2005 is not only the 60th anniversary of the end of WWII and of the North American B-25J (serial 45-8811) but also the year of its rebirth. It has just changed its home base, registration and maybe its future!
The Mitchell, formerly based at Dijon-Longvic (France), has just been integrated into its new Flight: “JAF”, Jet Alpine Fighter, in Sion (Valais) in the heart of the Swiss Alps.
It was in 1991 that this plane arrived in Europe and was registered F-AZID… the first twin-engine bomber to receive a CNRAC, the French equivalent airworthiness certificate for historical aircraft. After several years of operations and some remarkable TV appearances, the B-25J disappeared from the European AirShow scene at the end of 2000.
After this long period of uncertainty, one month in the “Edwards Brothers Aviation” engineers’ hands was enough to bring the medium bomber back to life. Of the three that are now airworthy in Europe, one is in Holland (The Duke of Brabant), one in Austria (Flying Bull) and this one in Switzerland (“JAF”).
“F-AZID is dead, long live HB-RDE!”
The ferry flight between Bourgogne and Valais took place on the 26th of January in an opening of blue sky between two snow showers. Two pilots were in charge: Peter Kuypers, from the Netherlands, who is one of the Mitchell pilots in the Duke of Brabant Air Force (with 250 hours on type!) and Yves Cartilier from Belgium, known as the display pilot of the Westland Lysander from Sabena Old Timers.
It was a flight without any problems that confirmed the general condition of the plane. According to the pilots, the aeroplane was suffering only one disease – not having been flown for some years!
The ferry was a formation flight with the other North American from Jet Alpine Fighter, the T-28B “Trojan” (Bu. 138266 / HB-RCT) flown by the Swiss Michael Weber. Both aeroplanes are now well protected in the heated hangars of “Alpine Jet Service”.
It is obvious to say that this move to the Swiss mountains has been of great benefit to the Mitchell. The B-25 will be now preserved by Swiss know-how and its two Wright Cyclone engines are already turning like two chronographs … Swiss chronographs of course!
And what about the future?
We will have the opportunity to see the “JAF” team, arriving in force, early in the season at the 2005 European AirShow tour… and that’s just the beginning!
Contact :
Jet Alpine Fighter
PoBox 703
CH-1950 SION-Aéroport
Switzerland
Web site : http://www.jaf.ch
E-mail : [email]Yves@jaf.ch[/email]
E-mail Presse : [email]press@jaf.ch[/email]
By: B25 - 18th February 2005 at 15:51
Those pics and many more are available at high resolution.
Our press coordinator is taking care of them !
Feel free to contact him: [email]press@jaf.ch[/email]
They will be also available on our Website … when it will be finished …
www.jaf.ch
Ciao
Yves
By: DazDaMan - 18th February 2005 at 15:10
That top Mitch pic is just gorgeous – weather looks a lot better there than it does here! :p
By: B25 - 18th February 2005 at 15:03
About that one ?
By: Snaps - 18th February 2005 at 14:53
Yes, great B-25 photos. Keep em coming please 😀
By: B25 - 18th February 2005 at 14:50
Do you want more peaches ?
By: paulmcmillan - 18th February 2005 at 14:15
That first photo is a peach!
Nope.. This is a peach…
That was B-25..
By: T J Johansen - 18th February 2005 at 13:52
Will it be at Legends…. :rolleyes: 😀 😀
T J
By: Mark V - 18th February 2005 at 13:49
That first photo is a peach!
By: Will J - 18th February 2005 at 13:27
Beautiful photos guys!
Needless to say the would be a very warm welcome in the UK for this aircraft, we love B25s here but keep selling them :rolleyes:
Wishing you all the best with operating her!
By: B25 - 18th February 2005 at 13:25
North American B-25J Mitchell « HB-RDE »
North American B-25J Mitchell « HB-RDE »
This North American B-25J has the constructor number 108-47662 and the USAAF serial number 45-881, where “45” means built in 1945. At the end of WWII it was converted into a trainer (TB-25N), and fitted with two additional students’ seats at the rear of the cockpit. It finished its Air Force career as a twin- engined trainer.
In 1958, it was removed from active service and stored at Davis Monthan AFB, AZ.
1958, the 13th of june, Maricopa Dust & Spray bought it from the American Government and gave it its first civilian registration: N9621C.
In September ‘59, James E. Dimmettee of Dallas Aero Service, TX, acquired and operated the plane for Texas Instruments as a flying platform until the end of 1960.
Subsequently it had the following private owners:
V.C. Arnspleger, Dallas, TX, de September 1961 – 1962.
C.M. Stephenson/Air Traders Inc, Miami, FL, 1962-1966.
Richard Lloyd, Miami, FL, 1966-1970.
Antonio Rodriguez, San Juan, Porto Rico, 1970-1972.
Uriel Bristol, St. Croix, 1972-1976.
Seagull Enterprises, Christiansted, 1976-1978.
And finally, after a first restoration in 1982, Harry S. Doan from Daytona Beach, FL, kept it airworthy. The current camouflage scheme dates from this period. The legend has it that the owner’s wife loved those colours!
The plane was then owned successively by World Jet Inc. (Fort Lauderdale) and Flying Eagles Inc, (Don Widington) and finally acquired by Franklin Devaux in 1991.
After an epic ferry flight, the Mitchell landed in Dijon-Longvic (France) as F-AZID and was operated by Lafayette Aviation for several years on the European Airshow circuit. It was totally restored, flight controls renewed, wings removed and checked and treated all over with anti-corrosion products.
After a period of inactivity, it has now been totally overhauled by “Edwards Brothers Aviation” and finally delivered to “Jet Alpine Fighter” who will run it from their home base Sion in Valais.
It is now registered in Swiss as HB-RDE.
Wing span : 67.6 ft.
Length : 53 ft.
Height : 16.3 ft.
Power plant: two 14 cyl. Wright R-2600-35 1 700 CV
Max. Speed: 272 mph at 13000 ft.
Ceiling : 24000 ft.
Max Range : 1865 mi.
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February 18, 2005 at 1:21 pm