That's a PBJ-1D, Geo. Check my earlier post. It's a plane from VMB-612 - same as the previous one. The "hose nose" was strictly a Navy-modification.
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That's a PBJ-1D, Geo. Check my earlier post. It's a plane from VMB-612 - same as the previous one. The "hose nose" was strictly a Navy-modification.I've only seen Navy and Marine B-25s in that configuration. Not saying the Air Force didn't have them but must be a rarity. The Navy took 224 B-24Js, re-designated PBJ-1J.
I really don't think there was such type of "finding lost planes" by a "pathfinder". How did they know where to search? Just flying here an there, using the radar? And what if the plane has crashed in the ocean? A PBJ can find it of course, but that's all. This would be a typical SAR-mission for a "Catalina".Pathfinding here is ment to find a lost plane and guide it home. Not the bomber variant.
The above two records give a very good information about PBJ being used for night or daylight rocket-missions. 5" HVAR aka "Holy Moses" could be carried by both "Mitchells" and PBJs. The rocket launchers have been manufactured by NAA as a kit and could be installed on older models (like D) too, 4 under each wing. I think I've already posted the next photo, showing a B-25G-12 from the 41-st BG. modified with the J2 nose and with rocket launchers visible under the wing.Just found out that PBJ1-Ds also carried rockets, thanks Yves. Learn something here every day
For sure this is not "Dirty Dora": one can see the individual Clayton S-stacks of the exhausts. "Dirty Dora" in the 2 photos above has smooth cowlings with one big exhaust pipe. The bat has different eyes too. There was a "Dirty Dora 2" (I posted her photo somewhere here) but she has 8-guns nose.