The Arkansas Air and Military Museum, located at Fayetteville’s Drake Field is hosting the only airworthy Marine B-25, in the world on April 19th and 20th. The Marine version of the B-25 is designated the PBJ.
Doors open at 10am on Wednesday April 19th, and at 8am on Thursday April 20th. A donation at the door of $15.00 for adults and $10.00 for kids under 12, includes entrance to the Museum and walk around and through tours of the PBJ. The aircraft is scheduled to arrive from Dayton, OH at 11am on the 19th.
The aircraft is owned and operated by the Southern California Squadron of the Commemorative Air Force, who will be offering rides. Reservations in advance can be made through the CAFSoCal.com website or by phone, but rides may be purchased at the door.
There are 7 seats available for rides, 3 up front at $595 each (allows cockpit/bombadier views) and 4 in back at $395 each (allows waist/tail gunner views). A complete ride takes 45 min (20 min airborne). We need a minimum of 5 paid riders (any combination) per flight.
The B-25/PBJ Mitchell Bomber prototype named for aviation pioneer Billy Mitchell first flew in January of 1939 and went on to play an important role in every theater of World War II, but most notably in the Pacific Theater, including taking off from the aircraft carrier Hornet on April 18th 1942 to drop the first US bombs on Japan in what became known as the Doolittle Raid. It just happens that the event at Drake Field is the day after the 75th anniversary of that Raid.