B-25C Mitchell 90th BS Mortimer nose art Kill Marks New Guinea Pacific

B-25 Mitchell 90th BS Mortimer

“Mortimer” 41-12443 of the 90th Bomb Squadron with shark mouth

Some North American B-25C Mitchell bombers were modified for a specialized role known as “strafers” during World War II. These modifications were designed to enhance the aircraft’s ability to engage in low-level strafing runs against ground targets, a tactic that became particularly effective in the Pacific Theater. Here’s how these modifications were typically carried out:

Key Modifications:

  • Bomb Sight Removal:
    • The standard bomb sight, which was essential for high-altitude bombing, was removed from the aircraft. This was because strafing runs required low-level, direct attacks rather than precision bombing from altitude.
  • Nose Armament:
    • Additional .50-caliber machine guns were added to the aircraft’s nose compartment. These machine guns significantly increased the firepower of the B-25C, allowing it to deliver devastating strafing attacks on enemy ground positions, vehicles, and ships.

Published at 1317 × 902 px.
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B-25C Mitchell 90th BS Mortimer nose art Kill Marks New Guinea Pacific

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