An update on the former Hickam AFB B-25

[Warhrs]

USA HI Honolulu Pacific Aviation Museum B-25J 44-31504, RCAF 5218, N9753Z Static display Moved from Hickam AFB in 6/2005. Museum to open in 12/06

Hello all! I'm new to the board...I found this place because I was searching for information on the abovementioned aircraft, and happened to link through to here.

I'm afraid I have to pass on some sad news about N9753Z.

The PAM, after some effort to assess the aircraft for restoration, has unfortunately concluded that the aircraft is too far gone to save. Currently N9753Z is lying in pieces, disassembled down to a whole lot of component parts, right outside PAM's staging hangar on Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, HI.

She died a slow death; the airframe rot is painfully evident around all of the edges, the long-term effects of tropical heat/moisture turning the aluminum into powder. I've got some pictures...they're still in my digital camera; I promise to post 'em up after I get them uploaded to my Photobucket account in a few days.

Currently, PAM is awaiting the arrival of a "replacement" B-25 from a restorer in California (I think they told me it was Tom Reilly). This a/c will be refinished for indoor static display.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news...

[Craig59]

A crying shame. The Pacific Air Museum should be ashamed that they allowed this to happen while the aircraft was displayed on loan to Hickam AFB. Looking forward to the pictures when you make them available.

[Warhrs]

A crying shame. The Pacific Air Museum should be ashamed that they allowed this to happen while the aircraft was displayed on loan to Hickam AFB. Looking forward to the pictures when you make them available.

I'm not so certain of that Craig...actually, the a/c belonged to Hickam before coming to the PAM; the museum is still a fledgling effort trying to get off the ground.

A full restoration would have been a monstrous undertaking. Hawaii's on the very edge of the civilized world, and trying to get the major parts for a B-25 out here constitutes a truly mammoth effort. Couple that with the fact that this particular a/c, according to my online research, was used as an "aluminum cadaver" by the local Honolulu aviation technical school for a number of years back in the 1970's...and I don't envy the PAM volunteers their job, at all. The guys there at PAM were telling me that they actually found BONDO used in the airframe...probably left over from it's tech school days.

[Warhrs]

My humble apologies for the delay...here are some of the pics.

This tail section has since been moved out of the staging hangar and is awaiting shipment to CA:



Some of the parts already waiting to go:



The wingroot/bomb bay area:



Interior shot of the cockpit area:

[mark_sanders]

Hi, I discovered N9753Z last year when researching the whereabouts of a b25 owned by my father, Howard Sanders, in the 1960's and would like to share what I know. I believe it was around 1963 when my dad purchased N9753Z. At the same time, a colleague of his bought N9754Z, both former RCAF planes. Record has it that the two planes were brought to Honolulu for the filming on 'In Harm's Way.' It is my understanding however that both planes were brought to Hawaii for personal and business use prior to any arrangements made to use them in the movie (my dad and his friend had a business there). N9753Z was configured to do aerial photography. I'm not sure if N9754Z was modified as well. N9754Z's fate was set when a friend of the owner 'borrowed' the plane while drunk and crashed into a telephone pole. He was able to land the plane safely but a large hole was ripped into the fuselage during the crash. My dad bought the engines (and possibly other items) from his friend and had them installed on N9753Z. I don't think N9753Z was used much after that and in 1965, my dad relocated to the mainland, leaving N9753Z at the Honolulu Airport. Apparently, the aircraft was acquired by the technical school in 1970 after sitting for 5 years and eventually put on display at Hickam. Carl Scholl (of Aero Trader in Chino California) has acquired the plane since PAM's decision to let it go and it may already be in California. I have plans to take my dad to Aero Trader to see his old plane in the coming weeks... Mark Sanders

[Craig59]

Mark,

It does appear from these photos at the Warbird Information Exchange
http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/p ... 11fd740d8e that the B-25 is indeed at Chino (unless it has since been taken to the Aero Trader desert facility). It is unfortunate that the corrosion appears so extensive.[/url]

[aerovin2]

The history shown in B-25 Mitchell in Civil Service for N9753Z shows use as a TB-25J until November 1951 when transferred to the RCAF, operating as RCAF 5218. Disposed from the RCAF via Canspec Air Transport of Calgary to A.J. Warlick and J.E. Kowing of Seattle (for $1,000) of Seattle in November 1961, and assigned N9753Z. Sold to Flair, Inc. of Lihue, Kauai, Hawaii in May 1963. Shown (apparently incorrectly) as flown to Hawaii for the movie, then stored and thenused by a technical school at Honolulu airport.

[whitgillik]

warhrs, just a little info on N9753Z. She was refurbished to a minor degree in 1996 by volunteers from 15MXS. I was one of those volunteers. The bondo on her airframe was done by that team because we were not authorized to disassemble any of the aircraft or to do any 'major' repairs. I am sad to know she is gone from the base but was very happy to see that she was acquired by someone with intentions of restoring her. While we were limited in our resources, and permission to apply them, I stated numerous times that we were doing that aircraft a great disservice by allowing her to continue to rot when we had a chance to do something about it. Unfortunately as a lowly E-2 there were very few ears that listened to what I had to say.

[whitgillik]

There was also a B-17 that we 'restored' on display on the Hickam AFB Headquarters Building Lawn. She was also in pretty rough shape, I remember when we were sanding her we tried to walk down her spine to get to the tail section and the cracking and buckling of the skin lead us to call for lifts to position around her to allow for us to reach the tail section.

[aerovin2]

There was also a B-17 that we 'restored' on display on the Hickam AFB Headquarters Building Lawn. She was also in pretty rough shape, I remember when we were sanding her we tried to walk down her spine to get to the tail section and the cracking and buckling of the skin lead us to call for lifts to position around her to allow for us to reach the tail section.

First I have heard of a B-17 displayed at Hickam, ever. Any photos of this airplane available? And, what time period would this have been?

Thanks.

[kennygee]

I don't recall ever seeing a B-17 on the lawn at Hickam however there was a Douglas A-26C Invader park right next to the B-25. From the looks of Google maps the A-26 is still there albeit I bet in terrible shape. I talk to former PAM director Alan Palmer and he did confirm that Hickam's B-25 was in terrible shape when they got it and had little choice but to trade it out for another B-25 which they turned into a display for the Doolittle raider diorama inside their hanger.

[05564]

Well thank everyone involved, it seems like she might be salvageable. Good luck in the restoration. We never have enough B-25's.