B-25J “Old Glory”
The North American B-25 Mitchell is a medium-bomber aircraft manufactured by North American Aviation. The aircraft is named in honor of Major General William “Billy” Mitchell, a pioneer of U.S. military aviation and widely considered to be the “father of the Air Force.” Our B-25 Mitchell, Old Glory has been out of commission since 2020 when she was forced to land in a field outside of Stockton, CA. She is currently under restoration at The Warbird Factory and is expected to return to flight.
An Introduction to the B-25 Mitchell
The B-25 gained recognition after the daring Doolittle Raid in April 1942. Lt. Col. James Doolittle humiliated the Japanese military by penetrating some of the world’s most formidable air defenses and dropping bombs a stone’s throw away from the Emperor’s Palace.
B-25s were the only aircraft to bomb Tokyo until 1944, when B-29 Superfortresses began operating from the Mariana Islands. The B-25 bomber was prominent in every theater of war, excelling in multiple roles. Chiefly used as ground attack aircraft later in the war, many planes remained in service and operated four decades after the war ended.
Aircraft History
USAAF B-25J-15-NC-rr-28938, flying today as “Old Glory,” has had a long career ranging from Army Air Force bomber in WWII in the Mediterranean to civilian fire bomber and tanker here in the United States. After returning to the U.S. in July of 1945, she was recalled for use in an administrative role in Spokane, Washington, and eventually assigned to McClellan Field in California, where she was modified by Hayes and redesignated as a TB-25N. After nearly 10 years of service at McClellan, she was retired from service in December 1957.
After transitioning several times between retired and returned to service and experiencing name changes that included Dream Lover and Spirit of Tulsa, on September 16, 1995, she took her first flight as Old Glory. The airplane moved to Latham, New York, in August 2019 to be based at The Hangar at 743.
Unfortunately, Old Glory has been out of service since September 2020 when she was forced to land in a field outside of Stockton, California. The airplane was in the process of traveling back to her home base in Upstate New York after participating in the Legacy of Peace Aerial Parade for the 75th Commemoration of the end of WWII at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. As Old Glory returned to Albany, she was scheduled to make stops across the United States and visit WWII veterans who were unable to attend the commemoration event due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Old Glory Magazine is available now!
If you would like an in-depth look at the history of our B-25 Old Glory, purchase a copy of the “Old Glory: Returning to the Skies” magazine! Available for $20 at The Hangar Store.
Donate to the Restoration of Old Glory
A major part of the Prescott Foundation’s mission is the preservation of history, and we are dedicated to saving Old Glory. Your donations and support ensure that this extremely rare piece of history can continue to fly and inspire generations for decades to come. Countless DNA has touched this airplane, translating to countless lives impacted by this airplane. We are ensuring that this precious relic of the past is not lost to the ticking of time.
