Most of the time you will find me out at the San Marcos airport in the CAF Hanger working on WWII aircraft, maintaining the hanger electrical system that is as old as I am, and trying to keep all the old AGE equipment running, for you Navy guys that is GSE. I will be there on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. When you walk into the hanger is just like walking into a hanger in WWII. We have on display a B-25, P-39 (the only one in the world that is currently flying, P-63, 2 T-6 Texans, T-34, replica of a Mitsubishi A6M Zero Fighter ( "Zeke" ) that was used in the movie Tora Tora Tora (a T-6 Texan airframe was modified to look like a A6M Zero Fighter,) a replica of a NakajimaB5N1/2 Kate (This is a modified T-6 with a BT-13 tail section), that was used in Tora Tora Tora and in the movie Pearl Harbor, an L-4 Laison plane, T-33, and three Nanchang CJ-6s.
The Central Texas Wing of the Commemorative Air Force
1841 Airport Drive
San Marcos, Texas 78666 Phone (512) 396-1943
The Commemorative Air Force ( CAF) is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to preserving and flying the combat aircraft flown by the Allies during World War II (1939 - 1945).The Commemorative Air Force was founded to acquire, restore and preserve in flying condition a complete collection of combat aircraft which were flown by all military services of the United States, and selected aircraft of other nations, for the education and enjoyment of present and future generations of Americans. The CAF is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to preserving and flying the combat aircraft flown by the Allies during WWII (1939-1945). The original name of the CAF was the Confederate Air Force.
The Central Texas (Centex) Wing of the Commemorative Air Force is located at the San Marcos Municipal Airport, in the only remaining 1943 vintage wooden hangar on the airport. Visitors are invited to tour the WW II Artifacts Exhibit and the display dedicated to the Doolittle Raiders. The Stokes Memorial Library contains the personal aircraft memorabilia collection of John Stokes, founder of the Centex Wing. We do flyovers ballgames, parades, and other activities. We perform Missing Man formations for Warriors that have gone West and perform at air shows. Hank Potter who was Doolittle's Navigator on the raid was also one of out founding members.
Museum and Hanger Operating Hours Monday, Wednesday, Friday, & Saturday
09:00 to 16:00
Other Comments:
If you are passing through San Marcos, give me a call and I will get you into see the aircraft and WWII museum. That is on the off days.
BAF
Before the Air Force
Hawkins Field, Jackson, MS
(known as Jackson Army Air Force Base
during WWII which was closed shortly
after the War.)
&
John Bell Williams Field, Raymond, MS
1955 - 1965
1. Lockheed Super Constellations (Connies) I worked on the service crew at Hawkins Field, in those days in Jackson.
2. Douglas DC-3s Delta and Southern Air Line (service crew) My first airplane ride was on a Southern DC-3, the girl I was dating at this time father was the Station Manager for Southern in Jackson.
3. Lockheed C-60 Lodestar (This aircraft was being used as a Mirex bomber fighting the fire ant problem in Mississippi.
4. Ryan L-17 Navion
5. Aero 500 Aero Commander
6. Lockheed/Vega Aircraft Company division PV-1/B-34 In the 50s and 60 Howard Aero in San Antonio, TX made conversions and called them Super Venturas, I think the aircraft I worked on belonged to Miller Enterprises in Jackson.
7. PT-17 Stearman, at a crop dusters in Rapides Parish south of Alexandra, LA.
8. Douglas DC-4s, DC-6s and DC-7s Delta Air Lines. Working on the service crew.
9. Beechcraft C-45; The Beechcraft Model 18, or "Twin Beech", as it was better known, is a 6-11 place, twin-engine, low-wing, conventional-gear aircraft that was manufactured by the Beech Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas. This model saw military service during and after World War II in a number of versions including the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) C-45 Expeditor, AT-7 Navigator, AT-11 Kansan; and for the United States Navy (USN), UC-45J Navigator and the SNB-1 Kansan.
Aircraft that I have worked on since retiring from the USAF.
Texas Instruments, INC McKinney, TX & Robins AFB, GA
1. I worked on the TFR portion of the Avionics Modernization Program (AMP) on the F-111 & EF-111. Worked in McKinney as an Engineering Tech conducting environmental test on the DFLT (Flight Test Set). Moved to Robins as a Logistic Rep and supported the system during the 1st Gulf War. Moved back to McKinney in 1992.
Central Texas Wing
of the
Commemorative Air Force
San Marcos, Texas
1. North American B-25J Mitchel Bomber "Yellow Rose"
2. Bell P-39Q Aerocobra "Miss Connie"
3. Bell P-63 Kingcobra
4. Curtiss P-40 Warhawk
5. North American T-6A Texan. This aircraft is configured as one of the AT-6s used in Korea as a FAC, it carried 2.75 Willy P tipped rockets (smoke rockets) that was used to mark the target for the fighters and bombers. They were given the nickname of "Mosquito Bomber."
7. Beechcraft T-34 Mentor.
8. Mitsubishi A6M Zero replica This is a modified T-6 that was built for the movie "Tora,Tora,Tora".
9. Nakajima B5N1 Kate replica This is a modified T-6 with a BT-13 tail section, this aircraft was also modified for the movie "Tora,Tora,Tora and was used in the movie "Pearl Harbor" also.
10. Nanchang CJ-6 A common, but erroneous, belief is that the CJ-6 is a Chinese version of the Russian Yak-18A. It's predecessor, the Nanchang CJ-5, was a Yak-18 design built under license in China. The Nanchang CJ-6 is an aircraft designed and built in China for use by the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) as a basic trainer.
11. Piper L-4 Grasshopper The J-3/L-4 (Piper Cub) not only introduced uncounted thousands of aspiring military aviators the basics of flying. It also became versatile workhorse of the battlefields of WWII. Remember Henry Fonda looking for the German Tanks during the Battle of the Burgle in The Longest Day, he was in an L-4.
Best Friends MSG William E. (Bill) Epley was our INS man. We rode to work together most of the time and in the return trips it was a six pack from Duke Field to our residents on Eglin Main.
Best Moment My second reenlistment was done while assigned to DET AHOO 1st Special Operations Wing, which was the unit we were assigned to while at Duke Field. This reenlistment was done while airborne in a AC-130A on a training mission with a 919th Reserve Crew, one of the Active Navigators performed the oath just outside the booth at the back of the aircraft. On these aircraft the FCO, EWO and sensor operators set in the booth and the Navigator was on the flight deck. During this mission we flew along I10 and targeted the trucks as they traveled down the interstate unaware that they had just been hit with 40mm from the two L/60 Bofors Cannons on the aircraft. Some were hit with the 20mm from the Gatling guns and/or the 7.62mm Gatling guns.
Worst Moment Getting an assignment to the 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, Bergstrom AFB, TX. I was not ready to leave the area and wanted to stay in special operations, but the Commander of TAC at that time was doing all he could to dump the special operations on someone else. It rather ironic that special operations gets the biggest part of the pie now. He must of had a defected crystal ball. As it turned out the assignment to Bergstrom turned into a good assignment and we had finally found where we wanted to live after we retired.
Other Memories While I was assigned to Hurlburt Field (1st Special Operations Wing) I was selected to be on the cadre that was assigned to Duke Field to train the 919th Reserve Group to work on the AC-130A Aircraft. We had a Litton Tech Rep because the IMU on these aircraft were a Litton Commercial Product. It was the same IMU that was installed on many of the airliner at that time. We also had a ITT tech rep to help on the Loran Receiver in the ARN-92 Loran System on that aircraft.