A Flight Aboard Executive Sweet |
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I flew aboard North American B-25J Mitchell, N30801 Executive Sweet from Camarillo to Santa Barbara and back on Sunday October 28.
North American B-25J Mitchell, N30801 Executive Sweet has been a regular participant at airshows around southern California for over thirty years. It has been registered to the American Aeronautical Foundation of Thousand Oaks since 1985. Its Army Air Force serial number was 44-30801 and its North American construction number is 108-35126. It was converted to the TB-25N configuration before its retirement by the Air Force. It was registered as N3699G by Avery Aviation of Greybull, Wyoming in 1963. Filmways Inc. of Hollywood acquired it in 1968 for use in the movie Catch-22, in which it appeared as Vestal Virgin. Challenge Publications bought it in 1972 and changed its registration to N30801 in 1978.
John Ferguson and Alex Borlin piloted Executive Sweet.
The view looking aft from the dorsal turret.
Lake Casitas appears to the right of the nose of the Mitchell.
Lake Casitas is just visible below the nacelle of the Wright R-2600 Cyclone engine.
Executive Sweet's instrument panel.
Approaching Santa Barbara.
Santa Barbara Harbor
Hendry's Beach.
Landing on Runway 25 at the Santa Barbara Airport.
Executive Sweet on the Signature Aviation ramp at the Santa Barbara Airport.
Taking off from Runway 25.
Coal Oil Point and the University of California at Santa BArbara pass on the left as we climb out over the channel.
Looking back at the Gaviota Coast from the dorsal turret.
Carpinteria.
We descended to an altitude of 150 feet above the water as we cruised along the coast.
Rincon.
I could see the little birds sitting on the water go zipping past the window. Those are just little ripples on the water below.
John made sweeping turns was we flew 150 feet above the water at 170 miles per hour.
Before we reached Ventura we ascended to a suitable altitude for flight over populated areas.
Ventura County Fairgrounds.
Ventura Pier.
In the pattern for landing on Runway 26 at Camarillo.
Turning onto final.
Pilot John Ferguson and co-pilot Alex Borlin.
More pictures of North American B-25J Mitchell, N30801 Executive Sweet.
You can buy a 2020 calendar featuring my photographs of North American B-25J Mitchell, N30801 Executive Sweet.
George Air Force Base Airshow, May 4, 1975
Mojave Air Races, June 21, 1975
Edwards Air Force Base Open House, November 13, 1977
Santa Barbara Airport, April 22, 1992
Camarillo EAA Fly-in, August 11, 2002
Camarillo Airshow, August 28, 2004
Arrival Day for the Hawthorne Air Faire, August 12, 2005
Camarillo Airshow, August 28, 2005
Camarillo Airshow, August 17, 2013
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