Photos: Restored PBJ Makes First Flight in 23 Years

On May 14, after 23 years at California's Camarillo Airport and a lengthy restoration process, Semper Fi, a World War II-era North American PBJ-1J, took to the skies again.

The PBJ, the Navy version of the B-25, was restored by the Commemorative Air Force. Total flight time for that day was about two hours, and the warbird is expected to make appearances soon at West Coast airshows now that it is flying again.

Most PBJs were delivered with solid nose sections, but Semper Fi was built with a glass nose. Commemorative Air Force SoCal Wing

The tail section of Semper Fi. Commemorative Air Force SoCal Wing

The restored PBJ racked up about two hours of flight time Sunday. Commemorative Air Force SoCal Wing

Members of the Commemorative Air Force crew pose in front of the restored airplane. Commemorative Air Force SoCal Wing

The World War II era bomber landed at California's Camarillo Airport 23 years ago almost to the day. Sunday's flight was its first since that landing. Commemorative Air Force SoCal Wing

Semper Fi is soon expected to make the airshow circuit now that it is up and running and fully restored. Commemorative Air Force SoCal Wing

The PBJ in flight. Commemorative Air Force SoCal Wing

Out of 4,390 B-25J airplanes produced, this is the only flying PBJ that exited the production line as this specific model. Commemorative Air Force SoCal Wing

Photos Warbirds

Flying StaffEditor

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