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Contact Info
Home Town Somerville, Massachusetts
Last Address Los Angeles, California
Date of Passing Feb 24, 1986
Location of Interment United States Air Force Academy Cemetery (VLM) - Colorado Springs, Colorado
He was an aviation pioneer who helped shape and promote daylight precision bombing. He taught at the Air Corps Tactical School and influenced a group of airmen who had powerful influence during and after WWII. He was the de-facto leader of the so-called "Bomber Mafia", the men who advocated an independent force of heavy bombers. He helped shape America's bomber strategy for the war by assisting the Air War Plans Division with a complete aircraft production and bombing strategy. During World War II, he led the Air Transport Command, taking it from 130 obsolescent aircraft to 3,000 modern transports, operated by 300,000 airmen. after WWII, he helped Hughes Aircraft become very profitable, and was twice elected mayor of Beverly Hills, CA. He had retired from the USAAF in 1946 but was recalled to active duty in 1955 and then retired from the USAF.
Aircraft/Missile Information
Model North American B-25C Mitchell Length 52.92 ft | 16.13 m Width 67.55 ft | 20.59 m Height 15.75 ft | 4.80 m Engine(s) 2 x Wright Cyclone R-2600-19 air-cooled piston engines delivering 1,700hp each. Empty Weight 20,300 lbs | 9,208 kg MTOW 34,000 lbs | 15,422 kg Max Speed 272 mph | 438 km/h | 237 kts Max Range 1,350 miles | 2,173 km Ceiling 24,196 ft | 7,375 m | 4.6 miles Climb Rate 1,666 ft/min (507.796 m/min) Hardpoints Up to 8 (model dependent) Armament Model-specific armament included:
8 x 12.7mm machine gun array OR 1 x 75mm cannon in forward-fixed nose assembly.
2 x 12.7mm machine guns in forward-fixed lower-left side fuselage position (beneath and behind cockpit position). 2 x 12.7mm machine gun in forward-fixed lower-right side fuselage position (beneath and behind cockpit position). 2 x 12.7mm machine guns in ventral turret (powered turrets in some models). 2 x 12.7mm machine guns in dorsal turret (powered turrets in some models). 1 x 12.7mm machine gun in left waist port position. 1 x 12.7mm machine gun in right waist port position. 2 x 12.7mm machine guns in tail gun position (some models removed). 1 x Torpedo in under-fuselage arrangement (model-specific fitting). 8 x 250lb bombs on 8 external hardpoints (model-specific fitting).
Maximum internal bombload of 3,000lbs (1,361 kg). Accommodations 5 Operators the United States of America
