Article 16316 of rec.aviation.military:
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From: jfb@usgp1.ih.att.com (Joe Baugher)
Subject: Bomber Series--North American B-25 Mitchell (32 of 32)
Message-ID: <D5Cqz1.EEA@ssbunews.ih.att.com>
Summary: Surviving Mitchells
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Organization: AT&T
Date: Mon, 13 Mar 1995 00:06:37 GMT
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Shortly after the end of the war, large numbers of surplus Mitchells 
were made available for sale through the Surplus Property Division of 
the Reconstruction Finance Corporation.  Once sold on the commercial 
market, many of them were converted to executive transports for use by 
private corporation, with all their military equipment being removed, 
the bomb bay being faired over, and plush interior accommodations with 
soundproofing and airline-type seating being added.  Some even had 
wingtip tanks.  Very often, the noisy individual cylinder "S"-type 
exhaust stacks were replaced by one or two semi-collector rings 
exhausting to ports on the outboard side of the engine nacelles.  

A considerable number found employment with the US Forest Service as 
fire-fighting aerial tankers in which fire-retardant chemical tanks 
were installed in the bomb bay.  

A considerable number of Mitchells ended up being employed by the 
movie industry.  B-25H serial number 43-4643 (civil registry N1203) 
was used by Tallmantz Aviation for film work.  It was fitted with a 
new, transparent nose for use in Cinerama film work.  Substantial 
numbers of Mitchells appeared in Mike Nichols's film *Catch 22*, a 
movie adaptation of Joseph Heller's black comedy about wartime 
operations in the Mediterranean.  Other Mitchells were used as camera 
ships for such movies as *Battle of Britain* and *633 Squadron*.  

As many as 150 Mitchells still survive today, either on display in 
museums or as flying museums operating with such outfits as the 
Confederate Air Force.  At last count, about 40 Mitchells are still 
airworthy.  

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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