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NEWS | April 5, 2011

B-25 Bomber “Panchito”

By Larry Kelley and Larry Wilson, Rag Wings and Radials

Specification of the North American B-25J Mitchell

Powerplant: Two Wright R-2600 Double Cyclone fourteen-cylinder air-cooled radials, rated at 1,700 hp each for takeoff and 1,500 hp at 2,400 rpm.

Performance: Maximum speed 275 mph at 15,000 feet. 230 mph cruising speed. Initial climb rate 1,110 feet per minute. An altitude of 15,000 feet can be reached in 19 minutes.
Service ceiling
24,000 feet. Range 1,275 miles with 3,200 pounds of bombs. Ferry range 2,700 miles.

Dimensions: Wingspan 67 feet 6.7 inches, length 53 feet 5.75 inches (bomber version), height 16 feet 4.2 inches, wing area 610 square feet.

Weights: 21,100 pounds empty, 33,000 pounds normal loaded, 35,000 pounds gross, 41,800 pounds maximum overload. The fuel capacity consisted of four tanks in the inner wing panels, with a total capacity of 670 U.S. gallons. In addition, 304 U.S. gallons of fuel could be carried in auxiliary tanks in the outboard wing panels, for a normal total fuel load of 974 U.S. gallons. A 515-gallon tank could be installed in the bomb bay for ferrying purposes, 125 gallons of fuel could be carried in side waist positions, a 215-gallon self-sealing fuel tank installed in the top of the bomb bay, and provisions could be made for a droppable 335-gallon metal bomb-bay fuel tank.

Armament:

Medium Bomber Version:
One flexible 0.50-inch machine gun in nose, 300 rounds. One fixed 0.50-inch machine gun in nose, 300 rounds. Beginning with B-25J-20, a second fixed 0.50-inch gun was added in the nose.

Strafer Version: Eight 0.50-inch machine guns in the nose with 400 rpg.

All Versions: Two 0.50-inch machine guns in individual blisters on the right and left sides of the fuselage with 400 rpg. Two 0.50-inch machine guns in top turret, 400 rpg. Two 0.50-inch machine guns in waist position, 200 rpg. Two 0.50-inch machine guns in tail turret, 600 rpg. Normal bomb load was 3,000 pounds, but a maximum bombload of 4,000 pounds could be carried on short-range missions. Some had underwing racks for eight 5-inch high velocity aircraft rockets. Some were outfitted to carry a standard aerial torpedo, or a glide torpedo, slung under the bomb bay,