When I landed in San Antonio on my commute home today there was a B-25 in Russian colors, two Bearcats, a Tigercat, a Corsair, and a Mustang at the FBO for fuel. They were taxiing out and taking off when I drove by the runway.
Hans, do you know anyone who owns those birds?
SWEET!! Tell me you had a camera…
Nope, just an Iphone and I was driving. Tried to get to the FBO but you can’t just walk out on the ramps anymore and they were leaving as I got there.
Probably one of the branches of the Confederate Air Force (yes, I know they’ve changed their name, but I’m on my first cup of coffee). Hadn’t heard of any events, but then I spend way too much time in this forum. [C]
Darnit - how are modelers supposed to get decent detail pics of operational a/c with all these crazy security restrictions!
While I’m out doing errands this morning, I’ll drive by the airport. They usually “park” at a general aviation site that’s observable from a public street. If I could ever get the right Photobucket link, I could post pictures.[:D]
They may be headed to Tyndall AFB for the air show this weekend. A B-25 landed yesterday, and a flight of Zero aircraft. A P-51 and P-47 are due in today.
The right link? You need the “direct link” info to post up pictures here. Copy that info, click on the little filmstrip at the top of your reply window & paste the link in there. Good to go.
Thanks. My experiments hadn’t reached that option.
I’ve seen that B-25 in Ivan-stars, but dunno who belongs to it… We (the CAF) operate six Mitchells (5 B-25s, 1 PBJ-1J), none as Redbirds… We have a Bearcat outta Chino with the SoCal Wing, and an FG-1D outta the Dallas area, along with two Mustangs, “Red Nose” and “Gunfighter”… “Red Nose” is outta Midland, and “Gunfighter” is outta my unit in Council Bluffs, IA…
It’s “Comemmorative Air Force” now, thanks to the whole stupid PC movement back in '99 (Some azzhats out East thought the name was “racist”… Morons), but it’s still, in my heart, always gonna be the Confederate Air Force, and I kept my Rebel Grey flightsuit…
Right shoulder patch
Blood Chit on my A-2:
Yup. Me too! I’ve got one of their mint julip “blood chits”. Always liked folks with a sharp sense of humor.
You shoulda been at the Group Meeting where the General Staff made the Yellow Rose Squadron put “clothes” on “Rose”… She used to have on nuthin’ but boots, a hat, and REALLY big… hair…
Can’t post the “Old” Rose nose-art in here…
I remember that! Saw “Yellow Rose” at an air show in Hondo many years ago. Such a beautiful restoration. Damn PC crowd just has to get into our shorts at every opportunity.
SEMPER MINT JULIP! [t$t]
I was the Operations Director for the Laughlin AFB air show back in '05 and met some of the really great guys in the air show circuit. A lot of the planes I hired were from the Lone Star Museum in Galveston along with the air boss Ralph Royce. I got the CAF C-47 out of Burnett because I’m an Airlifter. We had the A-26 out of Waco too. The entire experience was a blast.
I believe the B-25 in Russian markings belongs to a West Coast museum. Can’t remember the name without looking it up.
Planes of Fame in Chino.
As for the CAF name change, my own particular opinion is that there’s CAF members, and then there’s *CAF members.*It was after all a vote of the membership.
Since the whole thing was tongue-in-cheek to begin with, and grew into a big national operation, Sometimes there’s growing pains.
The CAF was 44 years old (1956-2000) when the name change went into effect… Not really “growing pains” for an organization that has 140+ aircraft, 9,000+ active members, and wings & squadrons in three countries…
At any rate, the CAF General Staff decided that since new membership was dropping in the mid-late '90s (after a boom in the 80’s), especially in the Northern East Coast States, the name had to be changed…
The Membership only got to vote on what the name was changed to…
That’s a shame. I have no connection with the CAF at all, my only knowledge is from what I see in magazines or read online… I’m still convinced they are the Confederate AF!
So’s every CAF Colonel with a serial number below the 2600-line…[;)]
Apparently I’m so far north that I’m south again!