Yankee Air Museum – B-25 Mitchell Rides available – WWII Combat Veteran
One of the great symbols of southeast Michigan will again take to the skies on Saturday, May 11, 2019 with the Yankee Air Museum’s B-25 Air Adventure program. Not every state has an historic aircraft collection and few are as acclaimed as that of the Yankee Air Museum.
The B-25 has a distinctive shape and a strong engine note that announces its presence from miles away. It exemplifies aviation swagger, and it delivers on its own both a mighty smile and lifelong memory.
This is a chance for people to experience, with all of their senses, the thrill of flying in a high-performance medium bomber of our Greatest Generation.
B-25 Mitchell Rides available – WWII Combat Veteran
Air Adventures
The B-25 Mitchell was one of the most significant aircraft in World War Two. Used in all theaters of the war, and for a wide range of attack missions, the B-25 is best known for its role in the Doolittle Raid, April 1942. This is the raid comprised of 16 B-25 bombers launching from the aircraft carrier USS Hornet in America’s first strike back at the enemy following the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Get in on the action and commemorate US military and aviation history. Book a ride on the Yankee Air Museum’s B-25D Mitchell, Yankee Warrior – which will begin flying from its home base at historic Willow Run Airport, 801 Kirk Profit Drive, Ypsilanti on Saturday May 11, and on select dates throughout the spring and summer.
The Yankee Warrior was manufactured at North American Aviation in Kansas City, Kansas in 1943, then served with the 12th US Army Air Forces 57th Bomb Wing, 340th Bomb Group, 489th Bombardment Squadron, in Corsica. The nose art for this aircraft was not used on this B-25 during the war; it is representative of the era. This aircraft flew eight combat missions over Italy and through the Brenner Pass, on the border of Italy and Austria. A ride on the Warrior will give a passenger a real sense of WWII missions.
After WWII, this B-25D was owned by the British, then the Royal Canadian Air Force, and then by a
Detroit area aviation enthusiast. The Yankee Air Museum purchased this aircraft in 1987,
restoring it to flying condition in 2003. Since that time, thousands of people have enjoyed a ride on the
Warrior. On December 8, 2018, Yankee Air Museum celebrated the 75th anniversary of this storied warbird.
According to crew members, to them the B-25 is a living, flying embodiment of the greatest generation’s winning spirit. They say the B-25 carries the fire of that wonderful generation into the present day and forward into the future.
There are only two flyable B-25Ds in the world – and here’s your chance to fly on one of these historic planes. To get the awe inspiring ride you’ve wanted, visit: http://yankeeairmuseum.org/ – click “Book a Flight.” Seats are limited, so please consider pre-booking. The cost is $400, for an experience of approximately 40 minutes on board the aircraft including a flight of 25 minutes.
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About Yankee Air Museum: Established in 1981 the Yankee Air Museum is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization. The Yankee Air Museum dedicates itself to educating people through the history of U.S. Military aviation, technology and home front efforts while inspiring generations through personal experiences to instill pride in our national accomplishments. Yankee Air Museum, located at 47884 D Street, Belleville, Michigan on the grounds of historic Willow Run Airport, is open Tuesday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Sundays from 11:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Visit www.yankeeairmuseum.org to discover more about us and how we are working to preserve local history with the www.SavetheBomberPlant.org campaign. For more information, call 734-483-4030.
