FlyPast – August 2018

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

1945. 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