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("Heavenly Body" Photo courtesy of Michael O'leary, 1997 with top turret).

This web site is dedicated to the crew of the North American B-25J, Mitchell Bomber, "Heavenly Body". Manufactured by North American at the Kansas city plant in late 1944 and was accepted by the U.S Army Air Force, in February 1945, as, B-25J-25-NC USAAF s/n 44-30748. North American construction number 108-34023. You will find the history & story of the B-25J "Heavenly Body" here.

This B-25J remained stateside and was never used overseas during World War II, but did remain in service as a TB-25J multi-engine advance trainer for military pilots until 1958. Following removal from military inventory in January 1959, it was then purchased by Avery Aviation and based at Graybull, Wyoming. In 1969 it was purchased by Filmways Inc. and flown to Tallmantz Aviation at Orange County, California, for the Paramount movie, "Catch-22" and was one of eighteen B-25 aircraft used in that film. In 1972 it was then purchased by the present owner and underwent extensive restoration with sheer blood, sweat and tears and did not fly again until 1974. Heavenly Body is still flying today and on a regular basis and is flown and maintained by an all-volunteer crew. Heavenly Body has been attending and participating at airshows throughout the U.S.A. from the mid 1970's, to the present day.

In April 1992, "Heavenly Body" was the first B-25 in fifty years to fly from the deck of an aircraft carrier, the U.S.S. Ranger in San Diego Bay. That event was to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of then, Lt. Col. James Doolittle's, flight of sixteen B-25 aircraft from the navy carrier, U.S.S. Hornet (CV-8), on April 18, 1942 to bomb Japan in retaliation for that country's attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. (Photo right of Gen. James Doolittle)

Heavenly Body is presently painted in Olive and gray, with markings and nose art of the original "Heavenly Body" of the 390th Squadron, 42nd Bomb Group "Crusaders", 13th Air Force in the South Pacific theater of World War II. History of the 390th Bombardment Squadron (M)

In March 1997, an original and complete upper gun turret and tail gun assembly, was installed on "Heavenly Body". Today, in the latter half of 2006, "Heavenly Body" is getting its original radio gear in working order.

("Heavenly Body" on U.S.S Ranger, carrier takeoff)

More on the Doolittle Tokyo Raid	"Heavenly Body" images, including various airshows	News flash of Pearl Harbor attacks
Information on the B-25 &	Additional B-25 images, past & present	B-25 bombing run (1+meg)
B-25J serial numbers	B-25 fuselage arrangement
Specifications on the B-25	B-25 forward armament
Post-War service of B-25	B-25 Armor Protection
Doolittle pilots and crew list	B-25 Location of emergency equipment	B-25 Type Cert. Data Sheets
Spinning a B-25	B-25 Fuel System	R-2600 Type Cert. Data Sheets
Doolittle Raid presentation	B-25 Flight Manual cartoons	Download a pdf viewer if you need it.
Legal Eagle aviation articles
Partial Radio Restoration	B-25 WISH LIST if you have it, we might want it!

Airshow schedules and event	North American History - Chronology
History of World War II 1939-1945	FAA Web Site Links
Weather and radar images	FSDO Locator Home Page
World War II Posters	Southern California Airshows
N # Database search and more	Aviation museums and history
Heritage of Eagles Air Museum

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Tentative Schedule - subject to change and or as dates are acquired and confirmed California Int'l Airshow, Salinas Wed-Sun, Sept 13-17, 2006 Reno Air Races - Reno, NV Sat-Sun, Sept 30-Oct 1, 2006 Nellis AFB - Las Vegas Airshow, Las Vegas, NV Sat-Sun, Nov 11-12, 2006 Tentative Schedule - subject to change and or as dates are acquired and confirmed Wings Over Wine Country Airshow in CA Sat-Sun, Aug 19-20, 2006 Camarillo Airshow in CA Sat-Sun, Aug 19-20, 2006 Thunder Over the Valley Airshow in CA Fri-Mon, Aug 25-28, 2006 NAS Fallon airshow in NV Thurs-Sat, Sept 7-9, 2006 Compton Air Fair in CA Sat, Sept 23, 2006 tb25n@att.net "Heavenly Body" supports the efforts of the Heritage of Eagles Air Museum and the Central California Historical Military Museum located at Eagle Field, Dos Palos, California

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