Hitch a ride in Historic WWII Aircraft
Looking for a unique experience? Look no further than the Michigan Museum, where you can buy a ticket to fly on either a B-25 "Rosie's Reply" or a C-47 "Hairless Joe" - both WWII airplanes. The C-47 was the same type of airplane used to train pilots during WWII here at our own airport, making this a truly historic experience. Don't miss out on this opportunity to step back in time and take to the skies.
Rosie's Reply
$525 Non Memeber / $475 Member
Book your 25 min flight HERE
B-25 Mitchell bombers were the most effective medium bombers of World War II (WWII) and are remembered mostly for the carrier-launched Doolittle Raid against Japan in April of 1942. They are named after General “Billy” Mitchell, the father of the US Air Force.
B-25s are mid-wing monoplanes with tricycle landing gear, fully cantilevered wings and fast-castering nose wheel. They fought on all fronts in all theaters of operation during WWII and were also the first medium bombers to fly off of aircraft carriers. The B-25s were also used in the Korean War and by the French during the Vietnam war.
History of Our Aircraft
Serial Number 43-3634
Our North American B-25D was manufactured by North American Aviation in Kansas City, KS and was delivered to the United States Air Force (USAF) on December 17, 1943. It departed the United States for Corsica and flew bombing missions with the 12th Air Force, 57th Bomb Wing, 340th Bombardment Group, 489th Bombardment Squadron. It was successful in its missions over Sicily, Italy and the Brenner Pass (a mountain pass through the Alps which forms the border between Italy and Austria).
The aircraft returned to the United States in January 1944 and was turned over to the British government as part of the Lend-Lease Program. It was then sent to the Royal Canadian Air Force, designated KL148 and was used primarily as a trainer. During a training mission, the glass nose was destroyed and replaced with a solid nose.
The Yankee Air Museum purchased the aircraft from a private owner in 1987. It endured a three-year restoration which included reinstallation of the glass nose, and rear turret. It returned to the skies in 2003, with its new name: Yankee Warrior. She is the only flying B-25D-35 and one of very few aircraft with a documented combat history!
General Characteristics
Crew: 6
Performance
Powerplant: 2x Wright R-2600 Cyclones
Engine Type: Two row, 14 cylinder, air-cooled radials
Horsepower: 1,700 HP each
Maximum Speed: 275 mph
Cruising Speed: 230 mph
Fuel Burn: Combined 150 gallons per hour
Combat Radius: 1,350 miles
Armament
Typical gun complement: 8 .50 caliber machine guns
Typical bomb load: 4,000 lbs.
Fast Facts
The B-25 is the same type of bomber delivering the first strike back at Japan on April 18, 1942 flown by the legendary Gen. Jimmy Doolittle and his raiders.
The B-25 is the only American military aircraft named after a specific person, General Billy Mitchell, often referred to as the “Godfather of Military Aviation.”
The prototype B-25 was first flown in 1939. A total 9,818 were built, of which 3,915 were “C” or “D” models.
Yankee Warrior (B-25D serial no. 43-3634) was built on December 8, 1943 and delivered to the U.S. Army Air Forces on December 17, 1943. This aircraft flew in the 12th Air Force, part of the 57th Bomb Wing, 340th Bombardment Squadron in the 489th Bomb Squadron.
Hairless Joe
$185 Non Member / $170 Member
Book Your 20 Min Flight Here
Experience part of history through the eyes of a paratrooper by riding on the Yankee Air Museum’s beautiful C-47 vintage military aircraft “Hairless Joe.”
This warbird, the Douglas C-47 Skytrain, was the most versatile aircraft to see combat in WWII. Derived from the commercial DC-3, the C-47 is described as the most rugged and reliable military aircraft of its time. In fact, it was the tip of the sword, having dropped paratroopers behind enemy lines into Normandy the night before the D-Day invasion. The C-47 also moved personnel and cargo, towed troop-carrying gliders and evacuated the sick and wounded. The C-47 was such a durable airframe it also served in Vietnam and the Gulf Wars.
Hairless Joe appears in the livery of the 1st Air Commando Group serving in the China, Burma, India Theater of World War Two. This type of plane flew over the Himalayas to airlift badly needed supplies and munitions to our allies when the enemy closed the Burma Road. This plane could deploy a large hook, fly very low and snag an elevated line to tow a glider aloft.
A ride in the C-47 will be an experience that will be long remembered as this powerful, ready-to-go aircraft leaps off the runway. Once airborne passengers are free to move around the cabin and take advantage of the outstanding photo opportunities of the landscape, and the inside of the airplane including the cockpit.* This is an historic aircraft, even the static line to which the paratroopers “hooked-up” prior to jumping is still in place.
Rides on the C-47 are affordable, making unique and thoughtful gifts for birthdays, anniversaries and graduations. It is also an excellent platform for special events like fundraisers, corporate rewards programs or saying thank you to a veteran.
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Specifications
Length: 63 ft. 9 in.
Wingspan: 95 ft. 6 in.
Power plants: 2 Pratt & Whitney 1830 Twin Wasp engines
Engine type: 14 cylinder air-cooled radials
Horsepower: 1,200 HP each
Cruising speed: 160 mph
Range: 1,600 miles
Payload: 6,000 lbs.
Crew: 4 Pilot, Co-pilot, Navigator, Radio Operator
Fast Facts:
The DC-3 made its first flight on December 17, 1935.
Between 1935 and 1945 there were 10,325 produced and some are still flying daily air service passenger and cargo routes today.
The C-47, formerly known as Yankee Doodle Dandy was the first flyable aircraft of the Yankee Air Museum, and it underwent a 20-month restoration, returning to the air in May 1984.
Yankee Doodle Dandy went through an exhaustive paint restoration in 2018 and now appears as Hairless Joe in honor of our Veterans who served in the China, Burma, India Theater of World War Two. Hairless Joe was the C-47 piloted by then Major Dick Cole who was the co-pilot to Jimmy Doolittle in the daring raid on Tokyo, April 18, 1942. Cole later volunteered for a secret mission in the CBI Theater flying C-47s. Lt. Col. Dick Cole (Ret. USAAF) the last survivor of the Doolittle Raid, was recognized by Yankee Air Museum with application of Hairless Joe nose art in his honor in July, 2018. Lt. Col. Dick Cole passed away on April 9, 2019 at the age of 103.
C-47 Flyovers
The C-47 Skytrain, Hairless Joe, with its deep roar and low flying speeds, also makes the perfect plane for flyovers of parades, civic events and the last salute at Veterans’ funerals. This aircraft provides a noble sight adding respect to any occasion. Contact us for more information and rates.