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B-25s used on D-Day


cutiger83
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I have been able to find where the RAF flew B-25s for the D-Day invasion but so far have not been able to find any American units that flew the B-25. Do any of you know if Americans also flew B-25s during the invasion?

 

Thank you in advance for your assistance, Kat

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B-25's flown by the AAF were only in the Mediterranean theater (Also a lot of use in the Pacific)....there was at least one B-25 hack plane used by the 8th AF I have heard of. Other than that, NW European operations of the B-25 were by our Allies.

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hbtcoveralls

B-25's flown by the AAF were only in the Mediterranean theater (Also a lot of use in the Pacific)....there was at least one B-25 hack plane used by the 8th AF I have heard of. Other than that, NW European operations of the B-25 were by our Allies.

That's correct, the B-25 was used extensively in those theaters but never saw much use in the ETO.

 

The B-26 Marauder (Martin) and later the B-26 Invader (Douglas) were the mainstays of the medium bomber fleet in the European theater

 

The only ETO B-25s I know of were in the movie "hanover street" :)

 

Tom Bowers

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Thanks for your input. I did find an online interview of RAF pilots who flew the B-25 on D-Day but so far only the RAF.

 

As Baron3-6 said, it appears the Americans flew them in the other theatres: CBI, Pacific, Mediterranean, etc.

 

Kat

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FYI - The old movie "Hanover Street" with Harrison Ford circa 1970s erroneously featured B-25s operating out of England. Bobgee

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FYI - The old movie "Hanover Street" with Harrison Ford circa 1970s erroneously featured B-25s operating out of England. Bobgee

Just to clarify, B-25s were flown by the RAF out of England but not the U.S.

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Just to clarify, B-25s were flown by the RAF out of England but not the U.S.

Understand. Failed to mention that the film depicted USAAF operating B-25s out of England.

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That's correct, the B-25 was used extensively in those theaters but never saw much use in the ETO.

 

The B-26 Marauder (Martin) and later the B-26 Invader (Douglas) were the mainstays of the medium bomber fleet in the European theater

 

The only ETO B-25s I know of were in the movie "hanover street" :)

 

Tom Bowers

All correct, I believe I read somewhere that the sole 8th AF B-25 was lost at some point.

 

Incidentally, one reason the B-25 was not seen in USAAAF units in England was the fact that it was so well suited off short, unimproved runways...and the B-26 Marauder was not.

Especially in the Pacific, most runways were craved out of islands with rough conditions.

The B-26 was a good medium bomber, but it was a bit of a runway hog when compared the the B-25.

The 26 did much better when operating off the longer, nicely paved English runways and the 25 had no problem with rough field conditions.

Thats why you generally see B-25s everywhere but England.

 

John

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pararaftanr2

I concur with what others here have stated. There were no USAAF B-25 units flying out of England during WW2, however I do know of at least one B-25 that was attached to Air Transport Command and was used by them as a utility aircraft, having been stripped of its armament and kept at Bovingdon air base. My late father, Lt. Charles A. Faulkner, a C-47 pilot in the ATC, flew it on occasion and even served as a check pilot for others who wished to fly it.

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Thanks for everyone's responses. I found this information from the B-25 History group on Facebook.

 

Over 50 B-25s were flown on D-Day (mostly by the RAF). This includes 11 from 98 Squadron, 21 from 180 Squadron, 12 from 226 Squadron and another 12 from 320 (Dutch) Squadron.

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