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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.
2011 CAF Airshow
By Joe Gonzalez
The Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II (AKA the Warthog) prepares for landing. (Joe Gonzalez)The annual Commemorative Air Force Airsho was almost cancelled! The amount of liquid sun (rain) on Sat., Oct. 8 was more than the last years total! The weather-god must have heard the frustration and comments of the many pilots, the audience, the vendors, and the many CAF members in attendance. At noon, the scheduled time for the opening ceremony, the weather took a change for the better!
The Pearl Harbor reenactment, Tora, Tora, Tora, is always a crowd pleaser, and this year had more Tora aircraft than have been seen for several years. Some of the show’s other highlights included the American Volunteer Group (The Flying Tigers) and the opportunity to see the new Texan II trainer that is now coming into use by the US military.