The WW2 Bomber Chopped Up and Packed with Massive Guns

On March 3, 1943, a formation of B-25 Mitchell bombers flew over the Bismarck Sea, racing to intercept a Japanese convoy delivering reinforcements to New Guinea. However, these were no ordinary B-25s. They had been transformed by maverick aviator Major Paul “Pappy” Gunn into formidable flying gunships.

Major Gunn’s Unorthodox Modifications

Under the leadership of Major General George C. Kenney, the B-25 went through a dramatic transformation. Kenney, frustrated by the poor results of medium-altitude bombing, enlisted Major Paul Gunn to modify the B-25s for low-level attack.

Gunn removed the bombardier and replaced the nose with four forward-firing .50 caliber machine guns. He also added more guns along the fuselage, creating a new kind of weapon—a “commerce destroyer.”

Skip Bombing Tactics

The modified B-25s were paired with a new strategy called skip bombing. Flying low, often under 200 feet, the bombers would release their bombs with a four-to-five-second delay. The bombs would skip across the water like stones before slamming into enemy ships.

The Battle of the Bismarck Sea

On March 3, 1943, these innovative tactics were put to the test in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea, one of the most decisive air and sea battles of the Pacific. For the next two days, B-25s relentlessly attacked the Japanese convoy, dodging anti-aircraft fire and Japanese fighters.

When the battle ended, all eight Japanese transports and four of the eight destroyers lay at the bottom of the Bismarck Sea.

The Battle of the Bismarck Sea proved the effectiveness of Gunn’s modifications. The “commerce destroyers” lived up to their name, delivering a crippling blow to Japanese naval operations and changing the course of the war.