B-25 Bomber ‘Miss Mitchell’ Takes Flight Ahead of Airshow

DULUTH, Minn. — One of the planes flying in the Duluth Airshow is the B-25 Bomber ‘Miss Mitchell’

The original aircraft served in the 310th Bomb Group in the 57th wing in the Airforce.

During which it completed over 130 missions, and was known for its legacy of good luck, as there was no crew fatalities during all the missions, which was a rare achievement.

“People became superstitious, they thought if you flew “Miss Mitchell you had a better chance at coming home alive,” said ‘Miss Mitchell’ Pilot Dean Butler.

The historical plane was first introduced in 1941 and played a vital role in the allies’ victory during World War II.

“It went into 12 years of restoration and it first flew next in April 1992 which was the 50th anniversary of the Doolittle raid,” said Butler.

One the outside the plane may look large, but the inside is another story. ‘Miss Mitchell’ is flown by two co-pilots, one is on the controls and the other is on navigation. Co-Pilot Dean Butler says flying the aircraft takes a lot of work.

“It’s not real stiff on the controls but the throttles are a little stiff, it takes muscle to move it around, there’s no hydraulic boost, you are the hydraulics,” said Butler.

‘Miss Mitchell’ will be performing in the Duluth Airshows this weekend, which happens to be the largest air show in Minnesota.

The B-25 will be doing a few laps around the runaway, showing off its skills and style and it will also be on display and available for viewing.

“It’s probably about six minutes of flying back and forth in front of the crowd, in addition we will be doing a static display,” said Butler.

‘Miss Mitchell’ carries a piece of history with it, as 122 bomb decals cover one side, each one representing a mission.

Today the aircraft flew over the city ahead of the show, passing by the Duluth’s famous Ariel Lift Bridge. When ‘Miss Mitchell’ isn’t at an airshow, it offers rides on the historical piece of history.