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Honoring the Tuskegee Airmen in the Digital Age
By Darcy Castro
The sound of a warbird’s Merlin engine is nothing short of hypnotic. For many pilots and aviation professionals, the P-51 Mustang is the most exciting illustration of American airpower from days long gone but not forgotten. Coupled with the history of the Tuskegee Airmen–our country’s first African American military pilots and their support personnel–this iconic red-tailed fighter represents not only a war well fought, but also a triumph over racism and bigotry. And now their legacy lives on in the digital age through the CAF Red Tail Squadron Virtual Museum.
For almost two decades, the nonprofit CAF Red Tail Squadron has been committed to telling the story of the Tuskegee Airmen to honor their history and legacy and also to inspire people of all ages to rise above their own challenges and achieve their goals. It started out with a scrap heap of a P-51 and a dream to bring the message of the Tuskegee Airmen into every classroom in America. Along the way, countless people have been touched by their programming in the air, on land, and also online.
CAF Airpower History Tour
By Larry E. Nazimek
B-29 Superfortress Fifi prior to engine start at the Greater Kankakee Airport for the CAF’s AirPower History Tour. (Larry Nazimek)We have all been to airshows consisting of static displays with no flying demonstrations, those consisting of flying demos with no static displays, and those consisting of both. The Commemorative Air Force’s AirPower History Tour, however, is of a different type.
For this Tour, attendees may purchase tickets to ride in these historic aircraft of the Second World War. After the flights, attendees get to walk around the aircraft and even get a “tour” of their interiors. The show is a “tour,” because it travels to various cities.
I attended their event at the Greater Kankankee Airport (IKK), 60 miles south of Chicago. For this stopover, the CAF brought a PT-13 Stearman, T-6 Texan, C-45 Expeditor, B-25 Mitchell, and B-29 Superfortress.
News from the CAF Nevada Wing
By Joe Gonzalez
The Stinson AT-19 in WWII. (Courtesy of Joe Gonzalez)In an airplane hangar north of Las Vegas, a rare Stinson AT-19 Reliant has been undergoing restoration by the Nevada Wing, one of the smallest units in the Commemorative Air Force (CAF). After 11 years of painstaking work, the Nevada Wings is now on the threshold of returning this aircraft back to the skies where it belongs–but we need your help. With donations totaling just $15,000, this airplane can be back in flying condition–and back to honoring the men and women who built, flew, and maintained this aircraft in World War II. Will you help make this possible by making a gift today?
GA Groups to U.S. Congress: ATC Reform More Than Just User Fees; Request Sufficient Time to Review and Debate Bill
Patriotism Focus At Annual Sun ‘n Fun International Fly-In & Expo
Historic aircraft from the the Tesas Flying Legends Museum will be at the 2015 Sun ‘n Fun International Fly-In & Expo. Pictured here (and on the cover) are Little Horse, their P-51DMustang andAleutian Tiger, a P-40KWarhawk. The Texas Flying Legends Museum is dedicated to honoring past generations through active displays of WWII warbirds. (Courtesy of Texas Flying Legends Museum)Mark your calendar for the 41st Annual Sun ‘n Fun International Fly-In & Expo presented by Visit Florida April 21-26, 2015 in Lakeland, Florida. Proceeds from all events are returned to aviation-based STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) curriculums through year-round programs and activities at Sun ‘n Fun’s Aerospace Center for Excellence. Agreeing to help make attendance soar for the major annual fund-raising event on the Sun ‘n Fun Convention Campus, two jet teams will appear:
- The prestigious Breitling Aerobatic Display Jet Team, that illustrates the brand’s cherished values: performance, precision, aesthetic sophistication and innovation, is the first and largest of its kind. Comprised of seven L-39 C Albatros jets reaching speeds of up to 435 mph with up to 8G accelerations while flying within 10 feet of each other, the Breitling pilots embody the very essence of daring, speed and audacity.
As Nellis AFB Grounds Aircraft, Training Goes Virtual
By Staff Sgt. Gregory Brook
99th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
An F-16 Fighting Falcon assigned to the 64th Aggressor Squadron takes off from Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., to participate in a Joint Forcible Entry exercise over the Nevada Test and Training Range May 31, 2013. Under the Air Combat Command stand down that took effect June 1, the aggressors will be grounded through the end of the fiscal year. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Daniel Hughes) The skies over southern Nevada are quieter than they have been in quite some time due to the June 1 Air Combat Command directed stand down of flying operations.
Despite the stand down, the 64th Aggressor Squadron remains committed to accomplishing their mission, said Lt. Col. Michael Shepherd, the 64th AGRS academic assistant director of operations.
“Our motto is ‘know, teach and replicate,’” Shepherd said. “As Aggressors, we are subject matter experts in a field of adversary tactics or systems anywhere from airplanes to missiles to actual tactics to electronic attacks.”
The 64th AGRS is assigned to the 57th Adversary Tactics Group at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. Their primary mission is to provide support to the U.S. Air Force Weapons School, Red Flag exercises, the various test and evaluation squadrons and to provide training to units in the Combat Air Force on adversary tactics.
World War II Weekend – A Step Back in Time
By A. Kevin Grantham and Stan Piet
The photograph depicting the flag raising at Iwo Jima was the most iconic image to emerge from World War II. Here the Marines from the Living History Detachment, Paris Island expertly recreate that heroic event. (A. Kevin Grantham) Everyone in their life has, at one time or another, wished they could go back in time and witness some historical event. Technology has come a long way, but as far as your authors can tell, no one has come up with a reliable time machine. But if you are interested in World War II history, there is a place located near Reading, Penn. that annually transforms itself into a magical world of 1940s culture. The event, held by the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum (MAAM), is better known by the thousands of people who attend it each year as World War II Weekend.
The following this event has cultivated over its 23-year span is one of the things that make World War II Weekend so special. The show opened on Friday June 7, 2013. Tropical storm Andrea was skirting the area and one may have thought that the wind, coupled with the buckets of rain, would have deterred many from attending. That was not the case. The gates did not open unto 8:30 a.m. but the line to get in started forming 
Airshow performer Michael P. Kennedy posing in front of his beloved BT-13. Lt.Col. Kennedy puts on a one-of-a-kind aerobatic routine in his vintage basic trainer. (A. Kevin Grantham) some two hours earlier. “We are very blessed to have such a following,” said Museum President Russ Strine. “This show is our single largest funding source, so we are very thankful for all the people who support this event.” Fortunately the bad weather cleared over the weekend, and many people showed up in 1940s era clothing, all wanting to be part of the gathering. Attendance records were not available at time of this article but most agreed that the show drew a record crowd.
Sentimental Journey: A Living Legend
By Paul Tannahill
Emitting a belch of white smoke, the number three engine of Sentimental Journey slowly comes to life. With a cost of over $2000 an hour (and climbing) to operate, continued public support and donations are imperative to keeping this important piece of history alive. (Paul Tannahill) Smoke wafts through the fuselage catching in the light that streams through the windows as one by one each of the Wright R-1820-97 Cyclone engines belches to life before settling down to a smooth rumble. Crewmember Robert Morril watches intently as each one turns over, looking for any signs of an issue. There are none. Slowly taxiing to the runway, the breaks emit a low groan as they work. Run up on an aircraft of this type takes a bit of time, but eventually we creep out to the runway centerline. With a steady surge of power and a roar like thunder the aircraft trundles down the runway.
As we lift from the ground I glance towards Robert and though he has done this countless times before, a wide grin stretches from ear to ear. I’m sure I look about the same. Undoubtedly, our reaction to the experience is quite the opposite of the feelings of the thousands of Flying Fortress crews as they took off to fly into the deadly unknown of the skies above Europe so many years ago. They are the brave individuals who truly made this glorious aircraft the icon it is today.
Red Tails Over Genesee Valley
By Stan Piet and A. Kevin Grantham
It is truly a rare occasion to have four P-51 Mustangs flying perfect formation for the benefit of the camera lenses. Leading the Mustang element is Chris Baranaskis (Galmorus Gal) followed by Mark Murphy (NEVER Miss), Skipper Hyle (CAF P-51D), and Doug Rozendaal (Tuskegee Airman). (Stan Piet)Beginning its fourth decade of air show activities over upper New York State’s serene countryside, the Geneseo-based 1941 Historical Aircraft Group (HAG) saluted the Tuskegee Airman of the 332nd Fighter Group (FG) as this year’s backdrop for “The Greatest Show on Turf.” Several Red Tail veterans were in attendance featuring Lt. Col. Leo Gray, from Miami, who continues his retirement avocation of presenting the daunting story of how his fellow afro-American aviators fought the ingrained prejudices of the period in their rise to equality and personal excellence during WWII. Gray entertained and lectured numerous school groups over four days recalling his personal challenges and encouraging young students to strive to the same heights to ensure their future direction.