B-25D-NC SN 41-29784 "Furtle Turtle"

History

The B-25D-NC SN 41-29784 was completed on August 31, 1942. She was transferred to the Kansas City modification center for modifications and then stored at Kansas City, Kansas North American Plant pending orders. Eventually, she was assigned to the 11th Air Force in Alaska and left after modifications for cold weather operations in Great Falls AAF, Montana on November 23, 1942. While in Alaska, she was assigned to the 28th Composite Group, 77th Bomb Squadron until it returned to California in October 1943. In twelve months of duty in Alaska operating mostly in and around the Aleutians Islands, she flew reconnaissance patrols and combat missions during the Japanese incursion into Alaska. During the battle for Adak in 1942 sometimes two missions a day were flown by the B-25s of the 28th Bomb Group Squadrons when weather permitted. Details of her combat history remain elusive, and therefore unconfirmed. In October 1943, she was reassigned to the Air Training Command and sent to Mather Field, California. Assigned to the 952nd Base Unit she was used primarily for pilot training. She may also have been used in making the movie "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo". The B-25s used for the flying sequences in the film came from the Mather Field units. At least 12 B-25 C & D models from Mather were used in the flying sequences shot over Oakland and San Francisco in April and May of 1944. She was later sent to La Junta AAF, Colorado and was stationed there until the end of the war. In 1946, she was declared surplus and placed into storage. The following summary of assignments are listed on her record card:

Base Assignments

By 1948, she was owned by Luis M. Borda. In August of that year, she was sold to J. Bertin Terrel of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Her first civil registration of N5078N was assigned in February of 1949. She was sold later that year to the Continental Oil Company of Ponca City, Oklahoma. By May of 1953, she was sold to the Timken Roller Bearing Company of Canton, Ohio. At this time, her registration was changed to N122B. She was then converted into an executive transport. She was extensively modified throughout her civilian career. Different owners added or changed the interior to fit their needs. First modified in July 1949, she received additional fuel cells, chairs, toilet and soundproofing. Again in July 1951 the bomb bay was sealed and additional chairs were installed along with other modifications. The last major update was in November 1953 with the addition of the airstair rear door and additional windows. In 1964, she was sold to Fred Clausen of Minneapolis, Minnesota. By July of 1966 she was sold to Raw and William Johnson of Minneapolis, Minnesota. She was again sold in April of 1968 to the Continental Aviation Company of Tulsa, Oklahoma. They sold her to Westernair of Albuquerque, New Mexico in November of that same year. She was again sold in July of 1970 to Harlow L. Jones. She was transferred to Jones's company in November of 1972. Richard S. DuPont of Greenville, Delaware purchased her in November of 1972. In July of 1976, her registration was changed to N2DD and again changed to her current N2XD in February of 1979. In April of 1981, she was sold to the Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Foundation and is currently on display aboard the U.S.S. Yorktown as "Furtle Turtle". In late 2017 through 2018, she was restored with the help of the South Carolina Historical Aviation Foundation to more closely resemble the B-25 used by Jimmy Doolittle in the Doolittle Raid.

• Model: B-25D-NC
• Serial Number: 41-29784
• NAA Mfg. Number: 87-7949
• FAA Registration: N2XD
• Mfg. Plant: Fairfax - Kansas City, Kansas
• Completion Date: August 1942
• Delivery Date: August 31, 1942
• Status: Static
• Owner: Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum
• Location: Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
• Website: https://www.patriotspoint.org/
• Notable info:

This page represents the most current information we have on this aircraft. The information above was last updated 06/2018 with information provided by Bob Haney. Our goal is to have the most current and correct information possible. If you have any information about this aircraft not listed here or see anything posted in error, please contact the B-25 History Project so we may update our records.