Interesting photo of B-25 going down

 
All the information I have is that the target in China.  
 
You can see the 'chutes are actually carrying bombs and I'm guessing are from the photo ship.  However, I'm interested in the B-25 that appears to be going down smoking.....it doesn't look like anyone's coming out, and perhaps they're a little low to bail out?
 
Would be interested in any more information and general comments, as I find it a fascinating snap-shot in time.
 
P.S. I do not own the original and can't remember where I got the image, but I'm posting it for conversational purposes only :)

Excellent, thanks for that LP.
 
I take it this ship did go down?

I think this might be the ship in the photo:
43-36192, “Jaunty Jo”, 498^th Squadron, 345^th Bomb Group.  
Sadly they didn't make it.
 
 

North American B-25J-10-NC Mitchell
s/n 43-36192
498th BS, 345th BG
Named "Jaunty Jo"
Being flown by 1st Lt. Lloyd E. Bodell and crew that day, all were KIA.
 
per captions on:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/18532986@N07/3249033291/
When I look at the 345th loss list, Bodell is listed as a Navigator, not a Pilot, so we need to check a little more.
 

Found this on another site.  These are the crew postions as  listed on a 345th lost list which shows Knauf as  a Pilot, Mulner as Co-Pilot, Bodell as Navigator, Montville as Engineer and Harrell as RO. 
 
http://flgrube1.tripod.com/id234.html
North American B-25 Mitchell "Jaunty Jo," serial number 43-36192, 498th Bomb Squadron, 345th Bomb Group, 5th Air Force (Far East Air Force) was struck by hidden antiaircraft artillery just after deploying 250-pound parachute-retarded demolition bombs on the Byoritsu Alcohol Refinery in Formosa. The cockpit has been torn open. Seconds later the plane crashed, killing the entire crew: Second Lieutenant Robert J. Knauf, Second Lieutenant Martin H. Mulner, First Lieutenant Lloyd E. Bodell, Corporal Harold O. Montville, and Gunnery Sergeant Tennyson C. Harrell. The plane was one of 16 B-25s that were attempting to deny the Japanese the ability to process synthetic fuel from sugar cane. Byoritsu refinery was hit in March, May and July 1945.  

I colorized a close-up of this pic quite a while back, never seen the full frame view. Thanks for the complete picture and story.
 

 
 
 
 
http://s217.photobucket.com/albums/cc314/SHAEF1944/WWII_ColorizedBySHAEF/
 
 
 

SHAEF, you've done a fantastic job adding colour to that photo. Thanks for sharing.
 
Chobi,  that artwork's very nice indeed. Shigeo Koike is truly a master of his trade.

Regarding Prop's original question... Almost certainly too low to bail out, but, looking at the fold3 pic at the link Tony provided, you can see the para-frags and open-sided, thatched roof buildings at the top center of the photo, ( which the aircraft is over in the original posted picture ) with the plane exploding at the bottom right of the frame. Looks to be only a couple hundred yards, if that, from where it was in the original photo, and in that one, the smoke from the flak hit is a pretty short trail. My bet it that from being hit to crashing, at the speed they were flying, only took a matter of seconds. My guess would be less than 10. Hardly time to realize what was happening, much less to bail out. 

Yves, like you mentioned about the picture quality? I also marvelled at it, especially when you take into account the cameras of the day, and the fact someone took this so calmly during such circumstances.  
 
I'm guessing this one was taken by a crewmen in the tail gunner's position?

Propwash

Yves, like you mentioned about the picture quality? I also marvelled at it, especially when you take into account the cameras of the day, and the fact someone took this so calmly during such circumstances.  

I'm guessing this one was taken by a crewmen in the tail gunner's position?

 
Alex,
 
By Sep 44, the 341st Group they used electrically operated cameras (Model K-10??), and had mounts which allowed cameras to be installed on the tail guns.  According to comment in 491st BmSq history, the camera control allowed for timed, automatic camera activation; setting time between exposures and total length of time for sequence.



The combination of camera and mount provide photos like the one taken by a 491st Bm Sq B-25H during railway sweep near Puchi, China. 



I do not know the camera situation in the 345th Bm Gp at this time, but I have seen several combat photos from the 345th which suggests they had a similar set up.
 
(edited to embed images)