Made in the Shade (aircraft)

Made in the Shade (108-35262) is the nickname of a B-25J Mitchell bomber. It is housed at the museum at Falcon Field, Arizona by the Commemorative Air Force.

Nose art pin-up girl and the aircraft's name was added by the Arizona Wing. The nose art/name is a tribute to the aircraft being built in (at the time) their new hangar, hence "in the shade" as part of the name.

History
The B-25 was delivered to the 437th Bomb Squadron, 319th Bomb Group, 12th Airforce based at Serragia, Corsica in the Fall of 1944. Between then and early 1945 the aircraft participated in 15 missions to northern Italy and western Yugoslavia. The B-25 was returned to the US and placed in storage in early 1945 when the 437th BG was transferred to the Pacific theater and re- equipped with Douglas A-26 Invaders.

In the 1960s, the aircraft was purchased by Dothan Aviation in Alabama and converted to an agricultural sprayer. Throughout the 1970s the aircraft passed through several owners before being donated to the then Confederate Air Force (now Commemorative Air Force (CAF).

The B-25 was assigned by the CAF to the Arizona Wing in Mesa, AZ in 1981. Extensive restoration work was then begun by the Wing's volunteer staff and resulted in a complete teardown of the airframe to remove corrosion and the results of damage from agricultural spray. After 28 years of restoration the aircraft was flown in late May, 2009.