FlyPast – August 2018

(John Hannent) #1

http://www.fl ypast.com


August 2018 FLYPAST 7

North American B-25J Mitchell 44-


30734 Panchito has been listed for


sale in the US via Courtesy Aircraft.


Registered N9079Z, the bomber has

been operated by Larry Kelley for the


last two decades.


It was built in Kansas City and


delivered to the USAAF in February



  1. Although too late to serve in


World War Two, it equipped several


training units before being converted


into a TB-25N navigation trainer


in 1952.


It retired – briefl y – in 1958, before

entering civilian hands the following


year and fl ying as a fi refi ghter, and


then a crop sprayer in Florida. It was


returned to its B-25J specifi cations
in 1986 by Tom Reilly, and acquired by
Larry in 1997. It represents a Mitchell

of the 396th Bomb Squadron, 41st
Bomb Group, 7th Air Force. The asking
price is US $1.4m (around £1.05m) for

the aircraft and an extensive spares
package. For more information see:
http://www.courtesyaircraft.com

New owner


sought for


B-25 Mitchell


Sqn Ldr George ‘Johnny’ Johnson
MBE DFM, the last British veteran to
have participated in the famous
Dambusters ‘op’ of 1943, fl ew on
board the RAF Battle of Britain
Memorial Flight’s Avro Lancaster
PA474 on May 17 to mark the raid’s
75th anniversary. Johnny fl ew in
the bomb aimer’s position, as he

did with 617 Squadron in 1943. The
BBMF Lancaster fl ew over the dams
of the Derwent Valley, a location used
by the Dambusters while training for
Operation ‘Chastise’.
Sqn Ldr Andy Millikin, the BBMF’s
OC, said: “We are thrilled that we are
fi nally able to mark this amazing
anniversary in such a poignant way.

“It was always our intent to pay
tribute to Johnny as the last British
Dambuster by carrying out this sortie
on May 16, and we were bitterly
disappointed that the weather
stopped us. We seized the opportunity
to complete this mission today
with Johnny on board, fl ying a
shortened sortie.

“Sadly, the quick turn of events
did not give the necessary time
to organise the essential safety
measures to handle the large
volumes of traffi c that would have
been present had we announced the
fl ight, but we felt it was important
to fl y Johnny on this historic day.”
http://www.raf.mod.uk/bbmf

Britain’s last Dambuster fl ies in BBMF Lancaster


Sqn Ldr George ‘Johnny’ Johnson with BBMF
crew on May 17. MoD

North American B-25 Mitchell ‘Panchito’
fl ying in the US recently. JIM KOEPNICK
Free download pdf