WWII B-25 ‘Executive Sweet’ returns to Los Alamitos Army Airfield

A flight aboard this historic World War II B-25 will be raffled off at Wings, Wheels, Rotors and Expo the afternoon of Sunday, October 23.

For the third year, the World War II B-25 “Executive Sweet” will roar into Los Alamitos Army Airfield for e Wings, Wheels, Rotors and Expo.

Come visit and fly with this WWII historical warbird on Sunday, October 23 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

&ldqou;Executive Sweet” is cared for and flown by the American Aeronautical Foundation, founded to help preserve the aviation legacy of our World War II veterans and the aircraft they flew.

It is the great honor of the Foundation to be the custodians of these great airplanes and offer an opportunity to share their history with you.

Our flagship B-25 has been seen by millions of aviation fans at air shows, fly-ins and private aviation events for the past four decades.

Built in Kansas City in 1944-45 as a B-25J, &ldqou;Executive Sweet” saw extensive Stateside service throughout the war as a crew trainer. In 1948,it was converted into a USAF VB-25J and used as a VIP transport until the end of her service.

In December of 1954 it was upgraded and designated a VB-25N by Hayes Aircraft, Inc.

After several more years of military service at the School of Aviation Medicine at Randolph Field, Texas, the Mitchell was sold as surplus and became a crop sprayer.

She was acquired by Hollywood’s Filmways Studios in 1968 where she became the lead “on camera” aircraft named “Vestal Virgin” in the film Catch-22.

After the completion of the film, the B-25 was put up for sale in 1970 and purchased by Ed Schnepf. In 1972 Ed had the aircraft put through a two-year restoration program to bring her back to the appearance of an authentic wartime J model.

Looking factory-new in its restored bare metal finish, “Executive Sweet” was once again armed with thirteen .50 caliber machine guns, a Norden bombsight, operable bomb bay, authentic insignia and interior detailing down to crash axes and a crew intercom system.

In 1982, Schnepf’s Challenge Publications donated the B-25 to the newly formed American Aeronautical Foundation at Camarillo, California. We have been operating her ever since.

“Executive Sweet” has appeared in a dozen major films and numerous TV shows and commercials. In April 1992, the plane participated in the Doolittle Raid 50th Anniversary reenactment staged at North Island Naval Air Station in San Diego, California.

“Executive Sweet” has been providing experience flights since 2008.

Take a flight on this historic aircraft at Los Alamitos Army Field on Sunday October 23.

For more information, visit www.aafgroup.org online.

To book a seat, call 805-377-2106.

Jet fuel angels needed for WWRE

Wings, Wheels, Rotors and Expo has the opportunity to bring in other vintage war birds at no cost, if aviation lovers step forward to underwrite the cost of aviation fuel to fly the planes to and from Los Alamitos Army Airfield.

For more information about aviation fuel for WWRE, call Major (ret) Jim Thipgen, WWRE 2011 Co-chair, at 714-580-8377.