The Collings Foundation B-25 Mitchell Gets Reborn!
CF West Operated B-25 Becomes "Tondelayo"

For those of you warbird enthusiasts who read all the major periodicals on a regular basis, you may have seen some movement coming from Aero Trader in Chino, CA. Many publications in the past few months showed pictures of a certain B-25 under the care of famed restorer Carl Scholl as it received major maintenance work... that B-25 is the one and only N3476G or 44-28932 owned and operated by the Collings Foundation. It was decided that it was time to get the B-25 back into "tip-top" airshow condition and the work at Aero Trader was only the start.

The B-25 was flown out of Chino and was directly flown to Midland, TX to Av Source West to be repainted in the colors of the famed "Tondelayo" of the 345th Bombardment Group known as the "Air Apaches" as it served in the 500th BS. The Tondelayo was one of three B-25Ds that sunk a 6,000-ton freighter in the South Pacific during World War II. Its story was unique in the fact that During the battle, the Tondelayo's engine was shot out and for over an hour it combated 50 Japanese fighter planes as it headed down the New Britain coast. The other two accompanying B-25s were shot down during the battle. The plane's turret gunner was given credit for shooting down five Japanese fighters and the crew earned the Distinguished Unit Citation and Silver Stars. Despite tremendous damage "Tondelayo" was returned to service after it was repaired... like a phoenix rising from the ashes.

The Collings Foundation B-25 will rise much in the same way. One of the first aircraft in the Collings Foundation collection, it was decided to bring the aircraft back to the airshow circuit this year... 60 years after the type made history by embarking on the first raid on Japanese soil in WWII... the famed Doolittle Raid from the USS Hornet. The aircraft is completely painted as of now, and will be receiving its nose art within a week by the hand of famed nose art artist Gary Velasco.

Volunteer support and pilots from Collings Foundation West in Houston, TX will continue to maintain and operate the B-25 after it returns from a East Coast and Midwest Airshow tour this Summer/Fall. For the schedule, please check back here in a day.

Pictures will be coming shortly as well! Stay tuned!