Atlantic B-25 Carrier Sea Trials

After approval of the concept of the Doolittle Raid but before crew selection and training, there was a series of test launches with a couple of B-25s off a carrier based in Virginia.

I am trying to determine who the crews were and did they become part of the official raid? I am also looking for the dates and the carrier involved. Any help greatly appreciated.

 

in the epic and great pearl harbour movie,alec baldwin aka doolittle,had some paint on the airfield they practice on.i loved that movie.lee..

 

Correct. But that was after all the crews were selected. The Atlantic sea trials had to demonstrate that the B-25 could operationally take off from a Navy carrier (After launch the B-25s flew back to the mainland) so the raid training and then the actual raid could take place.

"30 seconds over Tokyo" is better...I cant see someone like Alec Baldwin who bad mouths America at every chance cast as Colonel Doolittle!

 

As noted in Carrol Glines' book The Doolittle Raid, three AAF B-25s and crews were assigned in January 1942 to determine if the planes could take off from a carrier. Hornet, then just entering service, was selected as the carrier for the tests. Following numerous practice short take-offs from airfields, two of the B-25s were loaded aboard Hornet (one was removed from the test due to engine problems). While at sea off the Virginia coast on February 3, both Lts. John Fitzgerald and James McCarthy successfully took off from the carrier. However, neither pilot nor crew participated in the Doolittle raid.

 

Thanks fsbof! I had not been able to track that down. Even a retired Admiral couldnt find this info for some reason! Thanks again.