North American Aviation
B-25 Mitchell
The B-25 Mitchell was a twin-engine medium bomber designed and produced by North American Aviation for United States Army Air Forces employment across World War II's major combat areas. Official AAF statistics record 9,816 B-25 acceptances through August 1945, with peak acceptances in 1944. Production was split between two plants: 3,208 at Inglewood and 6,608 at Kansas City (Fairfax). The aircraft's most famous single event is the 18 April 1942 Doolittle Raid on Japan. Although intended for medium-altitude level bombing, the B-25 became strongly associated with low-level tactics—treetop bombing, strafing, and skip bombing—especially in Pacific operations.
Quick Facts
- Role
- Medium Bomber
- Manufacturer
- North American Aviation
- Nation
- United States
- Era
- World War II
- Produced
- 9,816
9,816
AAF Acceptances
16 aircraft
Doolittle Raid
5
Crew
2
Engines
3,208
Inglewood Plant
6,608
Kansas City Plant
Aircraft Description
The North American B-25 Mitchell is best known for the Doolittle Raid of April 1942, when sixteen B-25s launched from the aircraft carrier USS Hornet to bomb Tokyo — the first air raid to strike the Japanese home islands. Named after air power advocate General Billy Mitchell, it became one of the most versatile and widely used medium bombers of the war.
Engines & Armament
Powerplant
2x Wright R-2600 "Cyclone 14" twin-row radial engines (variant-specific: R-2600-9 early production, R-2600-13 later variants)
Armament
Varied extensively by variant: early models (B-25B) had dorsal and retractable ventral turrets with nose gun; gunship variants (B-25G) added a 75mm cannon; the B-25H carried cannon plus heavy forward-firing .50 cal guns with forward dorsal turret; the B-25J offered either a glazed bomber nose or solid 8-gun strafer nose
Design Features
Specifications
- Crew
- 5
- Length
- 16.13 m
- Wingspan
- 20.6 m
- Height
- 4.98 m
- Wing Area
- 57.4 m²
- Max Speed
- 438 km/h
Variants & Models
| Variant | Engines | Max Speed | Range | Ceiling | Armament | Built |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B-25-NA | 2x Wright R-2600-9 | — | — | — | Early defensive armament configuration | 24 |
| B-25A-NA | 2x Wright R-2600-9 | — | — | — | Similar to B-25-NA with survivability upgrades | 40 |
| B-25B-NA | 2x Wright R-2600-9 | 457 km/h | 2,092 km | 7,163 m | Dorsal + retractable ventral turrets (2x .50 cal each) with .30 cal nose gun | 120 |
| B-25C-NA | 2x Wright R-2600-13 | 457 km/h | 2,414 km | 6,462 m | Dorsal + retractable ventral turret architecture with evolving nose gun fit | 1,625 |
| B-25D-NC | 2x Wright R-2600-13 | 451 km/h | 2,414 km | 6,462 m | Similar baseline turret architecture to B-25C; block evolution includes nose gun/exhaust changes | 2,290 |
| B-25G-NA | 2x Wright R-2600-13 | 443 km/h | 2,510 km | 7,407 m | 75mm cannon + fixed forward-firing .50 cal machine guns | 463 |
| B-25H-NA | 2x Wright R-2600-13 | 438 km/h | 2,173 km | 7,254 m | 75mm cannon + increased forward-firing .50 cal guns + forward dorsal turret + tail guns | 1,000 |
| B-25J-NC | 2x Wright R-2600-13 | — | 2,173 km | 7,376 m | Either glazed bomber nose or solid 8-gun strafer nose; blister packs + turret arrangement | 4,390 |
B-25-NA
- Engines
- 2x Wright R-2600-9
- Built
- 24
- Armament
- Early defensive armament configuration
More details
ID Features: Early tail arrangement and wing configuration; "gull wing" dihedral change becomes standard after early stability fix
Notes: First production series. Contract/serial block data and early wing change narrative appear in factory-history reconstructions.
B-25A-NA
- Engines
- 2x Wright R-2600-9
- Built
- 40
- Armament
- Similar to B-25-NA with survivability upgrades
More details
ID Features: Visually very close to B-25-NA; identification described as difficult, with self-sealing fuel cells and armor not always visible in photos
Notes: Often best identified by serial/documentation rather than visible features.
B-25B-NA
- Engines
- 2x Wright R-2600-9
- Max Speed
- 457 km/h
- Range
- 2,092 km
- Ceiling
- 7,163 m
- Built
- 120
- Armament
- Dorsal + retractable ventral turrets (2x .50 cal each) with .30 cal nose gun
More details
ID Features: Twin turrets on rear fuselage; open tail skid; described as first B-25 to go to war
Notes: Doolittle Raid aircraft were modified B-25B-NA; the model is highlighted for carrier-deck feasibility.
B-25C-NA
- Engines
- 2x Wright R-2600-13
- Max Speed
- 457 km/h
- Range
- 2,414 km
- Ceiling
- 6,462 m
- Built
- 1,625
- Armament
- Dorsal + retractable ventral turret architecture with evolving nose gun fit
More details
ID Features: Early and later nose gun fit evolves; exhaust variants across blocks; retains dorsal + retractable ventral turret architecture
Notes: C vs D is often "serial number only" in field photos. Produced at Inglewood plant.
B-25D-NC
- Engines
- 2x Wright R-2600-13
- Max Speed
- 451 km/h
- Range
- 2,414 km
- Ceiling
- 6,462 m
- Built
- 2,290
- Armament
- Similar baseline turret architecture to B-25C; block evolution includes nose gun/exhaust changes
More details
ID Features: Similar to B-25C in general appearance; produced at Kansas City/Fairfax plant
Notes: Largest C/D-era production block. Narrative includes plant logistics and dates that may not appear in official statistical tables.
B-25G-NA
- Engines
- 2x Wright R-2600-13
- Max Speed
- 443 km/h
- Range
- 2,510 km
- Ceiling
- 7,407 m
- Built
- 463
- Armament
- 75mm cannon + fixed forward-firing .50 cal machine guns
More details
ID Features: Short solid nose housing 75mm cannon; early production retains certain turret features, later deletions appear by serial block
Notes: Key gunship step. Production accounting may include conversions from C models.
B-25H-NA
- Engines
- 2x Wright R-2600-13
- Max Speed
- 438 km/h
- Range
- 2,173 km
- Ceiling
- 7,254 m
- Built
- 1,000
- Armament
- 75mm cannon + increased forward-firing .50 cal guns + forward dorsal turret + tail guns
More details
ID Features: Easily identified by tail gun arrangement plus forward-moved dorsal turret and heavy forward armament; described as easy to identify
Notes: Some aircraft later altered (field removals/nose swaps), complicating photo ID.
B-25J-NC
- Engines
- 2x Wright R-2600-13
- Range
- 2,173 km
- Ceiling
- 7,376 m
- Built
- 4,390
- Armament
- Either glazed bomber nose or solid 8-gun strafer nose; blister packs + turret arrangement
More details
ID Features: Two distinct nose types: glazed "greenhouse" bomber nose or solid 8-gun strafer nose; last major production series
Notes: Largest single variant block. Plant narrative describes late-war "final 72" completion into October 1945 after production cessation instructions.
Production & Service
- Number Built
- 9,816
- First Service
- 1941
- Retired
- 1979
- Status
- Retired
Development & Operational Timeline
Contract and General Order Signed
The contract and general order for the B-25 program is signed, emerging from an urgent prewar requirement cycle specifying a 3,000 lb bomb load, 2,000-mile range, and top speed above 300 mph.
First Flight
The B-25 makes its maiden flight. Early flight test reveals a stability issue ("Dutch roll") during bombing runs, leading to the elimination of dihedral on the outer wing panels—a defining visual cue of production aircraft.
First Army Acceptances
The B-25 begins operational acceptance into the United States Army Air Corps inventory, marking transition from prototype/testing into fleet build-up.
Doolittle Raid on Japan
Sixteen modified B-25B aircraft launch from the carrier USS Hornet to strike targets in Japan—the first air raid on the Japanese home islands. Most crews reached China by bailout or crash-landing; one aircraft landed in the Soviet Union. The raid was a morale-raising response demonstrating offensive capability early in the Pacific war.
Peak Annual Acceptances
AAF acceptance statistics show 1944 as the peak year for B-25 production, with aircraft streaming from both the Inglewood and Kansas City plants at maximum rate.
Low-Altitude Attack Mission Report (Vunakanau)
Mission Report No. 74 describes a low-altitude strike conducted from "treetop level" at airspeeds of 240–260 mph, with 11 aircraft dropping 387 parafrag bombs and expending 15,150 rounds of .50 cal ammunition—an emblem of the B-25's low-altitude doctrine shift.
Empire State Building Crash
A U.S. Army B-25 strikes the Empire State Building in dense fog while attempting to reach LaGuardia Airport from Bedford, Massachusetts—a highly documented urban disaster that became one of the most referenced events in B-25 public history.
AAF Acceptance Tables End
Official AAF acceptance tables close with 9,816 total B-25 acceptances. The final 72 aircraft at the Kansas City/Fairfax plant are completed into October 1945 after production cessation instructions.
Last Documented U.S. Military Flight
Serial 44-30854, a trainer-configured B-25, makes the last documented U.S. military B-25 flight. Final removal from USAF inventory follows later in 1960.
Combat History
Doolittle Raid on Japan
April 18, 1942Sixteen modified B-25B aircraft launched from the carrier USS Hornet to strike targets in Tokyo and other Japanese cities. The concept involved launching Army twin-engine bombers from a carrier deck—an operational novelty requiring extremely short takeoff performance, intensive crew training, extended-range fuel modifications, and removal of the belly turret. Crews trained with "broomstick" tail guns to create the illusion of tail armament.
16
Dispatched
16
Aircraft Lost
Defined the B-25's "public fame" moment. Air Force historical summaries emphasize the objective (morale and strategic signaling), the novelty of the launch method, and the demonstration that Japan was vulnerable to air attack early in the war.
Low-Level Pacific Operations
1943-1945B-25 units in the Pacific developed aggressive low-altitude attack profiles including treetop-level bombing, strafing, and skip bombing against shipping and shore targets. A January 1944 mission report describes attacks from "treetop level" at 240–260 mph, with 11 aircraft dropping 387 parafrag bombs and expending 15,150 rounds of .50 caliber ammunition in a single strike. This adaptability was a response to theater-specific requirements and field modification culture.
Demonstrated the B-25's doctrinal flexibility—shifting from its designed role as a medium-altitude level bomber to an aggressive ground-attack and anti-shipping platform. The gunship variants (G, H) and strafer-nose J models were direct products of this operational evolution.
Where to See One
Barbie III
S/N: 43-4106
Variant: B-25H-1-NA
USA
Civil registration N5548N. Rare airworthy H-model gunship variant.
In the Mood
S/N: 44-29199
Variant: B-25J-20-NC
USA
Civil registration N9117Z.
Miss Hap
S/N: 40-2168
Variant: B-25-NA
USA
Civil registration N282B. One of the oldest surviving B-25s; early-production NA model.
Panchito
S/N: 44-30734
Variant: B-25J-25-NC
Delaware Aviation Museum
Georgetown, Delaware
Delaware Aviation Museum Foundation
Civil registration N9079Z. Museum exhibit page retells the wartime naming story and mission context.
Red Bull B-25J
S/N: 44-86893
Variant: B-25J-35-NC
Austria
The Flying Bulls
Civil registration N6123C. Austria-based airworthy B-25 operated by Red Bull's aviation collection.
Sarinah
S/N: 44-29507
Variant: B-25J-20-NC
Netherlands
Civil registration PH-XXV. Netherlands-based airworthy B-25.
Air Force Armament Museum B-25
S/N: 44-30854
Variant: TB-25J
Air Force Armament Museum
Eglin Air Force Base, Florida
Air Force Armament Museum
Displayed in Tokyo Raid scheme. Same serial as the aircraft that made the last documented U.S. military B-25 flight on 21 May 1960.
Hurlburt Air Park B-25J
S/N: 43-28222
Variant: B-25J-10-NC
Hurlburt Air Park
Florida
United States Air Force
Postwar storage and removal from inventory (1957) documented in base fact sheet.
National Museum USAF B-25B
S/N: 43-3374
Variant: B-25B
National Museum of the United States Air Force
Dayton, Ohio
United States Air Force
Display aircraft rebuilt to represent the lead B-25B of the Tokyo Raid (Doolittle Raid) configuration.
