Gun nose B 25s

The G had its clear nose replaced with a shorter solid nose.  But the J's that were converted to gunships have a longer, but solid nose I believe. 

The field conversions of the glass nosed were just painted over. But there was also a factory built metal 8 gun nose used also on the J model. Check the gun set up

Thanks guys

Edit

Melgyver

The G never had a glass nose. It was built with the shorter solid nose with two .50's and the 75 mm cannon. The later H had the same nose but four .50's and the 75mm. The top turrent was moved forward on the H also. Most of the glass nose B-25's that were field converted to gunships were early C's and D's.

I meant that the G had the the typical glass nose of a 25 replaced with a solid.  I did not mean to imply that the G ever physically had a glass nose installed.

Yes you would think the glass nose could never handle the recoil from all that firepower!

I dont believe that the .50s were physically attached to the plexiglass itself, and that the bores were far enough forward that the muzzle blast would not cause damage. (I have had a .50 fired over my head while driving a M113 on a few occasions and the muzzle blast is pretty pronounced, but will cause damage only within a certain cone shaped area away from the muzzle) Of you look at the package guns on the fuselage sides, there are reinforcements made to the aircraft skin in those areas likely to receive damage from muzzle blast. The biggest structural thing is the mounts for the guns inside the nose of the aircraft. 

Early B-25 strafer conversion with overpainted plexiglass

factory built metal strafer nose B-25J

Field conversion overpainted B-25J strafer nose

The early strafer would have to be Pappy Gunn's unit in Australia and New Guinea as it is before July-August 1943.

That would be the 5th Air Force, as General Kenney got him on his staff fairly early in 1942 and had him modifying the majority of their A-20s and B-25s into strafers.

Thanks guys. Who makes a resin gun nose convErsion for the Revell Be 25J

I want to say that Cutting Edge did, but it is OOP. Monogram did a hard gun nose J kit also.

and of course there is their field conversion glass nose kit as well

Stik:  I got to tell you...I enjoy reading just about every damn thing you write about.  You're an incredible wealth of knowledge.  =]

LOL! Thanks BV! I don't know if this is a hobby or an obsession sometimes ;)

Cool!I wonder if I could make the 75mm/twin .50 configuration nose?

I think Accurate Miniatures did that one, the G. Monogram did the 75mm w/ 4 x .50s, a H as their original B-25 kit in 1/48. I can't recall when it was last re issued.

Yes I remember the gun noses from the covers of the old Martin Caidian novels.

In 1/48, between Accurate and Monogram/Revell, all of the major production versions and field conversions have been covered for the B-25. B, C/D (and strafers), G, H, and J. The trick is finding which kit(s) you want for the Mitchell. Not a bad situation for us modelers.

Stik, we all greatly appreciate your freely sharing your "obsession " with us.  It makes us all better modelers .  I second BV 's comment about your amazing wealth of knowlege also.

I'm glad to hear there's a kit of a B-25 with the canon in the nose.  I've always been fascinated by bombers carrying cannons, and I'm going to start adding some to my stash.  I'll be keeping an eye out for that one.  I'll jump on the bandwagon and thank you too Stik, your knowledge about kits amazes me.

The Accurate Miniature B-25 kits have been re-issued by Academy.

Sprue Brothers has it in stock:

store.spruebrothers.com/.../aca12290.htm

i bet if that 75 ever hit an enemy a/.c the results would have been devastating.

philo426

i bet if that 75 ever hit an enemy a/.c the results would have been devastating.

Yeah, but it would be a seriously lucky shot as well. It was a low velocity gun and the sights were for surface attack, primarily anti shipping, not an aerial gun sight.

Yes even on my Air Combat games the 75 almost never hits an aerial target.

I have never heard of a 75 mm on one of these planes! What must it have been like to be on the ground and be strafed by a 75mm and a stack of .50 cal? It must have been unimaginable!

Chris

Well, the 75 is loaded by hand, not an auto loader, so at best, perhaps 2 to 3 shots can be fired off on each pass. Package gun .50s on the fuselage sides may or may not be fitted, with photos showing them  more often than not left off. But if they are fitted and the top turret is trained forward, you are talking up to ten .50 cals firing forward, plus a few 75mm shots, and whatever is in the bomb bay (at low level parafrags would be a smart option on ground targets or skip bombing for shipping). Potentially even wing mounted rockets in the late war when those were fielded... A lot to at least keep the bad guys' heads down....

I do recall seeing footage of B-25 and A-20 strafers hitting Corregidor immediately before the 503rd parachuted in the retake the island. WWII's equivalent of the Specter Gunship softening up a DZ for the Rangers.

bobbaily

The Accurate Miniature B-25 kits have been re-issued by Academy.

Sprue Brothers has it in stock:

store.spruebrothers.com/.../aca12290.htm

The last I heard Italieri had one of the molds.

Italeri has released the basic glass nosed B-25C/D kit from Accurate under their own label. Academy has issued the Accurate B-25G under their label.

Stikpusher, is there a problem with it being an obsession and a hobby also?  I have a friend that says if you are not doing something to excess, you are not trying hard enough.

John