B-25 weapons thread (2 Viewers)

[Micdrow]

great stuff.. thank you

Your welcome!!!!

 

[Sydhuey]

Many weapons fits were tried on the B-25 some approved and incorporated into production some rejected, including when Pappy Gunn was building the first B-25 straffers they also fitted 2 x .30 cals into each landing light area of the wing, the North American tech rep drew the line at the 4 x .50 in the nose and the 2 x 2 .50 gun packs he said the a/c was under enough stress as it was without Pappy trying to make the wings fall off, further mods included replacing the 75mm cannon with 2 x .50 (photo in earlier post), a 20mm cannon from a P-38 in the place of the 75 and a 37mm from a P-39 in place of the 75, the 20mm and 37mm were rejected though the 2 x .50 in place of the 75 became a field mod as the 75 was not as useful as first believed also heard of a 20mm in the tail of a C/D model also rejected until the single then 2 x .50 MG's ,gunners positions fitted.

 

[Piper106]

Does anyone know why the defensive armament was changed on the later B-25 models??

I understand that the reflector sighted ventral turret was ineffective. Wouldn't just replacing that turret with the same ball turret used on the B-17 been just as effective as adding the tail position and waist guns without the weight and the extra crew man needed for the waist guns???

Piper106.

 

[cptsmith]

The waist area in the B-25 is narrower.

 

[ronl]

Great information on the B-25, Micdrow! Thanks for posting it. With respect to the 8 x .50 cal gun nose, I understand the expended cases and links were collected in the bottom of the nose, and then emptied after the aircraft was back on the ground. Does you have any drawings showing where the cases and links were collected?

Thanks.

Ron

 

[fisty]

this stuff is better than i thought i could find on the B-25

 

[Antonio Bilhoto]

Dear all, great info and material found here!!!
Does anyone have or knows where to find B-25 Bomb bay bombs mount and release mechanism drawings and/or pictures?
thanks!!

 

[woljags]

i transported the nose section of a B25 back in the late 80's to North weald airfield on a car transporter to be fitted to a aircraft that had been used as a camera ship for air to air photos,you would have thought with all that glass it would have been heavy but we easy lifted it with 2 men,i often wonder if the aircraft is still about as i was lucky enough to sit in the cockpit

 

[Sydhuey]

Doing more research on B-25 straffers found when Pappy Gunn did the first B-25's with 4x .50's in the nose and 2 x .50 twin packs on the fuselage sides, they wanted to step up the firepower so a 20mm cannon was added to the nose armament situated in the lower left nose , A B-25 of this configuration was flown by Maj Ralph Cheli (MOH) on his last mission, this cannon installation was eventualy removed as it was found it was to hard to harmonise the .50's and 20mm to each other- a fact I thought strange considering the standard armament of a P-38 was 4x.50's and a 20mm cannon , also latter in the war as pacific bomb groups traded in there C/D model for new J models , the J models had glass noses with a bombaimer they still wanted staffers so added 2x.50's to the left side of the nose, to match the 2x .50's on the right side of the nose plus the single .50 in the middle on a pintle mount, plus 4x .50's now in single gunpacks 2 on each side of the fuselage, I would hate to be the bomb aimer in one of these with 4x .50 going off beside me and 4 more going off behind me and still try and fire the single .50 or drop bombs! as the factory 8 gun noses become available the glass noses were replaced the bomb aimer gone and most units also got rid of the 4 single gun packs from the fuselage sides , less drag , 8 guns was consided enough and weigh saving with 4 .50's and ammo removed, I don't think many other aircraft in the war had such variations to armaments fitted as the B-25, from 1 x .50 and 4x .30 in the A thru multi .50's, 20mm and 37m cannons to 75 mm cannon thru to 18x.50's in the J model, and bombs, rockets, torpedo's and missiles.

 

[collandersmustang]

quick question.where was the ammo for the side gun packs located?

 

[daveT]

Photos from Barbie III

 

[ronl]

I understand the expended .50 cal cases and links from the two tail guns were ejected through a circular hole in the bottom of the tail. Does anyone have any drawings or pictures that show this in detail? Thanks.

 

[hub]

I understand the expended .50 cal cases and links from the two tail guns were ejected through a circular hole in the bottom of the tail. Does anyone have any drawings or pictures that show this in detail? Thanks.


Don't know if this is of help

cheers

Mike

 

[ronl]

Thanks Mike. So would both the cases and links fall through the same circular hole? Do you have any idea what the second hole is in the bottom of the tail just forward (to the left) of the circular hole?

Thanks.

Ron

 

[Micdrow]

Adding these for solid B-25 nose that I took this year

 

[vikingBerserker]

Very nice Paul! I have not seen that paint scheme on a recent one.

 

[Micdrow]

Very nice Paul! I have not seen that paint scheme on a recent one.

LOL here you go David the other side

 

[vikingBerserker]

Dam that's beautiful! Thanks for posting that one.

 

[Aaron Brooks Wolters]

She is pretty isn't she David?

 

[mikec1]

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Greetings Paul;



I Bet you have made many H&K B-25 builders happy ........





Excellent weapons post............. It does not get much better than this ........................... it is:

Thanks for the great post,



Mike
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