![]() ![]() ![]() Once these assemblies are complete, we can re-assemble the wing structure. The first step of the process will include rebuilding the main wing spars, internal webbing and the fuselage section of the bomb bay. Now that the center section is apart the restoration could begin. Each piece removed had to be inspected for damage or corrosion. This task entailed drilling out the thousands of rivets and removing each individual piece. The first priority was to disassemble the center section to its sub-assemblies and components. This consists of the bomb bay segment of the fuselage, main wing spars and inner wing assembly. The center section is the first major assembly we have taken on for the project. For our most recent updates check out our Facebook page. Please enjoy these photographs of our current progress. We strive to restore Sandbar Mitchell as close as we can to factory new with every little detail. She was originally delivered to storage at Garden City AAF base, Kansas. The restoration of our B-25 is a huge undertaking in the likes that has never been done before with a Mitchell. The B-25J-25-NC SN 44-30733 under restoration as Sandbar Mitchell. The team has recently completed the bomb-bay nose and is currently working on the center section and bomb-bay top section. Better known as The Sandbar Mitchell, it was rescued in 2013 from a sand bar on a river near Fairbanks, Alaska, where it had crash-landed while fighting fires in 1969. ![]() A restoration team out of Brighton, Michigan is currently hard at work on a North American B-25J Mitchell, serial number 44-30733. Mfg.Restoring a WW II bomber is a momentous labor, requiring no small portion of blood, sweat, and tears.They are getting close to making this a complete project. In turn the attachment angles that were damaged from 44-30733 that are in static condition will go with 44-28898. They are using a few of the good extruded parts such as the fuselage attachment angles to restore 44-30733. The spar caps have signs of corrosion so it is not an airworthy air-frame as is, but great candidate for a static restoration. This aircraft was given to the USSR under the Lend Lease Program. It included the center section, forward fuselage, wings, partial rear fuselage, engine mounts, and cowling. The B-25J-15-NC SN 44-28898 was recovered by the Nome Aviation and Military Museum in Nome Alaska and transferred to the Warbirds of Glory Museum. The largest part that was damaged was the forward fuselage section which is being replaced with one off of ship TB-25K SN 44-30947 As for the parts that were missing, they have acquired a lot of NOS (New Old Stock) parts including major airframe pieces. ![]() They have located the cut cockpit section and are currently working on returning it the project. Since the recovery they have been able to return a lot of the missing parts to the airframe with hopes to use as many original parts as possible in the restoration. Time was hard on the ageing bomber as people scavenged parts off of her leaving mostly the complete center section and parts of the forward and aft fuselage on the sandbar. She is currently beting restored to airworthy status in the colors of the 340th Bomb Group, 488th Squadron as ship 8Z. On July 5, 2013, she was recovered by the Warbirds of Glory Museum and is now under a complete restoration. The cost of recovering the airframe was more than the price of another B-25 at the time. Two days after the crash, the engines, wheels, and control surfaces were removed. The pilot, Herm Gallaher, was forced into a wheels up landing on a sandbar in the Tanana River. On June 27, 1969, she suffered a double engine failure shortly after take-off. In December of 1966, she was sold to Ed Thorrude of Missoula, Montana and converted to a fire bomber. She was immediately sold to Johnson Flying Service of Missoula, Montana. Her civil registration of N9088Z was assigned. On December 28, 1959, she was sold to National Metals from Phoenix, Arizona. She was assigned to a training wing at Randolph AFB, Texas until August of 1958 when she was flown to storage. In March of 1954, she was converted to a TB-25N by Hayes. By November of 1948, she was transferred to the 3575th Pilot Training Wing at Vance AFB, Oklahoma. She was then transferred to the 4141st AAF base unit, in Pyote AFB, Texas in August of 1947. In April of 1946, she was transferred to 4168th AAF base unit in South Plains, Texas. The B-25J-25-NC SN 44-30733 under restoration as "Sandbar Mitchell". ![]()
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