{"id":1819,"date":"2024-01-08T20:00:43","date_gmt":"2024-01-08T10:00:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/?p=86128"},"modified":"2024-01-08T20:00:43","modified_gmt":"2024-01-08T10:00:43","slug":"catch-22-star-b-25-under-restoration-in-belgium","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=1819","title":{"rendered":"Catch-22 Star B-25 Under Restoration in Belgium"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><strong>By Zac Yates<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">A North American B-25 which appeared in the film and TV adaptations of <em>Catch-22<\/em> is under restoration for static display by a team of dedicated enthusiasts in Belgium.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_86164\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-86164\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-86164 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/scan0001-1024x698.jpg\" alt=\"TB-25N 44-30925, wearing a paint scheme applied for the film Eye of the Needle (1981), in open storage in the UK. [Photo via BAPA]\" width=\"1024\" height=\"698\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/scan0001-1024x698.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/scan0001-300x204.jpg 300w, https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/scan0001-768x523.jpg 768w, https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/scan0001.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-86164\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">TB-25N 44-30925, wearing a paint scheme applied for the film <em>Eye of the Needle<\/em> (1981), in open storage&#xA0; at Blackbushe Airfield in the UK. [Photo via the Belgian Aircraft Preservation Association, BAPA]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">TB-25N 44-30925, then registered N9494Z, flew as <em>Laden Maiden<\/em> in the 1970 film of Joseph Heller&#8217;s <em>Catch-22<\/em> novel. Then, at the end of the decade, was one of several B-25s which flew on an epic ferry trip across the Atlantic to the UK&#xA0; (led by John &#8216;Jeff&#8217; Hawke) to appear in <em>Hanover Street<\/em> starring Harrison Ford. In the film, it was marked as <em>Gorgeous George-Ann<\/em>. Later, as G-BWGR and repainted as <em>Thar She Blows,<\/em> the B-25 was used as set dressing in 1981&#8217;s <em>Eye of the Needle,<\/em> after which the aircraft passed through a succession of owners who kept it in outside storage. The British weather took its toll on the aircraft by wearing away the layers of paint applied by various film crews and creating extensive corrosion to the wing spar.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_86181\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-86181\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-86181 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/44-30925-Sandtoft-1999-Nigel-Hitchman-1280-1024x663.jpg\" alt=\"The B-25 derelict in open storage at Sandtoft in the UK in 1999, showing the toll taken on the aircraft's multiple layers of theatrical paint by the British weather. [Photo by Nigel Hitchman]\" width=\"1024\" height=\"663\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/44-30925-Sandtoft-1999-Nigel-Hitchman-1280-1024x663.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/44-30925-Sandtoft-1999-Nigel-Hitchman-1280-300x194.jpg 300w, https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/44-30925-Sandtoft-1999-Nigel-Hitchman-1280-768x497.jpg 768w, https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/44-30925-Sandtoft-1999-Nigel-Hitchman-1280.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-86181\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The B-25 derelict in open storage at Sandtoft in the UK in 1999 surrounded by parts from a Douglas DC-3 and an Avro Lincoln. [Photo by Nigel Hitchman]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">The aircraft&#8217;s fortunes changed in late 2005 when a small group of Belgian enthusiasts, seeking a B-25 for static restoration, purchased the airframe (which by then was without engines) from her resting place, near Hull in the UK, with support from the Brussels Air Museum Fund. However, before the team could take delivery, unfortunately, the aircraft suffered further damage during transport to another outdoor storage facility.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-107\">\n                <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-9048202479633305\"\n                crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n                <!-- VAN --><br \/>\n                <ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\n                    style=\"display:block\"\n                    data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-9048202479633305\"\n                    data-ad-slot=\"9867299461\"\n                    data-ad-format=\"auto\"\n                    data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins><br \/>\n                <script>\n                    (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n                <\/script>\n            <\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">While working with a company specializing in corrosion removal, the team made a start on restoration and remediation, in a rudimentary workshop, but when the company went bankrupt the airframe was moved yet again. Other trials and tribulations followed which ultimately saw a new group, the <a href=\"http:\/\/bapa.aero\/\"  rel=\"noopener\">Belgian Aircraft Preservation Association a.s.b.l<\/a> (BAPA), formed in 2013 to continue the restoration in a new workshop at Gembloux, Belgium.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_86165\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-86165\" style=\"width: 1280px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-86165 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/VJA10009-2004.jpg\" alt=\"This 2004 photo shows the toll taken on the B-25 by the British weather, and the use of cinder blocks as counterweights after the engines were removed. [Photo Collection Vincent Jacobs via BAPA]\" width=\"1280\" height=\"906\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/VJA10009-2004.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/VJA10009-2004-300x212.jpg 300w, https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/VJA10009-2004-1024x725.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/VJA10009-2004-768x544.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-86165\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">This 2004 photo shows the toll taken on the B-25&#8217;s many layers of theatrical paint by the British weather, and the use of cinder blocks in the nose as counterweights after the engines were removed. [Photo Collection Vincent Jacobs via BAPA]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Since then, the team has made great strides according to BAPA&#8217;s Lo&#xEF;c Desguin, who told <em>Vintage Aviation News<\/em> about the latest work being done on the bomber:<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">&#x201C;<em>Currently, we&#8217;re finishing up the nose section with as much as possible original equipment, and the tail section is also pretty well advanced, with only a bit of work at the tailskid level with corrosion damage to fix. <\/em><em>We have a small group of electronic gurus currently making the radios and intercom fully working.<\/em>&#x201D;<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_86156\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-86156\" style=\"width: 683px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-86156 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/BAPA-B-25-20231217-02-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"The cockpit of 44-20925 with the newly restored pedestal assembly and throttle quadrant installed. [Photo courtesy BAPA via Facebook]\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/BAPA-B-25-20231217-02-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/BAPA-B-25-20231217-02-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/BAPA-B-25-20231217-02-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/BAPA-B-25-20231217-02-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/BAPA-B-25-20231217-02.jpg 1365w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-86156\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The cockpit of 44-20925 with the newly restored pedestal assembly and throttle quadrant installed. [Photo courtesy BAPA]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Work on the aircraft was paused in 2018 so that the forward section could be transported to Rome for use as a prop for a TV series. The project? A new adaptation of <em>Catch-22<\/em> no less! Once the aircraft had made this new &#8216;star turn&#8217; in another production based on Heller&#x2019;s novel, the nose was carefully transported back to Belgium so the volunteers could get back to work.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-108\">\n                <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-9048202479633305\"\n                crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n                <!-- VAN --><br \/>\n                <ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\n                    style=\"display:block\"\n                    data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-9048202479633305\"\n                    data-ad-slot=\"9867299461\"\n                    data-ad-format=\"auto\"\n                    data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins><br \/>\n                <script>\n                    (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n                <\/script>\n            <\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Another job currently underway at Gembloux is the restoration of a rare Bendix top turret which was acquired from Australia three years ago. This is being worked on for static display but with the option to make it partially or fully functional in the future depending on funding.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_86152\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-86152\" style=\"width: 683px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-86152 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/BAPA-B-25-20230827-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"The rare Bendix top turret is being restored to static condition but could be made functional if funds are available. [Photo courtesy BAPA via Facebook]\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/BAPA-B-25-20230827-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/BAPA-B-25-20230827-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/BAPA-B-25-20230827-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/BAPA-B-25-20230827-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/BAPA-B-25-20230827.jpg 1365w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-86152\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The rare Bendix top turret is being restored to static condition but could be made functional if funds are available. [Photo courtesy BAPA]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">&#x201C;<em>The next big project, we hope to start in one or two years will be the restoration of the central section&#8230;&#8221; <\/em>Lo&#xEF;c Desguin said,<em> &#8220;&#8230;the worst damaged part of the plane with lots of corrosion and damage of poorly made transport. The section was stored directly on the ground a few times without a lot of consideration.<\/em>&#x201D;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">BAPA has a wishlist of missing parts to complete the B-25 but getting them to Belgium is proving to be more difficult than buying them, Desguin said.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-109\">\n                <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-9048202479633305\"\n                crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n                <!-- VAN --><br \/>\n                <ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\n                    style=\"display:block\"\n                    data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-9048202479633305\"\n                    data-ad-slot=\"9867299461\"\n                    data-ad-format=\"auto\"\n                    data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins><br \/>\n                <script>\n                    (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n                <\/script>\n            <\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><em>&#8220;Currently the most challenging thing for us is the transportation of parts from the USA to Europe: sometimes the cost of transport is equivalent to the price of the parts themselves. We hope to find contact in the transport sector with a deal for a reduce price on the transport of parts, but it&#8217;s not easy.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_86187\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-86187\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-86187 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/BAPA-B-25-20211004-02-1024x670.jpg\" alt=\"The restored nose section of B-25 44-30925 in BAPA's workshop at Gembloux, Belgium. [Photo courtesy BAPA]\" width=\"1024\" height=\"670\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/BAPA-B-25-20211004-02-1024x670.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/BAPA-B-25-20211004-02-300x196.jpg 300w, https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/BAPA-B-25-20211004-02-768x503.jpg 768w, https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/BAPA-B-25-20211004-02-1536x1006.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/BAPA-B-25-20211004-02.jpg 2019w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-86187\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The restored nose section of B-25 44-30925 in BAPA&#8217;s workshop at Gembloux, Belgium. [Photo courtesy BAPA]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">The project is supported mostly by individual donors and by selling merchandise at various events around Belgium, as well as workshop tours, Desguin said.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">&#x201C;<em>Financial donations are supported by the <a href=\"https:\/\/kbs-frb.be\/fr\">Fondation Roi Baudouin<\/a>, an official Belgian institution that supports various cultural and historic projects. Donations are made to them for a specific project: they&#8217;re checking the good use of the donations by auditing us regularly and matching them by increasing the collected amount of a fixed ratio. For Belgian citizens, there is also a tax incentive.<\/em>&#x201D;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><strong>To learn more about the B-25 project and the other aircraft in the BAPA collection and to make donations of B-25 parts, drawings or to assist in fundraising visit their <a href=\"http:\/\/bapa.aero\/\"  rel=\"noopener\">website<\/a> and their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/profile.php?id=100067309352905\"  rel=\"noopener\">Facebook page<\/a>.<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Zac Yates A North American B-25 which appeared in the film and TV adaptations of Catch-22 is under restoration for static display by a team of dedicated enthusiasts in Belgium. TB-25N 44-30925, then registered <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/vintageaviationnews.com\/warbird-restorations\/catch-22-star-b-25-under-restoration-in-belgium.html\" title=\"Catch-22 Star B-25 Under Restoration in Belgium\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":13034,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[396,402,312,457,458,459,456],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1819","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-aircraft","category-airline-news","category-aviation","category-belgian-aircraft-preservation-association","category-catch-22","category-north-american-b-25-mitchell","category-warbird-restorations"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1819","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1819"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1819\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1820,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1819\/revisions\/1820"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/13034"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1819"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1819"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1819"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}