Dates

Event

February 1944

Constructed as a B-25J-1-NC by North American at Kansas City, Kansas, USA.

25 February 1944

Taken on Strength/Charge with the United States Army Air Force with s/n 43-4030.

Circa February 1944

Ferry flight.
Flown from Kansas City plant to Inglewood, CA plant.

From Circa February 1944 to April 1944

Converted to a VB-25J.
Wings Magazine, Feb. 1988 (Vol. 18, no. 1): States that the aircraft was to have been ready for Eisenhowers use by June 1, 1944.

The turret, nose gun, waist guns and tail guns were removed. Front to back, the bomb bay was lowered to accommodate a sleeping bunk. This required significant modifications to the wing carry-through. The remaining portion of the bomb bay was fitted with a fuel tank to extend the range. Aft of the bomb bay, seats, a full width table, and a walnut cabinet were installed. Windows were cut in the sides and the aft hatch was revised for easier access. The interior was insulated and covered in blue fabric over paneling. Commercial airliner seats were obtained from Douglas Aircraft. The previous tail gun positon held the relocated life raft. The new configuration could comfortably fit 10 people including the crew. (The B-25 History Project).

From May 1944 to Circa August 1945

Transferred to 8th Air Force, England.

From 1 May 1944 to May 1945

Assigned as General Dwight D. Eisenhowers personal transport.

Circa August 1945

Transferred to 1100th Mission Support Group, Bolling Field, DC.

By 1946

Redesignated as CB-25J.

18 September 1947

Taken on Strength/Charge with the United States Air Force with s/n 43-4030.

January 1950

Redesignated as VB-25J.

By 1958

Transferred to 1001st Air Base Wing, Andrews AFB, MD.

December 1958

Assigned to Davis-Monthan AFB, Tucson, AZ for storage.

22 April 1959

To Lanward Leasing Corp, El Paso, TX.

July 1959

To Lanward Leasing Corp, El Paso, TX with new c/r N3339G.

By May 1961

To Southwest Air Rangers, El Paso, TX keeping c/r N3339G.

July 1962

To Perry Logan, Littleton, CO keeping c/r N3339G.

August 1962

To Eldorado Corp, Dallas, TX keeping c/r N3339G.

May 1963

To Joseph C. Frazier, El Paso, TX keeping c/r N3339G.

July 1965

To Newell R. Hayes, El Paso, TX keeping c/r N3339G.

From 1966 to 1970

Placed on display with The Air Museum, Ontario, CA.

From October 1970 to After 1978

To The Air Museum/Edward T. Maloney, Ontario, CA keeping c/r N3339G.
Donated by Mr. Hayes.

From 18 May 1975 to 18 May 1975

Raced as #9G.
Apparently arrived at the Lincoln Air Race, may have qualified and may even have competed in the Bomber class, but we do not have any documented results (no times or placements). The primary pilot was Jim Orton. No results were recorded for the race.

From 15 May 1976 to 16 May 1976

Unknown Race #.
The race number is not known. The primary pilot was Steve Hinton. Raced in the One Mile Course race. Finished in 2nd place with an average speed of 204.17 mph.

15 May 1976

Photographer: Charlene Aro
Notes: Photographed at the Lincoln Air Races in Lincoln, CA.

23 December 1976

To Air Museum, Coronado Mar, CA keeping c/r N3339G.

23 September 1981

Civil registration, N3339G, cancelled.

October 1981

To National Museum of the United States Air Force Loan Program, Wright Field, Dayton, OH.
View the Location Dossier

1984

Loaned to March AFB, Riverside, CA.

Markings Applied: Blonde Bomber

1985

Loaned to 28 BW/MU, Ellsworth AFB, SD.

1985

To South Dakota Air and Space Museum, Ellsworth AFB, Rapid City, SD.
View the Location Dossier

Markings Applied: 34030

14 September 1997

Photographer: Glenn Chatfield
Notes: 35 mm slide scanned

June 2014

Photographer: Gustavo Bonilla

June 2014

Photographer: Gustavo Bonilla