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Tondelayo -- WWII B-25 Bomber
The Collings Foundation's North American B-25J "Tondelayo" rolled off the production line in 1944. Delivered to the USAAF as 44-28932, she was built too late to see combat. Like many of her kind, she was converted to TB-25N status sometime in the early 1950's. Removed from service and stricken from the record in 1958, she was then placed in storage at Davis-Monthan AFB but her retirement time was to be short lived. Purchased by Earl Dodge in 1959, 44-28932 was given the civil registration of N3476G and began a long career as an aerial fire fighting platform. After years of service in the Pacific Northwest, the Collings Foundation stepped in and purchased her in 1985. Restored to her former B-25J glory and painted in the markings of "Hoosier Honey", N3476G began the leisurely life of airshow appearances during the late 1980's and early 1990's. As the Foundation grew, interest in the B-25 leveled as the collection expanded to include other bombers such as the B-24J Liberator and the B-17G Flying Fortress.
During 2002 it was decided to bring the B-25 up to date with a fresh paint job and place her on the National Tour with the other bombers. Now resplendent in the markings of "Tondelayo" of the famous 345th Bomb Group 5th Air Force, she began a new chapter in her life.
Tondelayo served with honor in the 345th, shooting down 10 Japanese aircraft, 9 on one epic mission alone, and sinking at least 1 ship during her short career. Like many aircraft of the Second World War, Tondelayo was lost in theater, surviving as but a distant memory until now.
For the next several months the Collings Foundation will base this historic machine at the Kissimmee Air Museum. She is available for rides and flight training, as well as being on display. The aircraft seats up to 7 people and group rates are available. Contact us at fly@warbirdadventures.com or 407-870-7366 to schedule your once in a lifetime flight opportunity today!
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Grand Opening of Kissimmee Air Museum's new Exhibits:
“Air Power and Pearl Harbor-the stories behind the events”
Warbird Adventures President, Graham Meise; graphic artist Neal Sands and Exhibit designer Syd Jones, former curator and Restoration Director of the Pacific Aviation Museum-Pearl Harbor have just completed a new series of exhibits for the Kissimmee Air Museum. The new expanded exhibits trace the rise of air power from the predictions of Billy Mitchell in 1924, that Pearl Harbor would be attacked by the Japanese on a Sunday morning to the actual attack on December 7th 1941. Included in the new displays are never seen before photos taken from a Japanese bomber that give visitors to the museum a bird’s eye view of the attack. The new exhibits are developed around actual WWII artifacts and tell the little known stories that swirl around the events of the day, bringing to life the facts that people only read about.
The new editions add to the interactive experience visitors have at the Kissimmee Air Museum where they can witness the restoration of the WWII FW 190 project in the “WWII Fighter Aircraft Restoration Center”, or fly in the front cockpit of an authentic WWII fighter trainer or tour one of the visiting bombers to the Kissimmee Airport. The Museum offers new and unique experiences for visitors through their VIP program; Very Important Planes and People. Visiting pilots and planes come to the museum to share their stories through out the year; making their history exciting and accessible to those who want to hear about history from those who made it. The Museum also has an Oral History Center that records the stories of WWII Veterans who flew or supported flight operations.
The Kissimmee Air Museum is constantly growing and expanding its offerings to the public through special events, fly-ins, VIPs, unique flying opportunities and new exhibits for visitors to enjoy time and time again.
Kissimmee Air Museum's Oral History Center gives History a Future
Kissimmee Air Museum, located at he Kissimmee Gateway Airport, is initiating a new Oral History collection program to record the greatest generation’s history. According to Oral History interviewer, Tom Mazzoli, “During the war we had between 13 to 16 million men and women in uniform with about 6 million in combat. Today there are less than 2 million left who are leaving us at an alarming rate of a 1000 to 1500 people per day.” Many of those left live in central Florida where Tom Mazzolli has dedicated the past 15 years of his life to seeking out and recording the recollections of both the famous and nameless heroes of WWII.
Kissimmee Air Museum’s central location and new facility make the perfect gathering place to record the memories of not only those who fought on the front lines but also those who made a difference on the home front. Tom Mazolli will be working with the Kissimmee Air Museum “to preserve a fast-diminishing resource before its too late”. The Museum’s Oral History Center will be the site for the interviews and will share these interviews with educators and students interested in learning about history from those who made it.
If you are a veteran from WWII (or know a veteran) and have a story to tell about your contributions to the war effort at home or on the front lines, please call the Kissimmee Air Museum at 407-870-7366 to share your story. “Save the Stories” and give history a future at the Kissimmee Air Museum’s Oral History Center.
Kissimmee Air Museum shares Florida’s rich aviation heritage through aircraft displays, educational exhibits, aircraft restoration and exciting training flights in WWII fighter-trainers. Visitors experience aviation first hand as they interact with the planes, pilots and projects; taking a front row seat to an aviation adventure at the Kissimmee airport in the heart of Florida. Open daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Closed Sundays from July through November.
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