B-25J-10-NC SN 43-28204 "Pacific Princess"

History

The B-25J-10-NC SN 43-28204 now flying as "Pacific Princess" was completed on June 12, 1944 and delivered on June 15, 1944. She was first test flown by North American test pilot Eddie Fisher on May 31, 1944. She was flown twice on June 1, 1944 by North American test pilots Eddie Fisher and then Wink Cantrell. Her first assignment was to Kissimee, Florida for aerial gunnery training. She remained in Florida until well after the war attached to the Orlando Field administrative unit. In 1949, she was transferred to the 4th Air Force Headquarters at Robins Field, Georgia. By March of 1950, she was being used as a proficiency aircraft for the medical staff at the USAF Medical School at Brooks Field, Texas. In early August of 1950, she took off VFR from Fairfax Field in Kansas City, Kansas. Upon arrival at Sherman Field, they encountered difficulties with the landing gear. They chose to divert to the Olathe Naval Air Station at New Century, Kansas. A Navy F8F was dispatched to investigate. The left main gear and nose gear were only about half way down, and the bomb bay doors were partially open. After all procedures to correct the situation were exhausted, the B-25 pilot made a normal traffic pattern and approach on runway 13. The B-25 touched down at a reduced speed. The gear failed and the B-25 came to a stop just off the right side of the runway. She would later be lifted and her gear lowered and locked into position. From there she was towed off the runway. A failed hydraulic line was found upon inspection. She would spend the next several months at the Olathe Naval Air Station while repairs were made. She was modified to a TB-25N in December of 1953. The last reported assignment was to Hamilton Field. The following summary of assignments are listed on her record card:

Base Assignments

Declared excess, she was stored at Davis-Monthan AFB until she was sold on September 18, 1958 to Blue Mountain Air Service out of La Grande, Oregon. Her civil registration assigned as N9856C. In May of 1959, a 1000 gallon retardant tank was added and she was used as a fire bomber. In September 1968, she was sold to Filmways, Inc. of Hollywood, California for use in the filming of "Catch 22". In April 1971 she was sold to Tallmantz Aviation from Santa Ana, California. In May of 1973 she was sold to Ted Itano. She was used as a static prop in the filming of "1941" at Long Beach Airport. She was restored by Aero Traders. In April of 1992, she led the formation of B-25s in a "Missing Man" formation to honor the 50th anniversary of the Doolittle raid. In both August and October of 1995, she launched from the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II. For the movie "Pearl Harbor", she took off from the deck of both the USS Lexington and the USS Constellation.

• Model: B-25J-10-NC
• Serial Number: 43-28204
• NAA Mfg. Number: 108-35217
• FAA Registration: N9856C
• Mfg. Plant: Fairfax - Kansas City, Kansas
• Completion Date: June 12, 1944
• Delivery Date: June 15, 1944
• Status: Flying
• Owner: Carl Scholl
• Location: Chino, California
• Website:
• Notable info: Used in the filming of "Catch 22". A static prop in the filming of "1941". Took off from the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson in August and October of 1995 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II. Was also launched from the USS Lexington and the USS Constellation in 2000 for the movie "Pearl Harbor".

This page represents the most current information we have on this aircraft. The information above was last updated 09/2020 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.