Take a ride on the legendary WWII B-25 bomber, the Berlin Express, this weekend at Aurora Municipal Airport in Sugar Grove.
Presented by the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), the public can take a ride in the Berlin Express Saturday at 10am, 11am and 1pm; and Sunday at 10am, 11am, and possible noon based on demand.
Reservations and tickets can be purchased here. Tickets for non-members of EAA are $400.
History
In March of 1939 the United States Army Air Corps put out the call to aircraft companies for a medium bomber that was able to carry a bomb load of 2,400 pounds for 1,200 miles at a speed of 300 mph. North American delivered a prototype named the NA-62. The Army Air Corps was impressed with the aircraft’s performance and immediately ordered the aircraft, now designated B-25.
The first B-25’s became combat ready in early 1942, just in time for a very daring plan after a devastating Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The idea was to load 16 bombers onto the deck of the USS Hornet and sail as close as they could safely get to Japan. Then, when the time was right, launch off of the carrier and bomb Tokyo as well as military installations in the area. The mission would be led by famous aviator James H. Doolittle. On April 18th, 1942 the task force was spotted early, and even though the odds were against them, the 16 bombers roared down the deck toward history. The planes hit their targets and most ditched off of the coast of China after the raid. With one daring mission, Doolittle’s Raiders lifted the morale and spirits of everyone back in the United States.
(Photo credits: Kevin Ketchum)
The Berlin Express, construction No. 98-21433, was assigned serial No. 43-4432 when it was first accepted by what was then the U.S. Army Air Forces in late December 1943.
After being decommissioned shortly after the war, the plane was sold and was heavily modified for use as an executive transport and spent a few years in service of Woolworth’s heiress Barbara Hutton and her husband, Dominican diplomat, race car driver, polo player, and maybe-assassin Porfirio Rubirosa.
Then, in 1968, after a stint with Long Island Airways, Filmways, Inc. and the legendary Tallmantz Aviation got involved and decided that N10V ought to be in pictures. As it was for many movie stars of the day, step one was a nose job. The airplane was given a J-model greenhouse nose section, historically inaccurate but giving it the traditional look that, to some people, makes a B-25 a B-25. Tallmantz assembled N10V with 17 other flyable B-25s to begin production on Catch-22, director Mike Nichols’ adaptation of Joseph Heller’s bitter satire about life in wartime.
The Experience
What happens during a flight experience?
Here is the schedule for a typical flight experience:
Arrival: Arrive one hour prior to your scheduled flight time to get acquainted with the aircraft and crew. You will be asked to fill out a form, and if you have not yet paid, the fee will be requested at this time as well.
Preflight: Shortly before boarding the airplane, we will discuss aircraft safety with you and the other riders. Seating assignments and flight procedures will be discussed at this time. You will then be taken aboard the aircraft. All passengers must be seated and wear a seatbelt for engine start, taxi, and takeoff.
During Flight: Once the aircraft is in the air, you will be allowed to move about the aircraft freely. Take this time to visit the various compartments of the aircraft. Explore as much as you like and feel free to take pictures and video.
Landing: All passengers must be seated and wear a seatbelt for landing, taxi, and engine shutdown.
How long does the flight experience last?
Each flight experience lasts approximately one hour, including briefing, debriefing, and about 24 minutes of actual flight time.
