The Berlin Express Has Been On Display In The Eagle Hangar Of The EAA Aviation Museum

EAA is bringing the World War II B-25 bomber Berlin Express to several cities this summer to offer flight experiences aboard the aircraft and it will also be displayed at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2021.

This aircraft is a powerful twin-engine and twin-tailed medium bomber used by the U.S. military starting in World War II. It is the only U.S. military aircraft to ever be named after a person, air power advocate General Billy Mitchell.

“The B-25 Mitchell has been an iconic aircraft used throughout history in many historical events such as the Doolittle Raid,” said Sean Elliott, EAA’s vice president of advocacy and safety. “Touring the B-25 allows this generation to better understand the sacrifices and bravery of the greatest generation that we owe so much to. Taking a flight on the B-25 today is an experience the participants will never forget and cannot duplicate by watching a movie or reading a book on WWII. This is a living history.”

The Doolittle Raid took place on April 18, 1942, where 16 Mitchell bombers on the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Hornet were steaming to within striking distance of Japan. When the time was right, the bombers would launch off the carrier and bomb Tokyo and other cities nearby. The task force was spotted prior to reaching the planned launching point, leading to an earlier launch of the B-25s and ultimately, after a successful raid on mainland Japan, several of the Doolittle Raiders crash-landed in China. The innovative feat was an outstanding success for the morale of the U.S. at that time.

For the past two decades, the EAA B-25 Mitchell Berlin Express has been on display in the Eagle Hangar of the EAA Aviation Museum until a four-and-a-half year restoration was completed in 2019.

The WWII veteran aircraft was also featured in the 1970s movie Catch-22. The famed B-25 Mitchell honors veterans and inspires new generations of aviation enthusiasts to study history and find ways to get involved in aviation.

FMI: www.eaa.org/shop/Flights/FlyTheb25.aspx