B-25J-5-NC SN 43-27847 "Charrua"
History
B-25J-5-NC 43-28747 was delivered on April 25, 1944.She made a short stop in North Carolina prior to her first assignment to Columbia AAF, South Carolina. She was assigned to the 309th Bomb Group for pilot and crew training at Columbia. With the deactivation of the 309th the training duties at Columbia gave way to the designated base units. She operated out of Columbia until after the war in a training capacity. In November 1945 she was transferred to Shaw AAF, South Carolina where she was used for administrative duties including proficiency flying. She was placed in storage at South Plains Field, Texas in February 1946 and remained there until recalled in early l947 after a one year retirement to be transferred to Brazil. The following summary of assignments are listed on her record card:
Base Assignments
| Date | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 05/08/1944 | Columbia AAF, SC | 309 BG Training Command |
| 02/01/1945 | Columbia AAF, SC | 129 Base Unit |
| 04/02/1945 | Selfridge Field, MI | 146 Base Unit |
| 06/07/1945 | Greenwood AAF, SC | 129 Base Unit |
| 11/12/1945 | Shaw AAF, SC | 139 Base Unit |
| 02/14/1946 | South Plains, TX | 4168 Base Unit, Storage |
| 04/29/1947 | Hensley Field, TX | AVM |
| 07/31/1947 | Kelly AFB, TX | Brazil Project 74007 ARP |
She was transferred to the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) under Project Number 74007 in 1947. She saw extensive service with the FAB who operated the largest number of B-25s of any of the South American Air Forces. There are few records available from the Brazilian Air Force to indicate details of her operational use. When first received she was assigned to patrol duties but was eventually transferred to the training command. By the early 1960s she was on the FAB roster for reserve duty that lasted until the early 1970s. During the earlier stages of this reserve duty she was used in the transport and support role for the FAB training command. With the B-25s being phased out of FAB service, she was later assigned as a ground trainer for maintenance crews after her active flying days had ended. By 1974 she was in storage with the FAB. The following summary of assignments are listed on her record card:
FAB Base Assignments
| Date | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 08/24/1947 | Sao Paulo, Brazil | FAB 5087 |
| 06/04/1974 | Montevideo, Uruguay | Fuera Aero Uruguay Musueum |
In the early 1970s the Uruguayan Air Force Museum was looking for a B-25 for their museum collection. The Uruguayan Air Force or FAU had previously operated 15 B-25s from 1950-1966. The FAU had disposed of their B-25s by 1966 so the Brazilian Air Force was approached for assistance. In 1974 43-27847 was donated to the FAU aviation museum in Montevideo, Uruguay. She was disassembled and transported to the museum for reassembly for display. She has periodically been maintained and repainted over the years to represent different FAU B-25s with the first being G-156. Her current restoration has her painted to represent FAU 156 "Charrua"
- Model: B-25J-5-NC
- Serial Number: 43-27847
- NAA Mfg. Number: 108-34860
- FAA Registration: Never Registered
- Mfg. Plant: Fairfax - Kansas City, Kansas
- Completion Date: April 24, 1944
- Delivery Date: April 25, 1944
- Status: Static Display
- Owner: Museo Aeronautico Uruguay
- Location: Montevideo, Uruguay
- Website: https://www.fau.mil.uy/es/articulos/20-museo-aeronautico.html
- Notable info:
Photos
This page represents the most current information we have on this aircraft. The information above was last updated 09/2019 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.