
Article 14953 of rec.aviation.military:
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From: jfb@usgp1.ih.att.com (Joe Baugher)
Subject: Bomber Series--North American B-25 Mitchell (26 of 32)
Message-ID: <D4q50J.HG4@ssbunews.ih.att.com>
Summary: B-25 in Soviet Service
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Date: Tue, 28 Feb 1995 19:05:07 GMT
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870 B-25B, C, D, G, and J Mitchells were allocated to the Soviet Union 
under Lend-Lease during World War 2.  862 of them arrived in time to 
see wartime service.  However, only a few of the serial numbers are 
actually known.  

Initially, Mitchells were delivered to the USSR with non-standard 
insignia that consisted of the white star in the USAAF's insignia 
being painted over in red, with the surrounding white circle 
remaining.  Later, Mitchells were delivered with the standard Soviet 
insignia of a red star inside a white border.  

Most Soviet-operated B-25s were used on daylight tactical sorties, but 
some B-25s were operated as fast, night courier aircraft supplying 
partisan forces.  

There were enough B-25s still left in VVS service in the postwar years 
that they were assigned the NATO codename *Bank* when relations 
between the Soviet Union and its erstwile wartime allies turned 
frosty.  

Sources:

   B-25 Mitchell: The Magnificent Medium, N. L. Avery, Phalanx, 1992.

   Medium with the Mostest--The B-25 Mitchell, Jerry Scutts,
   Air International, Vol. 44, Nos 2 and 3, 1993.

Joe Baugher			  **************************************
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