North American Factory Made B-25B Cast Brass Ashtray Model- Doolittle's Airplane Restored

After the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, both the Army Air Corps and the U.S. Navy explored options to return the favor. Ultimately both services combined resources. The U.S. Navy's new Hornet Aircraft Carrier and a group of AAF B-25B Mitchell Bombers led by Jimmy Doolittle crafted an attack on the Japanese Home Islands. Their attack, on April 18, 1942, though relatively small was mighty in demonstrating the resolve of the nation.
Sometime before this attack, the model shops at North American aircraft ( builder of the B-25) produced a small number of these heavy brass B-25 Ashtray Models for distribution and display with the Army Air Corps. The model was set on a ball joint system on the support arm so that it might be set in a climbing, diving or turning attitude. These were produced initially as B-25B versions- the same used by the Doolittle Raiders. By request, the owner specified the model be returned to its early war time appearance and in-fact, like Doolittle's which included the serial number 02344 as shown on both fins. Location of an original glass insert was time-consuming but worth the trouble as were the NOS propeller systems. The model may be the most complete sample in existence today.