PLANE TYPE: Medium Bomber - 5 crew- (B-25J) The project NA-40 that North American developed itself revealed its utility when in 1938 the USAAC commenced an expansion and improvement program. The plane was a bimotor bomber, with an high-profile wing and tricycle landing gear. Tested on January 1939 for the specify, the plane impressed positively the military testers and, after some modifications, the NA-30B was ordered in a first stock of 184 planes on 10 August 1939. After 1 year flew the first series B-25 model and in the Spring 1941 the plane entered service with the 17th Bombardment Group. In 1942 it were given the first exemplars to UK and URSS, and on 18 April 1942 the B-25 ( named "Mitchell" to honor the official that fought for the independence of the Aerial Corp. )entered in the history of aerial combats when 16 planes that took off from the carrier Hornet in the Pacific Sea managed to bomb Tokyo for the first time in the war; a demonstrative action that greatly impressed the Americans. The B-25 was constantly improved during the war, up to the B-25H model , armed with a 75mm cannon and 14 machine guns. The "Mitchell" was also utilized by the US Navy and by many other foreign AFs until '60.