B-25 Mitchell Start Up, Take Off and Flyby - 'Executive Suite' Palms Springs Air Museum

Footage from the B-25 'Executive Suite' that was in attendance at the Palms Spring Air Museum in Nov 2018. This was during the museums 'Props and Hops' Festival.
History of Executive Sweet
Manufactured by North American Aviation, Kansas City, KS
Delivered to USAAF as 44-30801
- BOC: Feb. 26, 1945.
- SOC: March 1959
- Assigned to 2144th AAF Base Unit (Advanced Two-Engine Pilot School, ATC),
Moody AAF GA, March 1945
- Transferred to 2109th AAF Base Unit (Advanced Two-Engine Pilot School, ATC),
Turner AAF GA, April 1945
- Transferred to 2100th AAF Base Unit (Headquarters, Eastern Air Training Command),
Maxwell AAF AL (deployment to Kirtland AFB NM), May 1945
- Transferred to 42nd AAF Base Unit (Air University Command), Maxwell AAF (deployment
to Greenville AAF SC), Feb. 1946
- Transferred to 27th AF Base Unit (AUC), Randolph AB TX (to VB-25J), Feb. 1947
--Transferred to 3800th Air Base Wing (AUC), Maxwell AFB, AL, April 1947
- Transferred to AF School of Aviation Medicine (AUC), Randolph AFB, TX, Nov. 1948
- Transferred to VB-25N (deployment to Carswell AFB TX), Dec. 1954
- Transferred to Arizona Aircraft Storage Branch (Air Materiel Command), Davis-Monthan AFB AZ, June 1958-1959
Fogle Aircraft, Tucson, AZ, Sept. 9, 1959.
- Registered as N3699G.
Christler & Avery Aviation, Greybull, WY, Jan. 1960.
Avery Aviation, Greybull, WY, Aug. 1961-1968.
- Flew as sprayer.
Filmways Inc, Hollywood, CA, 1968-1972
- Flew in movie "Catch 22" as Vestal Virgin, 1968-1969.
Tallmantz Aviation, Orange County, CA, Aug. 1971-1972.
Ed Schnepf/Challenge Publications, Van Nuys, CA Feb. 1972-1982.
- Registered as N30801.
American Aeronautical Foundation, Camarillo, CA, July 1982-2008.
- Flown as 430801/Executive Sweet.
Millions of aviation fans have seen this popular 64 year old Warbird perform. Built in Kansas City in 1944 -45 as a B-25J, Executive Sweet saw extensive Stateside service throughout the war as a crew trainer. In 1948,it was turned converted into a USAF VB-25J, a VIP transport until the end of her service. In December of 1954 it was upgraded and designated a VB-25N by Hayes Aircraft, Inc. After several more years in military service at the School of Aviation Medicine at Randolph Field, Texas, the Mitchell was sold as surplus ad became a crop sprayer. Acquired by Hollywood's Filmways Studios in 1968, the B-25 became the lead "on camera" aircraft named Vestal Virgin in the film Catch-22. Placed for sale after completion of filming in 1970, it was purchased by Ed Schnepf (Thank you Ed!!) in 1972 to begin a two-year restorative program back to a wartime J model appearance.
Looking factory - new in its bare metal finish, Executive Sweet once again was armed with thirteen .50 caliber machine guns, a Norden bombsight and operable bomb bay, authentic insignia and interior detailing down to crash axes and crew intercom.
In 1982, Schnepf's Challenge Publications donated the B-25 to the newly formed American Aeronautical Foundation Museum at Camarillo, California, who has been operating it ever since. Executive Sweet has appeared in a dozen major films and numerous TV shows and commercials. In April 1992, the plane participated in the Doolittle Raid 50th Anniversary reenactment staged at North Island NAS.
Executive Sweet set the pace that soon saw hundreds of other warbirds fully restored to their original wartime pristine condition. As it begins its 37th year of appearances, Executive Sweet enters the season with a great new look (see our new nose art), and multiple shows already scheduled. The pilots and air crew volunteers of the AAF Museum look forward to another season of keeping alive the aviation heritage that millions come to share each year.
Air Museum - palmspringsairmuseum.org/
Event - palmspringspropsandhopsfestiv...
'Executive Suite' B25 - www.aafgroup.org/b25.html
Specifications:
Powerplant:
Two Wright R-2600-13 Double Cyclone fourteen-cylinder air-cooled radials, rated at 1700 hp each for takeoff and 1500 hp at 2400 rpm. Equipped with Holley 1685HA carburetors or Bendix Stromberg carburetors.
Performance:
Maximum speed 275 mph at 15,000 feet. 230 mph cruising speed. Initial climb rate 1110 feet per minute. An altitude of 15,000 feet could be reached in 19 minutes. Service ceiling 24,000 feet. Range 1275 miles with 3200 pounds of bombs. Ferry range 2700 miles.
Dimensions:
Wingspan 67 feet 6.7 inches, length 53 feet 5.75 inches (bomber version), height 16 feet 4.2 inches, wing area 610 square feet.

[@lilorbielilorbie2496]

Man there's just something about these old radials starting up. They have a "soul" that modern jets just never will.

[@WW2Hangar]

Couldn’t have said it better myself. It’s a shame we seem to lose a few each year.

[@todd3205]

I think this babe sat outside at Freedom Field in between Akron and Medina for a long time, decades ago.

[@WW2Hangar]

Really? That’s amazing! I love to see these old warbirds fixed up and back in the air.

[@zzyzxRDFwy15]

Tactical bombers are so cool.

[@WW2Hangar]

Amen to that