Help with B25H history

[Hardy]

That's him! I've got a picture of him in uniform I'll post when I get back by a computer.

 

[fubar57]

Nice one Paul. Film Reel Number?

Geo

 

[Micdrow]

Nice one Paul. Film Reel Number?

Geo

Thanks Geo, Film reel number I believe is the reel number of the micro fish that the info was stored on. Info was found on the Fold3 website.

 

[Micdrow]

Well we can confirm that your granddad flew with the 81st as a pilot , Found this in the book the Billy Goat Squadron flying B-25's in WWII by Hunter M Breland and Kenneth R Breland. You may be interesting in the book as its the squadron your grand dad flew in. I have not had the chance to read the book but contains lots on members of the squadron. Sadly no picture of your grand dads plane though.

 

[Hardy]

I'll have to look for a copy! There's one on eBay but it's far from cheap. Might check the library and see if they can get a copy to read.

I still hadn't had a chance to get ahold of the journal to read through it, hopefully I can in the near future.

 

[Micdrow]

Yeah this book was not cheap Hardy, I have to admit that and smaller for a book its size for the price but for me its a nice addition to my library of books on B-25's

 

[Chris_Hammerbeck]

Hi Hardy,
Sorry I'm a bit late to the party but the picture of the plane you posted is indeed a 12th BG / 81st BS B-25H-10-NC Mitchell. (That is a 75mm cannon and 4 .50 caliber machine guns in the nose.) The tail number is 16 (as in one-six). The 12th BG used tail numbers 01-99 divided across the four squadrons (81st, 82nd, 83rd, 434th. In theory, the 81st used 01-24, the 82nd used 25-49, the 83rd used 50-74 and the 434th used 75-99. That said, I've never seen a 81st BS tail number in the CBI lower that 09 and I routinely see tail numbers 25-29 listed as flying with the 81st BS and not the 82nd. This is an early picture of tail 16. That particular plane would go on to be named Kid Sister. Not sure when the plane was named or why. Perhaps there is a clue in his journal. In fact, if you are able to get a hold of his journal, please let me know. I might be able to dig up something about the 81st that might be helpful. (I need to look back and see what I have.) I found one awards document from the 81st BS dated November 1944 showing your relative received an Air Medal. I've attached a PDF of that document. Have you seen that medal?
Let me know if I can be of any more help.
Cheers!
Chris Hammerbeck

 

[fubar57]

Hi Chris, good info. Unfortunately Hardy hasn't been on the site for almost 2 years

 

[Chris_Hammerbeck]

Hi Chris, good info. Unfortunately Hardy hasn't been on the site for almost 2 years

Well shoot! Just goes to show you how behind the times I am.

 

[fubar57]

Keep in touch here though, he may show back up. I haven't been back to this thread until I saw that you had added to it

 

[Micdrow]

Great info there Chris, hopefully he comes back

 

[barneybolac]

Few other photos of Kid Sister.

 

[barneybolac]

Hi Hardy,
Sorry I'm a bit late to the party but the picture of the plane you posted is indeed a 12th BG / 81st BS B-25H-10-NC Mitchell. (That is a 75mm cannon and 4 .50 caliber machine guns in the nose.) The tail number is 16 (as in one-six). The 12th BG used tail numbers 01-99 divided across the four squadrons (81st, 82nd, 83rd, 434th. In theory, the 81st used 01-24, the 82nd used 25-49, the 83rd used 50-74 and the 434th used 75-99. That said, I've never seen a 81st BS tail number in the CBI lower that 09 and I routinely see tail numbers 25-29 listed as flying with the 81st BS and not the 82nd. This is an early picture of tail 16. That particular plane would go on to be named Kid Sister. Not sure when the plane was named or why. Perhaps there is a clue in his journal. In fact, if you are able to get a hold of his journal, please let me know. I might be able to dig up something about the 81st that might be helpful. (I need to look back and see what I have.) I found one awards document from the 81st BS dated November 1944 showing your relative received an Air Medal. I've attached a PDF of that document. Have you seen that medal?
Let me know if I can be of any more help.
Cheers!
Chris Hammerbeck

Hi Chris I was wondering what is your source for KID Sister being #16? I found a couple images some years ago online for #16 I don't recall the source now sadly. In one of them when you zoom up the image you can just barely make out three white shapes that are clearly nose art. They coincide in the approximate location and shape of the two white boots and hat for Texas Gal. Image is not good enough to be 100% accurate for identification but it is awfully close. Been trying to get the information on Kid Sister & Texas Gal for some time now so if I can get a positive hit on either it will be a win win. Regards: Rodney.

Here is the first photo of #16.

Cropped.

Second image.

Cropped.

I have zoomed it up larger to point out the three white looking shapes.

Here are photos of Texas Gal.

 

[barneybolac]

It looks like there maybe 2 #16's per this link?

http://k9iua.atwebpages.com/docs/CBI_B25H_Aircraft.pdf

 

[Chris_Hammerbeck]

Hi Chris I was wondering what is your source for KID Sister being #16? I found a couple images some years ago online for #16 I don't recall the source now sadly. In one of them when you zoom up the image you can just barely make out three white shapes that are clearly nose art. They coincide in the approximate location and shape of the two white boots and hat for Texas Gal. Image is not good enough to be 100% accurate for identification but it is awfully close. Been trying to get the information on Kid Sister & Texas Gal for some time now so if I can get a positive hit on either it will be a win win. Regards: Rodney.

Hi Rodney,
Here is the photo of Kid Sister that I posted earlier. If you zoom in you can read the serial number 43-4975. I cross referenced that serial number with this 81st BS mission report for 15 April 1945 which lists tail 16 as 43-4975. It's certainly possible that the 81st had another tail 16 before Kid Sister. I'll have to look and see if I can find any reference to another 16. That said, Kid Sister did accumulate at least 100 missions so it was around for a while.
Cheers!
Chris

 

[Chris_Hammerbeck]

Hi Chris I was wondering what is your source for KID Sister being #16? I found a couple images some years ago online for #16 I don't recall the source now sadly. In one of them when you zoom up the image you can just barely make out three white shapes that are clearly nose art. They coincide in the approximate location and shape of the two white boots and hat for Texas Gal. Image is not good enough to be 100% accurate for identification but it is awfully close. Been trying to get the information on Kid Sister & Texas Gal for some time now so if I can get a positive hit on either it will be a win win. Regards: Rodney.

Thanks for those other Kid Sister photos. Check your inbox. I just started a conversation with you....I think. Hopefully it worked.

 

[barneybolac]

Excellent work thank you.