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| WWII Events Post World War II events you would like to announce: Airshows, signings, etc.. (PM Admin for Global Announcement) |
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08-04-2009, 01:59 PM
| #1 |
| Senior Member  Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Minnesota
Posts: 3,204
| Rare P-51C "Tuskegee Airmen" Back in the Air again. Just learned that after 5 years of restoration from a crash that killed the pilot and severly damaged the plane the Minnesota CAF Wing's P-51C "Tuskegee Airmen" was put back into the air on June 22nd, she also attended the AirVenture show in Oshkosh last week. Will be great to see her in the air again this coming weekend. Was planning on attending a Muzzleloader shoot on Saturday, but this event trumps that and I wll be there. I was at the public unveiling of this aircraft a few years back and it was an awesome sight to see her do low level, high speed passes from the edge of the runway. The Red Tail Project Rare P-51C Mustang Returns to Fleming Field After Five-Year Restoration; Will Be Featured At Charity Open House July 27, 2009 at 9:42 am · Filed under Press Releases, Red Tail News On Wednesday, August 5, 2009 the Minnesota Wing of the Commemorative Air Force will welcome one of its most popular airplanes, a red-tailed P-51C Mustang, back to the hangar after a five year absence. The short, informal ceremony, featuring a fly-over by the airplane before landing, will take place at 2:30 p.m. at the Wing’s headquarters - Hanger #3 Fleming Field, 310 Airport Road, South St. Paul, MN 55075. The Red Tail Project, an all-volunteer non-profit organization associated with the Minnesota Wing, just completed a $1 million restoration of the Mustang, named Tuskegee Airmen. The Mustang had been restored once before and toured the air show circuit for three years starting in July 2001. Its pilots and crew took every opportunity to tell audiences across the country the story of the Tuskegee Airmen, the first black fighter pilots to serve in the U.S. Army Air Corps during WWII. The Tuskegee Airmen painted the tails of their fighters red and as they proved their skill and courage in the skies over Italy and German, bomber pilots began requesting the “red tail angels.” The Airmen flew hundreds of missions and earned hundreds of metals and designations, including the Congressional Gold Metal in 2007 in honor of their war service to the United States. The Red Tail Project’s Mustang crashed due to catastrophic mechanical failure at the Red Wing Air Show in May 2004, killing the Project’s leader, Don Hinz, and destroying the airplane. The members of Red Tail Project never doubted that the plane would one day fly again so it was trucked up to Tri-State Aviation in Wahpeton, ND, and fundraising began. A group of stalwart volunteers worked closely with the staff of Tri-State to rebuild the Mustang so it could continue to serve as a tool to create interest in the history and legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen. Now that the restoration is complete, the Red Tail Project will focus on the development of an educational traveling exhibit. This “museum on wheels” with the theme of “Rise Above”, will have interactive displays that tell the story of the Tuskegee Airmen and their role in WWII and the desegregation of the U.S. armed services. The Mustang will be one of several aircraft featured at the Minnesota Wing’s free charity open house and fly-in on Saturday, August 8, 2009 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The “Wings For Hope” event will benefit six charitable organizations, including Halo R.E.A.C.H. A Child. They will also be collecting non-perishable food items for local food shelves like Second Harvest Heartland. Guests will have the opportunity to get up close to exciting airplanes like the B-25 Miss Mitchell, an AT-6 Texan, a BT-13 and others. In addition, history rides will be available in the B-25 Mitchell. The event promises to be fun and educational for the entire family.
__________________  A 2006 study found that the average American walks about 900 miles a year. Another study found that Americans drink an average of 22 gallons of beer a year. That means, on average, Americans get about 41 miles per gallon. |
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08-04-2009, 03:44 PM
| #2 |
| Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Minnesota
Posts: 3,204
| Here are some pictures of the aircraft during various stages of rebuild and finally being ready for flight. Courtesy of Max Haynes web-site. Still needs some paint in spots but looks like a great restoration. Rise Above - Triumph Over Adversity
__________________ A 2006 study found that the average American walks about 900 miles a year. Another study found that Americans drink an average of 22 gallons of beer a year. That means, on average, Americans get about 41 miles per gallon. |
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08-04-2009, 03:49 PM
| #3 |
| Senior Member  Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Texas
Posts: 1,429
| great pictures. thanks for posting them. DBII |
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08-04-2009, 04:19 PM
| #4 |
| Senior Member  Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Ankeny, Iowa
Posts: 1,411
| Saw this too! Great looking plane.
__________________ Bryon O P-61 Black Widow-Mistress of the Night! "No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country." George S. Patton "Listen, strange women lyin' in ponds distributin' swords is no basis for a system of government." "Oh but if I went 'round sayin' I was Emperor, just because some moistened bint lobbed a scimitar at me, they'd put me away." |
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08-04-2009, 08:10 PM
| #5 |
| Senior Member  Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 9,030
| Great to have a 'C' back in the air, I'd love to see her airborne. Marvelous pics too, I could almost smell the oil and paint! Thanks Buck'.
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08-04-2009, 08:18 PM
| #6 |
| "World Traveller"   Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Royal Deeside/St Andrews, Scotland, UK
Posts: 15,214
  | Great to hear. Nice pics too.
__________________  "Success is not Final, Failure is not Fatal, it is the Courage to Continue that Counts" Sir Winston Churchill "To him the People of the World Largely owe the Freedom and Liberties they Enjoy Today" Enscription on Hugh Dowding's (AOC Fighter Command 1936-40) statue in London WW2 Talk: A WW2 Discussion Forum My Photo Collections on Flickr |
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08-04-2009, 09:19 PM
| #7 |
| Senior Member  Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: South Carolina
Posts: 3,722
 | Beautiful pics, great post!
__________________ "Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it" "Those who dwell in the past, condemn the future"  |
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08-04-2009, 09:59 PM
| #8 |
| Senior Member  Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Abingdon, VA.
Posts: 2,283
| Great to hear! Thanks for the post Buck.  |
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08-04-2009, 11:17 PM
| #9 |
| "Shooter"   Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Moorpark, CA
Posts: 14,803
| That is great news. I know a couple of guys that have been working on that and it's good to see her back in the air. Max is a great photographer and a cool guy.
__________________  http://www.vg-photo.com For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return. Leonardo Da Vinci |
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08-05-2009, 10:32 AM
| #10 |
| Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Minnesota
Posts: 3,204
| Just realized they are having a public un-veiling ceremony of the aircraft today in South St. Paul @ 2:30 and I'm stuck at work!!! I'm going to get down there this coming Saturday for the Minnesota CAF's Open House day and get some pictures. Hopefully some shots of her in the air, but the weather looks a little iffy this weekend.
__________________ A 2006 study found that the average American walks about 900 miles a year. Another study found that Americans drink an average of 22 gallons of beer a year. That means, on average, Americans get about 41 miles per gallon. |
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08-05-2009, 10:45 AM
| #11 |
| Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Ankeny, Iowa
Posts: 1,411
| Dang! Minnesota is close enough for me to drive there too! I should have done a little more research. That would be neat to see.
__________________ Bryon O P-61 Black Widow-Mistress of the Night! "No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country." George S. Patton "Listen, strange women lyin' in ponds distributin' swords is no basis for a system of government." "Oh but if I went 'round sayin' I was Emperor, just because some moistened bint lobbed a scimitar at me, they'd put me away." |
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08-05-2009, 11:01 AM
| #12 |
| Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Minnesota
Posts: 3,204
| Well, you still have time to come up for Saturdays event (08/08/2009). If you bring a non-perishable food item you get into the event for free. http://www.redtail.org/wordpress/wp-...to-fleming.pdf I'm still trying to figure out how to get out of work early today to head down, but have little vacation time to spare!
__________________ A 2006 study found that the average American walks about 900 miles a year. Another study found that Americans drink an average of 22 gallons of beer a year. That means, on average, Americans get about 41 miles per gallon. |
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08-05-2009, 12:00 PM
| #13 |
| Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Ankeny, Iowa
Posts: 1,411
| I may have to see about trying to shoot up there for that Saturday!
__________________ Bryon O P-61 Black Widow-Mistress of the Night! "No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country." George S. Patton "Listen, strange women lyin' in ponds distributin' swords is no basis for a system of government." "Oh but if I went 'round sayin' I was Emperor, just because some moistened bint lobbed a scimitar at me, they'd put me away." |
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