Built by North American, with no previous experience on multi-engined aircraft, the B-25 Mitchell proved to be one of the most versatile combat aircraft to see action in World War II. So impressed with what they saw on the drawing board, the USAAC ordered 184 aircraft -- to be designated the B-25 -- before metal had even been cut on a revised design.

Christened the Mitchell after maverick army bomber proponent William 'Billy' Mitchell, the bomber fought not only with the USAAF in the Pacific and ETO/MTO, but also with US Navy/Marine Corps, British, Dutch and Australian units. By war's end, the veteran Mitchell had outlasted its rivals from Douglas and Martin to become the most prolific American medium bomber of the conflict. Today some 34 remain airworthy across the globe.

This particular 1:72 scale replica of a B-25D Mitchell medium bomber was nicknamed "Red Wrath", and attached to the 498th Bombardment Squadron "The Falcons", 345th Bombardment Group "Air Apaches", then deployed to Dobodura Airfield, New Guinea, during early 1944. Pre-order! Ship Date: Summer 2024.

Dimensions:
Wingspan: 11-1/4-inches
Length: 8-3/4-inches

Release Date: October 2020

Historical Account: "Red Wrath" - The four squadrons making up the 345th Bombardment Group 'Air Apaches' arrived in Port Moresby, New Guinea during the summer of 1943, routing from Australia, with crews intent on continuing the work started by the 38th BG 'Sunsetters' in using B-25 Mitchells as low flying, heavy hitting strafing gunships.

Fitted with an additional eight forward firing .50 calibre machine guns, the aircraft of the 498th Bombardment Squadron 'The Falcons' would become some of the most flamboyantly presented aircraft of the Pacific War, with the glazed section of their noses over-painted in a green, yellow and red representation of a falcon's head. With all those .50 cals firing in unison, must have made for a fearsome sight, particularly if you were unfortunate enough to be on the receiving end of their attentions.

This distinctive aircraft named 'Red Wrath', was one of the hard-working strafing Mitchells of the 498th BS and made a name for itself whilst leading a raid against Japanese forces on the Island of Rabul in October 1943, one of the first such operations. Piloted by Lt. Col. Clinton L True, 'Red Wrath' flew at the head of a force of 36 Mitchells leaving their base at Dobodura Airfield, with 200 miles of open ocean between them and their target.

Bad weather forced the mission to be aborted, however, the leader of the B-25 Mitchell force apparently didn't receive the order and the Mitchells pressed on alone. True had a reputation for being a particularly aggressive pilot and wore his 'Fearless' nickname with pride, and whilst it was claimed he simply chose to ignore the order, that was never definitively proven. Pressing their attack home with ferocity, once the Mitchells were over the target, they pounded the Japanese airfield complex, claiming at least 22 enemy aircraft destroyed in the air and countless others put out of action on the ground. Only two B-25s failed to make the return flight home to Dobodura Airfield.