I’m building a “D” version of the B-25 and my instructions tell me that I should mount two .50 machine guns but instead of mounting the “bubble” canopy glass, they tell me to cut the glass part at 90 degrees and use it to block off the end of the fuselage.
As far as I can tell, this leaves a gap at the bottom which the guns show through. So it it the case that the upper half was glazed and the other half was not? I have tried to find pictures, but so far all I can get hold of are pictures of the tail with the bubble glass.
Any of you fella’s have a picture of the other tail gun with the flat glass? If anyone can point this hapless model builder in the right direction I will be very greateful.
Two books- “detail and scale” and “walk around” document this in photos very poorly. However, this was apparently a field modifcation kit applied at the forward airbases. There are no good photos, but some scale art work. According to both books, a single .50 was mounted in an open rear fueselage. A canvas boot may have been mounted around the gun. But all the photos in my books only show this mod from angles where the rudders block a good view of the tail to confirm this.
You’re welcome T-1. BTW, I just found another photo in a differnt book. It shows a Marine Corps PBJ-1 (B-25D) bombing Rabaul. The angle of the photo (slightly above from the right rear quarter) shows the tail gun position. No canvas boot is mounted around the single .50 on this particular aircraft, and it has the field mod tail gunners position canopy similar to later B-25H/J’s.
OK, I’m not a B-25 expert by no means, my old man used to fly in em though. The only tail pic I have, and this may not be what you are looking for, is this:
That is a later model B-25 in the photo, either a “H” or a “J”. The bulged waist windows and forward mount for the top turret are the indicators of this.
Darren, this photo is not of any use for the details of a field or modification center mounted tail gun, but it may be useful for a simple tail mounted gun with no cover, as it shows the aft fuselage frame well. It’s from the B-25C/D maintenance manual. The two lights are bombing lights, white and red. One came on when the bay doors opened, the other came on when a bomb was released.
I kind of thought it might be a late model but wasn’t for sure. I remember reading something about the turret being farther forward and the bulged waist guns but I couldn’t remember which model it was. Like I said, I’m certainly no expert on the B-25. Now I’ve learned something today about the different models, thanks!
I don’t really have that many, but the B-25 manual is one of my favorites, and like most treasures I just sort of came by it. A friend had a second hand store and it was in one of the pieces of furniture they had taken in. I suppose I have had it for 40 years.
