The non-profit foundation History Flight will bring the North American B-25H Mitchell “Barbie III” to Ocean Reef Club Nov. 29-Dec. 2 during Vintage Weekend in the Florida Keys.
Made famous in the Doolittle Raid on Japan, the first retaliatory strike after the U.S. entered World War II, the B-25 became a symbol of American airpower during the war.
The B-25H “Barbie III” owned and operated by History Flight, Inc. is the last H-model B-25 flying in the world and is the only one equipped with the unique 75mm cannon in the nose for ground attack purposes.
Passenger flights on the B-25 can be reserved, and all proceeds fund History Flight’s ongoing research and recovery expeditions to bring Missing in Action servicemen home from their burial sites in remote battlefields of World War II.
The new element will add to the Ocean Reef Club’s already popular Vintage Weekend, a four-day event showcasing some of the world’s finest classic and antique yachts, aircraft and automobiles. The 18th Annual Vintage Weekend will take place at the renowned private club in the Florida Keys.
In addition, the beautifully restored presidential yacht of John F. Kennedy, Honey Fitz, will also be on display.
Honey Fitz, President Kennedy’s 92-foot motor yacht, is now privately owned and has been completely refit and upgraded by Moores Marine. Built in 1931 and christened the Lenore, Kennedy renamed the yacht Honey Fitz, the nickname of his beloved grandfather, John Francis Fitzgerald, a two-time mayor of Boston.
A lifelong lover of the sea, Kennedy enjoyed the yacht with his family on the Potomac, and in Newport and Palm Beach.
lthough much of the vessel’s structure was replaced, her interior and galley remain very much the same as when Kennedy used her for meetings and getaways.
Though the club is a private member-owned community, non-member guests are invited to experience Ocean Reef Club’s unique way of life through this one-of-a-kind event. For information, call the Membership Office at (305) 367-5874 or visit www.oceanreef.com/vintageweekend.
