Bound for Tokyo, Lieutenant Colonel Jimmy Doolittle launches his B-25 Mitchell from the heaving deck of the carrier USS Hornet on the morning of 18 April, 1942. Leading a sixteen-bomber force on their long distance one – way mission, the Doolittle Raiders completed the first strike at the heart of Imperial Japan since the infamous attack on Pearl Harbor four months earlier. Together, they completed one of the most audacious air raids in aviation history.
And seven didn’t come home…
Such men.
The Doolittle Raid and heroism aside, I have always wanted my OWN B-25…even from a young age. There is just something intensely cool about that aircraft.
But back to the great James Harold Doolittle…we should have cloned him ten thousand times.
And as Ed says above – “such men”.
Ed/LL- Agree with both of you. And B-25s are noisy as hell! 🙂 Most of the gents that flew them were deaf by the end of the war!
Noisy? Last year’s VE-Day flyover had a flight of 3 B-25s.
As they flew over they set off the alarms of the cars parked around the Lincoln Memorial.
Yes, noisy would be the word.
Taking nothing away from Doolittle and his men, that was an amazing job by the Navy. Bury service rivalry, determine how to transport those big bombers and get them airborne. Sure, the aircrews practiced short takeoffs, but others had to make it work. Must have been a logistical nightmare. Just loading those B-25s and fitting them on a limited deck space was a major undertaking.
Yes, they had practiced short takeoffs on land but the 1st time they actually tried it on a carrier was the day of the raid. Until then, it was all theory. But the job the Navy did, and risking one of their most critical assets (Hornet and her battle group) was a gutsy call.
I love the B-25. My dad flew them in the war.
Do they still teach about Doolittle and his Raiders?
My daughters will know of Doolittle and his Raiders as they are homeschooled.We owe so much to everyone that served past,present and future.
Thank-you for your service
NW got the model and put it together, one of his favorite planes…
Hey Old NFO;
Jimmy Doolittle had a pair of big brass ones along with anybody that flew that mission. The shock to the Japanese psyche was so strong, they approved the Midway operation which lead to the massive strategic defeat that the Japanese never really recovered from and changed the direction of the war.
Nice painting of a B-25, but of the USS Hornet, well, can we get a facepalm?
That painting shows steam catapults, JBDs and a steel deck on the ship. Steam cats and JBDs didn’t exist and the Hornet’s deck was surfaced with teak.
(And I was a blackshoe…)
From an email comment from Comrade Misfit- Nice painting of a B-25, but of the USS Hornet, well, can we get a facepalm?
That painting shows steam catapults, JBDs and a steel deck on the ship.
Steam cats and JBDs didn’t exist in 1942 and the Hornet’s deck was
surfaced with teak.
(And I was a blackshoe…)
Stretch- Inside is even worse!
WSF/Mike- Yep, and the ‘stack’ had to be adjusted to allow all of 400+ feet for a fully loaded B-25 to get off deck. That meant HORNET was balls to the walls on all the boilers, making as many knots as she could to give them extra wind over the deck!
Euripides/JUGM- Not surprised… 🙂
Rick- I’m not sure, nor am I sure HOW it is presented… sigh
Bob- That they did!