Air Apaches

BRAVE LITTLE INDIANS

- James P. Busha

The 345th Bomb Group (BG) was first activated at Columbia Army Air Base, South Carolina, in November 1942 and was christened the “Air Apaches.” As a B-25 bomber group, it was broken into four squadrons: the 498th, known as the “Falcons”; the 499th, “Bats Outa Hell”; the 500th, “Rough Raiders”; and the 501st, the “Black Panthers.”

The 345th BG was sent to the Southwest Pacific Theater in 1943 and began flying missions from Port Moresby, New Guinea, and earned the recognition of the first Air Force Combat Group sent to the Pacific in World War II.

Although the twin-engine North American Aviation B-25 Mitchell was originally designed as a medium-level bomber, the crews in the Southwest Pacific Theater quickly augmented the B-25 into a low-level strafer, bomber, and all-around tormentor of the Japanese. To accomplish this new role, modifications were made to the B-25s. The bottom turret was removed and replaced with a fuel tank, which allowed for extended range. The three .50-caliber machine guns in the nose operated by the bombardiernavigator were replaced with four forward-firing .50-caliber machine guns, along with twin side-pack .50-caliber machine guns mounted on either side of the lower fuselage. A “flying fortress” in its own right, the newly improved gunship employed eight forward-firing .50-caliber machine guns along with the twin .50 calibers in the top turret and tail as well as a .50-caliber machine gun at each waist positions.