Just saw this over at Hasegawa’s Web site:
That’s a pretty cool US Navy/Marines version of the B-25H.
Aside from the markings and paint, does anybody know what differences there were between the B-25H and the PBJ-1H? I think it may have had a tailhook, but I’m not sure.
I have the Hasegawa B-25H, but have been thinking of doing it as a PBJ-1H. If the markings are the only difference, I would only need to get some AM decals (or order these from Hasegawa) and I’d be good to go!
Only one PBJ had a tailhook. That was a PBJ-1H BuNo 35277 evaluated aboard Shangri-La in late 1944. There was an invasion plan that involved launching, ala Doolittle, PBJs from carriers for close air support on Japan and landing them back on the nearest island to be craned back aboard the carriers.
Otherwise, I think the delivered configuration of the PBJs was identical to their US Army Air Force counterpart. Then some of them got radars, variously on the right wing tip, the nose, and the belly.
Check this out - I didn’t know that the PBJ-1H only had a single set of controls:
Very interesting! I wonder why that was.
Thanks for the info!
Based on my references (Detail & Scale Vol. 60), the PBJ-1H was a B-25H that the Navy acquired from the USAAF and redesignated the PBJ-1H. There were 236 of them given to the USN, but it was mainly the USMC that flew them. The copilot’s seat was removed from the B-25H & the PBJ-1H to make room for the guy who had to reload that 75mm cannon in the nose.
Greetings from Marine Bombing Squadron Six-Thirteen (VMB-613), the only squadron to operate the PBJ-1H in combat. Our squadron consisted of 15 aircraft and was stationed on Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands. One other squadron, VMB-614 deployed with this aircraft, however when they arrived in the Pacific the war had ended. The remaining aircraft were used in training stateside.
The PBJ-1H had only one set of controls, however each aircraft carried two qualified naval aviators (pilot and co-pilot). The co-pilot sat next to the pilot and assisted the pilot. Additionally the co-pilot operated the radar gunsight (AN/APG-13A) that each aircraft was equipped with. The pilot and co-pilot would also frequently “switch places” while flying.
All of VMB-613’s aircraft had a radome on the starboard wingtip that housed the gyroscope for the flux-gate compass, and the AN/APS-3 search radar. In addition, all of our aircraft had an antenna on the nose for the AN/APG-13A radar gunsight. Each aircraft received extensive modifications, primarilly in radio communications and navigation equipment. Each aircraft also had a radar altimeter installed. The antenna was located on the lower surface of the horizontal stabilizer, both sides. This permitted very low level flying, even in poor visability. All of our aircraft also had rocket rails (4 per side) under the wings for 5-inch high velocity aircraft rockets.
As previously noted, only one aircraft had a tailhook. This aircraft was not operated by VMB-613. It was a one-time experiment by the Navy.
All of our aircraft had their upper turret removed. In the turret-well, an astrodome was placed and this space was occupied by a navigator who also served as a cannoneer.
I hope this helps you on your project. If I can provide any further assistance, please feel free to contact me at yanacek.rj@vmb-613.com.
welcome to the gang, Yanacek. nice 1st post.
Glen S.
…i want one 2…
Hells Bells!!!
A B-25 with a tailhook!! The mind boggles. I’d love to see a B-25 with Maribe markings!! Have to have a look for that one…
Welcome, Yanacek!
Thanks for the great info!
Thanks for the kind welcome to your forum. I just looked through some additional information I have. The aircraft depicted on the Hasagawa model box art is a PBJ-1H belonging to VMB-614. They arrived on Midway Island in late August 1945.
Some additional information on the PBJ-1H can be obtained from the VMB-613 website at the following URLs:
http://www.vmb-613.com/aircraft.html (Describes modifications and color scheme. Note that the nose of the aircraft was stripped of paint and left “natural aluminum”)
http://www.vmb-613.com/squadron_aircraft.html (Provides BuNo’s and tail numbers)
http://www.vmb-613.com/squadron_modifications.html (Describes modifications made by VMB-613 on Kwajalein)
http://www.vmb-613.com/equipment.html (Shows layout of 75mm cannon and AN/APG-13A radar gun director)
http://www.vmb-613.com/index.html (Color profile of MB-5. This aircraft was shot down over Ponape, Caroline Islands. Note the absence of the upper turret) Anyone interested in this particular aircraft, there is additional information on the website pertaining to the excavation of the crash-site and recovery of the remains of the crew.
There are numerous photographs of our squadron’s aircraft throughout the website.
Yanacek
Thanks for the great links!
Here’s another PBJ with lots of guns in the nose:
Brian, I’ve been meaning to post this photo for a couple of days now:
I hope it helps.
That’s a keeper! A B-25 in any way, shape or form is a keeper!
I read on one of the B-25/PBJ-1 sites that at the field mod center in Australia, the cannon was in a number of cases removed, and the big hole was just the right size for the muzzles for two extra .50 cals. Also, both the AAF and Navy/Marine had trouble with the package guns on the cheeks tearing up the sheet metal they were attached to, so a lot of reinforcement had to be added. I can’t even imagine what it must have been like to have 14 .50s going at once, then add a 75 mm cannon to that. It must have sounded like Hell with the lid off in that airplane.
Thanks for that, Tim!
Sharkskin, yup, that must’ve been something to see and hear, alright!
Any ideas as to how effective this seemingly devastating collection of firepower was? How accurate was the 75?
The package guns on the PBJ-1H were not really a problem as far as tearing up the aircraft, although in mid-1945 VMB-613 removed them to save weight and increase the aircraft’s patrol range.
The 75mm cannon was a different story! The pilot used the cannon sparingly as its use often caused hydraulic leaks and rivets to shear. Additionally, since the ballistic trajectories of the .50 caliber machine guns and the 75mm cannon were so different, both were not used at the same time in order to prevent the wasting of ammunition. The cannon also had a few other unpleasant problems associated with its use. Loaded manually by the navigator-cannoneer, he had to make sure his feet were clear of the breech before the gun was fired as the recoiling tube could severe his feet (VMB-613 had no casualties this way, however I have heard that the USAAF reported at least one). Then once the gun was fired, the navigator-cannoneer had to open the breech to load a new round. On opening the breech, hot pieces residual powder and smoke would rush into his face as air was pushed into the tube by the forward motion of the aircraft. The smoke was sometimes so bad that it got pushed through the tunnel over the bombay and into the rear section of the aircraft!
Regarding the accuracy of the 75mm cannon on the PBJ-1H, it’s maximum effective range was 5,100 yards. However, there was never really a fair test under operational (combat) conditions as the gun and the radar gun-director was developed for anti-shipping missions. VMB-613, the only squadron to use the PBJ-1H in combat, was unable to locate a single shipping target while they were overseas. They did engage many land targets, however the radar gun director was not designed to acquire land targets. It was simply not effective against most land targets since rough terrain did not allow for good target discrimination at ranges in excess of 1,500 yards. Sometime this weekend I will review the squadron’s 78 strike reports. These indicate the number of 75mm rounds fired and the number of hits. I will total them up and provide an answer.
For anyone that is interested, I just received some material from one of our aircraft electricians on the PBJ-1H from a familiarization manual. It is only about six pages, but it provides some good information about gunsights, armor plate location, etc. In reviewing it I learned some things I was unaware of such as a gun camera being located in the front-center of the nose just slightly above the machine guns. Should anyone wish to receive a copy, please let me know and I will send it to you.
Yanacek, you are proving a godsend for me, for that is one of the most fascinating a/c of WW II to me. However, you have shown me, as well as the other sites I’ve been directed to, that my AcMin B-25G will never be converted to an accurate PBJ-1H. I sure wish the Navy/Marines had accepted more than 1 of the G models. Still, I’d like to see a photo of that one PBJ-1G.
Welcome to the forum, yanacek! Great to hear from somebody who’s in-the-know and in-the-loop about these facts of great planes like the B-25H/PBJ-1H.
Cheers,
onyan