UK B25 help needed

Have been following this thread with interest – being an associate member of the RAF Millom Museum – we are just starting to acquire airframes to add to the collection – the usual selection up to now, Vampire, Canberra & recently a Tornado cockpit, but a WW2 veteran seems an unobtainable goal. I had no idea that aircraft like this still existed in such a state in this country today – how does this happen? You mention the asking price as a stumbling block – can I ask what this is & who is selling it – is it really for sale or is this just heresay?

Those who have visited our museum will have seen the work done on some of our airframes both by members and the local prison workshops + of course our extensive exhibits of smaller artefacts and relic items which recieved such favorable comment in Flypast recently. However it is seems very difficult these days to take the next step and despite the enthusiasm and resources we have available it seems that the hardest task is simply finding out details of aircraft that are available. :confused:

I know of a Harvard IIB for static sale – can PM me for details
Cheers

TT

p.s.
Brussels? Good luck with the resto guys you’re gonna need it but i am sure it will be superb when finished…you and Carl at AeroTrader will become good friends!

Must be going to the Aviodome – and after what they did in 3 months when we sold em our spare beech i have no doubt that this will be a superb restoration

It is not going to the Aviodrome, it is coming to Brussels. Which means it will be restored, but it will take a long time.

BW Roger

Here are a couple of photos taken at Blackbushe I think in 1977 and yes one photo does not include B25’s

Great photos there Robert. The B-25s did not arrive in England until the spring of 1978, so I guess the photos are shot in either late 78 or 79. If I remember correctly the “Marvellous Milly” still had the turret installed when displaying at Biggin Hill in 1979. This from a photo in a magazine I hope to find one of these days!

T J

The B25 Mitchell taken at North Weald this afternoon.

Best regards

If this was a horse, it would have been shot by now.
Cut it up, only corrosion holding it together.

Not sure if anyone has posted this, but the north weald one ALSO has a new owner! (not me by the way)

So who actually owns the ex-Southend one at North Weald? I am thinking of having it mounted on the top of my house as Basingstoke’s most interesting weathercock!

(That is a joke – but I am interested)

Have been following this thread with interest – being an associate member of the RAF Millom Museum – we are just starting to acquire airframes to add to the collection – the usual selection up to now, Vampire, Canberra & recently a Tornado cockpit, but a WW2 veteran seems an unobtainable goal. I had no idea that aircraft like this still existed in such a state in this country today – how does this happen? You mention the asking price as a stumbling block – can I ask what this is & who is selling it – is it really for sale or is this just heresay?

:

Personally I have no idea on its owner and current sitauation reguarding a sale. I can appreciate yor frustration re a genuine WW2 era aircraft and there is no ‘private’ museum in the uk that I can recall having one?? Looking back over recient times apart from the B25’s we have had many DC-3’s( Air Altantic had a few ‘out to grass’ last time I was at Coventry, plus those that were at Noth Weald), and a few T6’s including the ex Sandhurst scrapyard ones. Even the WW2 era Austers and Tigers are going to be snapped up by private owners for airwarthy rebuilds. I just think its a crime that the RAFM keeps those late mark Spits for ‘exchange’ when they could go on loan to museums that could put them under cover and look after them.

Its a shame that as a genuine WW2 type the B25 has not been preserved by the likes of the Newark, Coventry and Sunderland museums when they were relativly plentyfull in the uk in the early 80’s and even now. But I guess thats due to the asking prices?

Have been following this thread with interest – being an associate member of the RAF Millom Museum – we are just starting to acquire airframes to add to the collection – the usual selection up to now, Vampire, Canberra & recently a Tornado cockpit, but a WW2 veteran seems an unobtainable goal. I had no idea that aircraft like this still existed in such a state in this country today – how does this happen? You mention the asking price as a stumbling block – can I ask what this is & who is selling it – is it really for sale or is this just heresay?

Those who have visited our museum will have seen the work done on some of our airframes both by members and the local prison workshops + of course our extensive exhibits of smaller artefacts and relic items which recieved such favorable comment in Flypast recently. However it is seems very difficult these days to take the next step and despite the enthusiasm and resources we have available it seems that the hardest task is simply finding out details of aircraft that are available. :confused:

Four years ago, I was on a ‘nutcase tour’ of the UK and naturely stopped at North Weald. By being very nosie, me and my friend ended up being given a guided tour of the Interprid Aviation hangar by an engineer working there. When we asked him about the B25, he said it was not going anywhere in a hurry because of ‘paperwork problems’. What he meant by that, I’ve no idea. He also said the wing spars had been cut through when it was trucked from Southend (IIRC) so the wing was not going to be usable for an airworthy restoration. Beside that, when we went over to have a look at it, we saw some very sever corrosion, it is litterally turning to white dust right there on the spot!

Here are a couple of photos taken at Blackbushe I think in 1977 and yes one photo does not include B25’s

Well those take me back to being a 7 year old and getting frightened by the guard dogs by one of Doug Arnolds hangars with my dad.
The NW B-25 from what I saw last year has severe main spar problems the outer wings were very ‘drooped’. Its a shame that as a genuine WW2 type the B25 has not been preserved by the likes of the Newark, Coventry and Sunderland museums when they were relativly plentyfull in the uk in the early 80’s and even now. But I guess thats due to the asking prices?

Amazing Andrea

Martin , did you not try to save a B52, only the other day, called Bertie the BUS!! :p :p 😀 😀 Anna 😀 😉

The B25 Mitchell taken at North Weald this afternoon.

Best regards

Have got a couple of photo’s of ‘Bedsheet Bomber’ taken last September at North Weald which I have tried to post but can’t get them to go through, so if anyone would like them e-mailed to them, I can do that.
(Probably me doing something wrong – more interested in old aircraft than I am in computers!)

I had a look at the Nth Weald a/c recently. Complete [relatively] looking and a good project. Setter go get it. We need another -25 here. Remember I brought the last one here in 1983….

The machine at Coventry is the very same machine as is currently stored near Doncaster. She has suffered somewhat from a prolonged period of dereliction.

Question.Whats happened to the one at coventry
have not seen this wreck for many years it was dumped on the far south side near the fence that is now part of the thompson fly hub. But it’s not there know and have not seen it around or have i been walking around with welding goggles on to long . would get some pics if its still around the airfield .It was in a very poor state last time i seen her 10 years ago .

Here are a couple of photos taken at Blackbushe I think in 1977 and yes one photo does not include B25’s

My understanding with Bedsheet Bomber is that the U.S. FAA won’t release the civil registration number due to the lack of any bills of sale beyond its 1964 owner of record. Without properly executed bills of sale establishing current ownership, title may be a problem. Be careful that you buy the airplane from someone who actually owns it. The title issue may be determining the selling price. Trying to get the airplane on another country’s civil register may be nearly impossible, as would be changing the ownership of record with the FAA. It would probably work as a static display in a musuem, though.

Going to the Aviodrome, are you sure? Guess another museum is more in the picture for a B25. We already have 3 1/2 Mitchells in Holland so I doubt it is on any Dutch museums priority list.

Bedsheet Bomber is still owned by TFC – they want 10k for it – but at least it is more complete than the sandtoft one – ie with engines etc –

Glad Gorgeous Georgeanne has been saved – a year ago (and i know cos we looked) it could have been saved to fly – now the spar is rotten 🙁 –

Must be going to the Aviodome – and after what they did in 3 months when we sold em our spare beech i have no doubt that this will be a superb restoration

It may have engines but not a great deal in the way of a spar or any decent aluminium. Lots of nice white powder like stuff with a bit of paint here and there. 😀

That’s great news. Would look nice next to the cockpit section they have now.

Cees