B-25J-25-NC SN 44-30734 "Panchito"

History

The B-25J-25-NC SN 44-30734 now flying as "Panchito" was delivered on February 16, 1945. Accepted as surplus to military needs, she was initially stored in Garden City, Kansas before being transferred to South Plains, Texas. She was then moved to storage in Pyote, Texas in July of 1947. Her first assignment was to Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma in November 1948. She spent four years at Vance as a pilot trainer before being assigned to James Connally Air Force Base, Texas in December of 1952. Here she was used for navigator and bombardier training. In August of 1954, she was transferred to the New York Air National Guard and stationed at Westchester county AFB. Here she was used by the 102nd Radar Calibration Flight to test and train airborne radar systems for the Air Defense Command fighters. Modified by Hayes and redesignated as a TB-25N in 1955, she was assigned to an Air Guard unit at Van Nuys, California for proficiency and type ratings until August 1958 when she was flown to storage. The following summary of assignments are listed on her record card:

Base Assignments

She was sold on December 14, 1959 to Donair Sales of Phoenix Arizona. In March of 1960 a spray tank was installed. Her registration was incorrectly assigned as N9080Z and was corrected to N9079Z in April of 1961. She was operatedunder a Forest Service contract as Tanker #32 until 1962. She sat idle for 4 years until she was sold in March of 1966 to Robert Clements of Indiantown, Florida. Again, she was sold in January of 1968 to Clements and Howe Aviation. They sold her in March of 1973 to Robert and Richard Howe. At that time, she operated as an insect sprayer called "Big Bertha". She was donated to the S. S. T. Museum in Kissimmee, Florida in 1974. She was flown to the museum and landed on a strip of highway blocked off by police. After the museum closed, they sold her in October of 1983 to Pat O'Neil, Robert Bolin, and Jack Myer of Wichita Falls, Texas. Tom Reilly was given the task of restoring her to her former glory. Her first flight after restoration was in March of 1986. She was used in the filming of the movie "Pancho Barnes". In September of 1988, she was damaged when her landing gear collapsed during roll-out. She was subsequently repaired. She was sold again to Richard Korrf of Lewiston, New York in March of 1991. By April of 1992, she was sold to Aero Classics of Lewiston, New York. In September of 1997, she was purchased by Rag Wings and Radials. She now resides at the Delaware Aviation Museum in Georgetown, Delaware.

• Model: B-25J-25-NC
• Serial Number: 44-30734
• NAA Mfg. Number: 108-34009
• FAA Registration: N9079Z
• Mfg. Plant: Fairfax - Kansas City, Kansas
• Completion Date: February 14, 1945
• Delivery Date: February 16, 1945
• Status: Flying
• Owner: Rag Wings and Radials Aircraft Leasing
• Location: Georgetown, Delaware
• Website: http://delawareaviationmuseum.org/
• Notable info:

This page represents the most current information we have on this aircraft. The information above was last updated 09/2017 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.