World War II · Aircraft
North American B-25 Mitchell
The North American B-25 Mitchell was a twin-engine medium bomber and one of the most versatile and successful Allied aircraft of World War II. First flown in 1940, it entered service in 1941 and was used in every theater of the war by American and Allied forces. It is most famous for the Doolittle Raid of April 1942, when sixteen B-25s launched from the aircraft carrier USS Hornet to make the first US air attack on the Japanese home islands.
Beyond conventional bombing, the rugged Mitchell was adapted for low-level strafing and anti-shipping strikes, with some versions bristling with forward-firing guns or carrying a 75 mm cannon. Around 9,800 were built, and the type was named in honor of air-power advocate General Billy Mitchell.
Specifications
- Manufacturer
- North American
- Type
- Twin-engine medium bomber
- Crew
- 5–6
- First Flight
- 1940
- Powerplant
- 2 × Wright R-2600 Cyclone radials, 1,700 hp each
- Max Speed
- 272 mph
- Range
- 1,350 mi
- Service Ceiling
- 24,200 ft
- Length
- 52 ft 11 in
- Wingspan
- 67 ft 7 in
- Loaded Weight
- 35,000 lb (max takeoff)
- Armament
- Up to 12–18 × .50 in machine guns; up to 3,000 lb of bombs