The CAF Arizona Wing’s B-25J "Maid in the Shade" 43-35972
The
Commemorative Air Forces (CAF) Arizona Wing’s B-25J, 43-35972, later
named "Maid in the Shade," was in very sorry shape when it
arrived at the Arizona Wing’s hangar at Falcon Field in Mesa, Arizona,
in 1981. But after 28 years of restoration work this WWII combat veteran
airplane has again taken to the skies.
The B-25J "Maid in the Shade" is one of
two aircraft that are the cornerstones of the Arizona Wing. The other
cornerstone aircraft is the B-17G "Sentimental Journey,"
44-83514, (AAHS Journal, Summer 2007). "Maid in the Shade,"
43-35972, is the only CAF Arizona Wing airplane that has a known combat
record. During late 1944 of WWII this aircraft flew out of Serraggia
Airbase on the east coast of Corsica. It was with the 57th Bomb Wing,
319th Bomb Group, 437th Squadron where it was assigned Battle Number 18.
It flew 15 bombing missions over Italy and Yugoslavia. This aircraft has
been undergoing restoration for 28 years by the CAF Arizona Wing,
culminating in returning it to its original WWII configuration. On May 29,
2009, it took its first flight in 28 years.
But, starting at the beginning, this B-25J,
43-35972, was manufactured (construction number 108-32762) at the North
American Aviation plant in Kansas City and delivered to the U.S. Army Air
Force on June 9, 1944. It was then flown to Hunter Field, Savannah, Ga.,
on June 24, then onto Morrison Field, Fla., where it was readied for
deployment to the Mediterranean Theatre of Operation.
On July 7, 1944, the aircraft departed Morrison
Field and followed the southern route over Brazil, then across the
Atlantic to Africa. Records are missing until October 22, 1944, at which
time the plane was delivered to the 3rd Air Facility Depot and then picked
up by the 319th Bomb Group, 437th Squadron at Serraggia Airbase, Corsica.
There it was assigned the Battle Number 18. The plane proceeded to fly 15
combat missions over Italy. Her combat mission history is in the table on
the next page.
On December 31, 1944, the 319th Bomb Group
received orders to halt combat operations in Europe and prepare for
redeployment to the Pacific. The 319th operated B-25s for just two months
as an interim between B-26s and A-26s. During those two months 43-35972
flew 15 combat missions including the 319th’s first and last B-25
mission. 43-35972 was then returned to the 3rd Air Facility Depot on
January 10, 1945. In July it was flown back to the U.S. and placed in
storage.
The plane was recalled in 1946 for utility
and transport duty. During this time it served with MATS at McCord AFB,
Tacoma, Wash.; TAC 62nd Aerodrome Group Continental Air Command at
Mitchell Field, N.Y.; 1002nd Inspector General Unit at Norton AFB, Calif.;
and the 1005th Inspector General Special Investigations Unit at Andrews
AFB, Maryland. Afterwards the Air Force began to phase out the B-25s so in
. . .
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Restored B-25J "Maid in the Shade"
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