1330 B-25 Formation arrives over memorial service.
1400-1445 B-25s return to Urbana
1500-sunset B-25s with Exemptions may offer rides for sale.
Some B-25s may fuel up and depart for home.
1830-2030 Reception – Location TBD.
Thursday, April 19
th All Day Some B-25s may depart for home.

Friday, April 20
th If invited, crews would participate in events at the National Museum United States Air Force (NMUSAF).

B-25s with Exemptions may offer rides for sale.
Saturday, April 21
st All Day Final departure for B-25s to return home.

Notes:
Visit www.champaignaviationmuseum.org for updated information about this event.
Champaign Aviation Museum may charge an admission fee to public to offset security provisioning costs.

[Daveroo]

i wonder how this will effect the west coast eaa fly in at the yuba county airport...its in june,but they are advertising "the 70th annaversary of the doolitle raiders",,,,the website is not complete yet for the gathering,but makes me wonder if any of the B25s will want to spend the big bucks it takes to come back across the country to be at Yuba.

i dont recall the name of the Yuba county airports military name...but many pilots were trained there during WWII,,,Col Bud Anderson flew his P-39 from there,and the Doolittle raider aircraft were prepaired at McClellan AFB prior to the mission according to magazines ive read..

[Wittpilot]

You might see some of the local B-25's, but I wouldn't expect to see anything from really far away unless they are already in town for something else. According to a Warbird Radio broadcast a little while ago, fundraising for fuel has been slow coming....

[Bomber_12th]

This is the current list of B-25's confirmed for the event, as provided by the lead coordinator, Larry Kelley (owner of Panchito). Also, according to Kelley, the B-25's Pacific Prowler, Briefing Time, Wild Cargo, and Georgies Gal will be unable to attend due to individual issues.

1 Axis Nightmare
2 Barbie III
3 Betty's Dream
4 Champaign Gal
5 Devil Dog
6 Executive Sweet
7 Grumpy
8 Killer B
9 Lady Luck
10 Maid in the Shade
11 Miss Hap
12 Miss Mitchell
13 Old Glory
14 Pacific Princess
15 Panchito
16 Russian Ta Get Ya
17 Show Me
18 Special Delivery
19 Take off Time
20 Tondelayo
21 Yankee Warrior
22 Yellow Rose

"Russian Ta Get Ya" is the Russian Lend Lease-marked B-25 owned by Rod Lewis/Lewis Air Legends. It was rather heavily damaged about a year or so ago, when its gear was accidentally retracted while taxiing. It flew for the first time again yesterday, at Chino, where it had been under rebuild with Aero Trader. This comes as quite a big surprise, as many didn't expect it to be flying again anytime soon!

[HouseHobbit]

This is wonderful!!
Thanks for the update..
I am glad I live here in Dayton town..
This will be a amazing thing to see..
Too Cool..:applause: :applause:

[Wittpilot]

[QUOTE=Bomber_12th;693776]Also, according to Kelley, the B-25's Pacific Prowler, Briefing Time, Wild Cargo, and Georgies Gal will be unable to attend due to individual issues.[QUOTE]



Insert loud disappointing groan.................................

[Wittpilot]

New noseart is finished. I actually really liked the way the art turned out and think I'll be getting a jacket with that artwork on it... So now I'm on the hunt for a B-25 squadron patch... I think I have a rough idea... will have to do some more looking around...

-witt