Mitchells over the Mediterranean

Wavetop warfare: skip-bombing and big guns

- BY MARK CARLSON

WHEN THE NORTH AMERICAN AVIATION NA-62, officially dubbed B-25, first flew in August of 1940, it was less than a roaring success. The UK and France had just chosen the smaller Douglas DB-7 Boston (A-20 Havoc) attack bomber over the North American design. However, in the years leading up to the war, NAA couldn't know that the airplane they urged the U.S. Army Air Corps to adopt would become a legend among the Allies and a curse to the Axis.

Nor could they even begin to imagine the incredibly wide range of roles it would play on history's aerial stage. In fact, the most memorable image of the B-25 was also the first. Even today, virtually anyone can readily identify the grainy photo of the B-25 in its most unexpected role of carrier-based bomber as Jimmy Doolittle lifts off of the Hornet's deck en route to Tokyo. Other iconic B-25 images show it skimming across the water, guns hammering Axis ships ahead, leaving a trail of carnage in its wake. Whereever there was need of a highly maneuverable, bomb-laying, gun-toting, versatile multi-engine airplane, the B-25s were there. It was a plane that handled like a teddy bear and fought like a tiger.

Mediterranean Mitchells

General John K.Cannon's 12th Tactical Air Force Mitchells played a crucial role in every major campaign in the Mediterranean from March 1942 to August 1944. The bombers flew from Tobruk, Benghazi, and Corsica, the birthplace of Napoleon. The versatile B-25s were the scourge of German forces in Tunisia, Crete, Greece, Yugoslavia, Sicily, Italy and southern France.