The B-25 is such a beautifully designed, iconic aircraft from WWII. It was the plane used by the Doolittle Raiders when they bombed Tokyo Japan after taking off from an aircraft carrier at sea. This was a one-way mission for most of these aircrews.
This B25J is lovingly maintained and flown by the Missouri wing of the Commemorative Air Force.
This airplane has another midwest connection…it was manufactured in Fairfax / Kansas City Kansas…as were many B25 of the era. The Fairfax plant produced 6,680 of the 9,889 of these aircraft, and most of the B25’s still flying today. This location is actually on the Kansas side of the Missouri river, near downtown Kansas City. Today it is an auto manufacturing plant, but from google earth you can still see some of the old taxiways that were used in the 1940’s.
Here are a couple of links that outline this airplane’s history, as well as a project to help preserve the legacy of the men and women who built, flew, and maintained the B25 bomber.