The 1945 B-25 Bomber Crash Into the Empire State Building: A Historical Account
By
Tim Newcomb
Summary
In July 1945, a U.S. Army B-25 Mitchell bomber on a routine transport flight from Massachusetts to Newark got lost in fog and low visibility over Manhattan. The pilot, Lieutenant Colonel William Franklin Smith Jr., attempted to navigate through the city's skyscraper canyon but ultimately crashed into the north side of the Empire State Building between the 78th and 79th floors. The impact killed all three crew members and 11 people inside the building. The article recounts the dramatic accident, the chaos inside the building (including an elevator operator who survived a 75-story free fall), and the aftermath, noting that the Empire State Building remained structurally sound and reopened for business just two days later.
Source
Twitter / XThe 1945 B-25 Bomber Crash Into the Empire State Building: A Historical Accountpopularmechanics.comKey quotes
· 3 pulledThe B-25 Mitchell bomber was a medium bomber used by the Allies in every theater of World War II.
The Empire State Building was the tallest building in the world at the time, and it was a major landmark in New York City.
The crash killed all three crew members and 11 people inside the building.
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