B-25 - Night Fighter

k9iua


Barneybolac wrote: "Plus they are the only B-25h's that ever added a co pilot."

Barney, I'm not sure if you are referring to just the 418th night fighters when you made that statement, or B-25H's in general.  Lots of B-25Hs in many of the squadrons and groups had a second set of controls added back in and flew with copilots, not just the night fighters.  My uncle flew in such planes as a copilot with the 42nd BG in mid-1944.

Kevin Anderson

I am not sure what book I read the above statement in as I can't seem to find it now. It would make sense that other units added in a co-pilot though as the plane was not very well liked for that reason alone. With your uncle confirming that point I would have no reason at all to doubt it.

Well I got a reply from a former 418TH NFS member Mr Paul Harrington & this was his reply.

Our B-25s were plain old slate gray.  They had an air force blue stripe on the tail from top left to bottom right the Bar Sinister in Heraldry, indicating illigitimacy or " Bastardy" if you wish. I know because I designed it.  I had read quite a bit about "Wandering Knights"  of the round table etc, so I figured "why not'?  We were kinda the "Bastards" of 5th Fighter`Command, at least I thought we were.


Well that was a bit of a surprise to me that they are gray. It makes sense though as it would be a good colour in light of the day & night use of these planes.

Managed to locate Mr Raymond Duethman a crew member of the Blues in the night aircraft shown in the pictures in prior posts. He helped me & the fellow who did the skin as to what the aircraft looked like. Excuse the top turret & 75MM cannon as they are hard wired in to the flight sim this skin was done for & cant be removed.