This listing is for a new Corgi North American B-25J Mitchell USAAF 345th BG, 499th BS Bats Outa' Hell, #44-30934 Betty's Dream, Le Shima, Okinawa, 1945. This model was released in 2020 with only 1,500 pieces distributed world wide. Please note the plastic clam shell has some small tears and dents due to the weight of the aircraft.

Scale:  1/72       Length: 8.75"        Width: 11.25"

She was one of two B-25 Mitchells sent to rendezvous with an official Japanese surrender delegation which was flying from a base in Japan and to escort the aircraft to the US airfield at Le Shima, on the island of Okinawa. The Japanese officials were flying in two G4M2 "Betty" bombers, which had been hastily overpainted in a distinctive white scheme, with their national insignia replaced by green crosses, intended to avoid being shot down by US forces.

Once the Japanese officials arrived at Le Shima, they were transferred to a USAF C-54 transport aircraft and flown to Manila, where representatives of the victorious Allied nations were waiting to formalise the terms of the Japanese Empire's surrender. Earning a reputation as one of the most effective medium bombers of the Second World War, the B-25 Mitchell would also be used as a hard-hitting, low altitude attack aircraft, fighting across the South West Pacific and helping to drive the Japanese back to their home islands.

North American B-25J Mitchell

Originally designed as an attack bomber for export to France and the UK, the B-25 Mitchell was first flown on August 19, 1940. Rejected by the countries it was designed for in favor of the new Douglas DB-7, the B-25 later entered service with the Army Air Corps as a medium bomber. Early in its service career, the B-25 became famous for its role in the Doolittle Raid. Nearly 10,000 B-25s were built by North American Aviation, and the aircraft's service spanned four decades. Named for aviation pioneer Billy Mitchell, the B-25 is the only US military aircraft to bear the name of an individual person.

Corgi "Aviation Archive" die-cast airplanes feature:

• Die-cast metal construction with some plastic components
• Realistic panel lines, antennas, access panels and surface details
• Pad printed markings and placards that won't fade or peel like decals
• Interchangeable extended/retracted landing gear with rotating wheels
• Pose-able presentation stand to display the aircraft "in flight"
• Many limited editions with numbered certificate of authenticity
• Detailed, hand-painted pilot and crew member figures
• Authentic detachable ordnance loads complete with placards
• Selected interchangeable features such as speed-brakes, opened canopies and access panels
• Selected moving parts such as gun turrets, control surfaces and swing-wings