By Jay Carpenter
The Beginnings of CAF
The systematic destruction of decommissioned military aircraft occurred at an alarming rate in the years following World War II. Little was being done to preserve these artfully engineered planes known as warbirds. Then, a small group of aviation enthusiasts in South Texas went into action, determined to save, in flying condition, a representative collection of U.S. combat aircraft from WWII.
They began by buying a Curtiss P-40 Warhawk in 1951. Next, the group purchased a North American P-51 Mustang and two Grumman F8F Bearcats. More acquisitions followed, and in 1961, the Confederate Air Force (CAF) was chartered as a nonprofit Texas corporation. The organization completed its first museum building in 1965 at old Rebel Field located in Mercedes, Texas. The CAF created a new Rebel Field at Harlingen, when it moved there in 1968, occupying three large buildings. Its air fleet continued to grow including medium and heavy bombers such as the Boeing 8-29 Superfortress, the Boeing 8-17 Flying Fortress, the Consolidated 8-24 Liberator and the Mitchell 8-25 (made famous by the Doolittle raid on Japan in early 1942).
In 1991, the CAF began a new era by moving into facilities in Midland, Texas. The organization changed its name to the Commemorative Air Force in 2001 and today boasts more than 9,000 members operating a fleet of more than 160 aircraft in 23 states. There are also squadrons in France, New Zealand and Switzerland, plus individual members in 27 countries, all operating under the name “Ghost Squadron.”
AIRSHO like no other
CAF president and chief executive officer Stephan C. Brown began his aviation career in 1983 as a commissioned Army officer and served for five years flying the OH38 and the Bell UH-1 Huey helicopters. “I’d love for everyone to attend our upcoming AIRSHO and see the largest collection of warbirds in the air,” said Brown. “I’m very enthusiastic about my job. I head an organization with more than 9,000 great members, 22 paid staff and a fleet of 160 airplanes. It doesn’t get any better than that! I’ll stick with this as long as they’ll let me.”
AIRSHO 2009 will take flight October 9-11, 2009. More than 100 aircraft will be on display and in the air. On location with the Commemorative Air Force Headquarters at Midland International Airport is the nationally accredited American Airpower Heritage Museum, which houses 40,000 square feet of “hands-on” permanent exhibits that detail the story of World War II airpower.
Also, at the museum is the Aviation Nose Art Gallery. The gallery features 33 pieces of nose art panels that were cut from the fuselages of WW II aircraft as they were being scrapped after the war. Giant murals, original video productions and educational activity stations are also included in this one-of-a-kind collection.
The CAF is an all-volunteer organization, made up of members from all walks of life. Membership is open to all men and women, age 18 or older. You need not be a veteran or a pilot to join the CAF. Privately funded and totally self-supporting, the nonprofit, tax-exempt group is dedicated to preserving the military aviation heritage of WWII.
For more information about the CAF, visit www.commemorativeairforce.org. Visit www.airsho.org for more information about the upcoming Midland presentation. Lyn Fite can be reached at [email protected], and for more information about the Cavanaugh Flight Museum, call 972/380-8800.
