eBay: North American B-25 Mitchell

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Picture from 479th Photo Section, Robin Fields 1943.
479th Photo Section Robin Fields 1943.JPG
1943.
 
If you mean the "thing" to the left (starboard) of the cockpit, then it's the starboard vertical tail fin.
 
Whats that thing on the nose?

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The "thing" is called ENDFIRE ANTENNA and is part of the AN/APG-13A-Falcon radar system for the 75mm-canon. I've seen it usually mounted on PBJ-1H, not on B-25H though.
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P.S. I found an interesting description I've saved in my archive many years ago, explaining the Falcon-radar system:

"Not long ago the fixed 75mm cannon, in the nose of the B-25H, was regarded as a handy anti-shipping weapon that ought to be handier. With a range of over 5000 yards, the B-25H and its 763 lb. cannon represented a unit of highly mobile artillery that could stay clear of the light flak thrown up by Jap shipping while hammering away at the target.
But the cannon had no way of getting accuracy at long range; instead it had to be fired on the optical judgment of the pilots, which is a particularly tough ASV assignment. As a result, B-25H pilots worked mostly at short distances where optical range errors were small but the danger of getting shot down high. What was needed was something to give range data to the gunsight so that the necessary superelevation correction, allowing for the gravity drop of the 15-lb. projectiles, could be accurately applied.
The answer was AN/APG-13 (Falcon), radar range finder introduced early in 1944.* Falcon eliminates guesswork all the way from 5100 down to 300 yards, keeps the gunsight continuously corrected for range.
It turns out that pilots take readily to Falcon, and ring up good scores with little or no training in 75mm firing. Their performance isn't surprising, since their job,--providing the gunsight is fed correct data by the radar operator sitting alongside--is stripped down to flying so that the hairlines in the sight window are properly positioned on the target and then pushing the firing button as fast as the cannon is loaded.
AN/APG-13 was the crash-built, pre-production Falcon; test data mentioned in this report refer to that. The production model, incorporating several refinements, but essentially the same equipment, is designated AN/APG-13A.
Falcon now has been theater tested by the 5th, 13th and 14th Air Forces. Only the 14th was able to give it a real workout. Its performance in China (mainly along the Yangtze) resulted in a heavy requirement, fulfillment of which has been affected by the critical China base problem, though Jap river traffic still offers targets from existing westward bases. The 5th and 13th just didn't have the shipping to pit it against. But a Marine squadron fitted with Falcon now is in the Pacific and 6 more will follow."
 
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The "thing" is called ENDFIRE ANTENNA and is part of the AN/APG-13A-Falcon radar system for the 75mm-canon. I've seen it usually mounted on PBJ-1H, not on B-25H though.
View attachment 689053

P.S. I found an interesting description I've saved in my archive many years ago, explaining the Falcon-radar system:

"Not long ago the fixed 75mm cannon, in the nose of the B-25H, was regarded as a handy anti-shipping weapon that ought to be handier. With a range of over 5000 yards, the B-25H and its 763 lb. cannon represented a unit of highly mobile artillery that could stay clear of the light flak thrown up by Jap shipping while hammering away at the target.
But the cannon had no way of getting accuracy at long range; instead it had to be fired on the optical judgment of the pilots, which is a particularly tough ASV assignment. As a result, B-25H pilots worked mostly at short distances where optical range errors were small but the danger of getting shot down high. What was needed was something to give range data to the gunsight so that the necessary superelevation correction, allowing for the gravity drop of the 15-lb. projectiles, could be accurately applied.
The answer was AN/APG-13 (Falcon), radar range finder introduced early in 1944.* Falcon eliminates guesswork all the way from 5100 down to 300 yards, keeps the gunsight continuously corrected for range.
It turns out that pilots take readily to Falcon, and ring up good scores with little or no training in 75mm firing. Their performance isn't surprising, since their job,--providing the gunsight is fed correct data by the radar operator sitting alongside--is stripped down to flying so that the hairlines in the sight window are properly positioned on the target and then pushing the firing button as fast as the cannon is loaded.
AN/APG-13 was the crash-built, pre-production Falcon; test data mentioned in this report refer to that. The production model, incorporating several refinements, but essentially the same equipment, is designated AN/APG-13A.
Falcon now has been theater tested by the 5th, 13th and 14th Air Forces. Only the 14th was able to give it a real workout. Its performance in China (mainly along the Yangtze) resulted in a heavy requirement, fulfillment of which has been affected by the critical China base problem, though Jap river traffic still offers targets from existing westward bases. The 5th and 13th just didn't have the shipping to pit it against. But a Marine squadron fitted with Falcon now is in the Pacific and 6 more will follow."
The only USMC unit to take the PBJ-1H into combat was VMB-613 which arrived on Kwajalein in Dec 1944. Plenty of info on their operations and more photos here:-

 
Great find! :thumbright:
The photos of 9R show a B-25 from 489-th Bomb. squadron/340-th BG with an extremely interesting feature: "double modified" tail.
I can't read the s/n but it could be for example 42-32507 - a B-25C-15 (see additional information below). This a/c is clearly a Sidi Ahmed -modification (note the small waist windows) BUT there is no tail gun!
csSHvv3.jpg

The tail cone was added back and it looks like the modified glazing for the tail gunner position was covered solid(? :rolleyes: ). I thought this might be just the shadow of the fin over the tail cone, but it is probably not. Or if the glazing from the first modification is still there, it's obscured in a way.
rZs9X7s.png

For comparison check an unmodified tail cone (9V) and a Sidi Ahmed tail mod (9C) from the same squadron below:
yXH9ndj.jpg
VZLwEdg.jpg

Cheers!
P.S. After some "digging" I found that there were 5 a/c with the tail code 9R in the squadron during the war. The most probable serial in this case is 42-32507 (as I suggested above based on a visual check only!:cool:) - below is an excerpt from a 489-th BS. Mission report from 1.Sept. 1943 with the same serial and tail code:
TbXe67T.jpg

From a different source I have the information that a/c 9R with the above s/n was in action between 9. June 1943 and 24. Sept. 1943 only.
Cheers!
 
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  1. B-25H-1 43-4198
  2. B-25H-1 43-4112
  3. B-25H-1 43-4105 first flew Jul 31, 1943. Stress tested to destruction by the manufacturer.


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1944 NOSE ART PHOTO - TOUCH OF TEXAS - 38th BOMB GROUP few other angles Search results for query: texas

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As an eBay Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
As an eBay Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
As an eBay Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Ooo, that one might be interesting for Yves CATCH 22 CATCH 22 and me.
Yep, this is the famous "Desert Warrior" in the same nose configuration as discussed in your modelling thread. At that point (of the photos) it was not a battle plane anymore but pure advertisement.
6TAVjO1.jpg

"Desert Warrior" has s/n 41-12860 and is a B-25C (no block letter), showing the typical ball-and-socket mounts for a hand held 0.30 in the nose.
Cheers!
P.S. Forgot to mention, Canadian in the middle is Pilot Officer Anthony Martin, radio operator.
And because today is Remembrance Day, let us remember those guys who fought on many fronts and in many wars!:pilotsalute:
 
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