This detail photograph shows the modified tail section of a civilian-converted North American B-25 Mitchell, its original tail-gunner position replaced with an equipment access hatch, likely supporting the aircraft's later role as an aerial camera platform. The image was taken at North American Aviation's Los Angeles-area manufacturing facility, identified by rooftop signage proclaiming it the 'Home of the X-15' — the rocket-powered research aircraft that pushed the boundaries of high-speed, high-altitude flight in the late 1950s and 1960s. The juxtaposition of a converted World War II-era bomber and the home of America's cutting-edge X-15 program illustrates the breadth of North American Aviation's contributions to U.S. aerospace history. Project: 218470