B-25J-35-NC SN 45-8898 "Axis Nightmare"
History
The B-25J-35-NC SN 45-8898 now flying as "Axis Nightmare" was delivered when the North American Aviation B-25 contract was terminated. She was delivered to the RFC from the factory. She was the second to last B-25 bomber built. In December of 1946, she was added to the United States Army Air Force inventory and flown to storage in Pyote, Texas. She was kept in open storage at Pyote AAF, Texas from l945 until l948 when she was recalled for maintenance and eventual administrative and utility duties at Bolling Field, Washington, D.C. She was stationed at Bolling from December 1948 until retired to Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona in December l958. During these ten years of service she was modified to a TB-25N model at Birmingham, Alabama passing through the Hayes modification in early 1954 where she received a solid nose as part of the modifications. She served the entire time as a staff transport and administrative aircraft. The following summary of assignments are listed on her record card:
Base Assignments
| Date | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 12/18/1945 | Pyote AAB, TX | 4141 Base Unit |
| 12/13/1948 | Bolling Field, Washington DC | 1100 Air Base Group |
| 12/17/1953 | Birmingham, AL | Maintenance |
| 03/29/1954 | Bolling Field, Washington DC | 1100 Air Base Group |
| 12/20/1956 | Birmingham, AL | Maintenance to TB-25N |
| 03/01/1957 | Bolling Field, Washington DC | 1100 Air Base Group |
| 12/1958 | Davis Monthan AFB, AZ | Storage |
| 03/1959 | Davis Monthan AFB, AZ | Surplus |
She was initially sold in August of 1959 to H. H. Coffield of Rockdale, Texas. Her civil registration was assigned as N3681G. By August of 1974, she was derelict. In October of 1983, she was sold to Aero Trader. Binary Warriors of Weston Massachusetts purchased her in July of 1985. She was disassembled and trucked to Tom Reilly for restoration. Reportedly, her center section was left at Aero Trader and the center section of B-25J-15-NC 44-28765 was used for restoration. Her current registration of N898BW was issued in November of 1985. Her first flight after restoration was in 1988. She was finally sold in l991 to Mr. Gene Rayburn of Arizona who operated her for several years in a basic RAF color scheme. She was painted in the markings of No. 98 Squadron of the RAF who operated B-25s in Europe from l942 until the end of the war. On July 2, 1997, she was sold to Don George of Springfield, Illinois. Her RAF scheme was altered to represent American markings and she was renamed "Axis Nightmare" On April 8, 1999, she was transferred to Warbirds Incorporated. In 2004 she was sold to the Tri-State Warbird Museum. In 2018, she was she was one of two B-25s used to film the Hulu remake of "Catch 22". For the movie she was pianted with special removable paint to resemble "Yankee Doodle", the main B-25 of the series.
- Model: B-25J-35-NC
- Serial Number: 45-8898
- NAA Mfg. Number: 108-47749
- FAA Registration: N898BW
- Mfg. Plant: Fairfax - Kansas City, Kansas
- Completion Date: October 29, 1945
- Delivery Date: Contract completion
- Status: Flying
- Owner: Tri-State Warbird Museum
- Location: Batavia, Ohio
- Website: http://www.tri-statewarbirdmuseum.org/
- Notable info: She was the second to last B-25 bomber built. In 2018, she was she was one of two B-25s used to film the Hulu remake of "Catch 22".
Photos
This page represents the most current information we have on this aircraft. The information above was last updated 05/2018 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.