When Catch-22 began preliminary production, Paramount made a decision to hire the Tallmantz Aviation organization to obtain sufficient North American B-25 Mitchell (B-25) bomber aircraft to recreate a Mediterranean wartime base as depicted in the Joseph Heller novel of the same name. Tallmantz president, Frank G. Tallman found the war-surplus aircraft. He also gathered aircrew to fly the aircraft and ground support crew to maintain the fleet.
Catch-22's budget could accommodate 17 flyable B-25s, and an additional non-flyable hulk was acquired in Mexico, made barely ferry-able and flown with landing gear down to the Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico filming location, only to be burned and destroyed in the landing crash scene. The wreck was then buried in the ground next to the runway, where it remains.
Paramount planned to film the Catch-22 aerial sequences for six weeks, but the production required three months to shoot and the bombers flew a total of about 1,500 hours. They would appear on screen for 12 minutes.
Fifteen of the 18 bombers used in the film still remain intact, including one on display at the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum.
6A
B-25H-1NA
43-4513 (N1203), Olive Drab B-25C, Unknown - Camera ship
6B
B-25J-30NC
44-86843 (N3507G), "
Passionette Paulette 03507G ", Olive Drab B-25J, Grissom AFB, Indiana, (D)
6C
B-25J-25NC
44-29939 (N9456Z), (girl on bomb) 09456Z ", Camouflage B-25J, Mid-Atlantic Air Museum, Reading, Pennsylvania, (A)
6D
B-25J-30NC
44-31032 (N3174G), "
Free, Fast and Ready 13174G ", Olive Drab B-25J, March AFB, California, (D)
6F
B-25J-15NC
43-28925 (N7687G), "
Superman ", Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison, Texas, (A)
6G
B-25J-5NC
43-28204 (N9856C), "
Booby Trap 39856C ", Olive Drab B-25J, Aero Traders, Chino, California, (A)
6H
B-25J-25NC
44-30748 (N8195H), "
Heavenly Body ", Camouflage B-25J, (A) Van Nuys, California,
6I
B-25J-30NC
44-30925 (N9494Z), "
Laden Maiden ", Desert Tan B-25J, Belgian Aviation Preservation Association, Belgium, (R)
6J
B-25J-30NC
44-86701 (N7681C), "
Annzas " - 25 missions, Camouflage B-25J,
Musee de l'Air, Paris - Destroyed; Hangar Fire
6K
B-25J-25NC
44-30801 (N3699G), "
Vestal Virgin 13699G ", Olive Drab B-25J, American Aeronautical Foundation, Camarillo, California, (A)
6M
B-25J-20NC
44-29366 (N9115Z), "
aBominable Snowman ", Olive Drab B-25J, (D)
6N
B-25H-1NA
43-4432 (N10V), "
Berlin Express 410V ", Camouflage B-25J, Experimental Aircraft Association Museum, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, (D)
6Q
B-25J-25NC
44-30077 (N2849G), "
The Denver Dumper ", Olive Drab B-25J, Pacific Aviation Museum, Honolulu, Hawaii, (D)
6S
B-25J-35NC
44-8843 (XB-HEY), Camouflage B-25C; Destroyed.
6V
B-25J-25NC
44-30493 (N9451Z), "
Dumbo 39451Z ", Olive Drab B-25C, Malmstrom AFB, Great Falls, Montana, (D)
6W
B-25J-25NC
44-30649 (N9452Z), "
Hot Pants 32452Z ", B-25C, (D) Maxwell AFB, Alabama
6Y
B-25J-20NC
44-29887 (N10564), "
6Y Luscious Lulu, Olive Drab, NASM, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, Chantilly, Virginia, (D)
6?
B-25J-25NC
44-30823 (N1042B), (nude on bomb) Olive Drab - Camera ship, Fort Worth, Texas, (A)
Dumbo
B-25J , nose section, Tennessee Air Museum, Sevierville, Tennessee, (D)
All the B-25s had the tip of the vertical stabilizer painted blue.
For the film, mock upper turrets were installed. To represent different models several aircraft had the turrets installed behind the wings representing early (B-25C/D type) aircraft. Initially, the camera ships also had the mock turrets installed, but problems with buffeting required their removal.
