frank theriault wrote:
1) The B-25 Mitchell is [...] not nearly as big as, say, a B-17 [...] and certainly dwarfed by the jetliners [...]
Correct.
2) The B-25 carries much much less fuel,
Correct. An L-1011 loaded for a flight from Atlanta to Frankfurt has over 120,000 pounds (20,000 gallons) of fuel on board. I'm not sure about newer jumbos. A B-25 carried about 4,000 pounds (670 gallons). Fill the auxiliary tanks, and that expands to about 5,800 pounds (970 gallons). Get rid of the bomb load and add a 3,000 pound (515 gallon) tank in the bomb bay, and 1,500 pounds (250 gallons) more in the waist gun positions, and you're still looking at way under half of that L-1011 headed to Frankfurt.
3) Modern jetfuel is much more volatile than what would have been used in the B-25,
I don't think this is true. AvGas like the Mitchell used was "hi test" gasoline with an octane rating typically 100 or more. As I understand it, modern jet fuel is much more similar to kerosene.
-- Thanks, DougF (KG4LMZ)
