Grumpy being prepared for trans-Atlantic flight following sale to new owner
North American B-25D Mitchell serial 43-3318/N88972 has been purchased by a European buyer, Platinum Fighter Sales confirmed on 7 September. The twin-engined bomber, very rare as an airworthy example of the D-model Mitchell, has been ferried to the Erickson Aircraft Collection in Madras, Oregon from its previous home with the Historic Flight Foundation at Spokane, Washington. The Erickson team will perform maintenance on the aeroplane and prepare for a trans-Atlantic ferry flight.
Built in Fairfax, Kansas City in 1943 and used by the US Army Air Forces as a crew trainer, 43-3318 went to the Royal Canadian Air Force as KL161 at the beginning of 1945. It served with the RCAF until being struck off charge during early 1962, taking up a new career as a fire-bomber. Restored by type experts Aero Trader at Chino, California, the B-25 arrived with The Fighter Collection at Duxford in 1987. It was with TFC that the No 98 Squadron, RAF livery with the name Grumpy was applied, this being the scheme the aircraft still wears. A subsequent sale to Vulcan Warbirds saw Grumpy moving to North Weald between 2004 and 2008, before acquisition by the Historic Flight Foundation. Having been worked on at Duxford by the Aircraft Restoration Company, the Mitchell was flown back across the Atlantic during 2009.
It is believed N88972’s purchaser is Swiss businessman and pilot Hugo Mathys, who operates the Classic Formation display team of Douglas DC-3 N431HM and three Beech 18s, and owns US-based C-47 N150D.
