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 Moment Visiting the old Lone Star Brewery in San Antonio. We were awarded the Best Flight in the 3706 Training Squadron, and that gave us a little off time. Because of rain and hot weather we did not have to go through the obstacle course.
Instructors SSgts Kuczala & Kiris
Other Memories My uncle was NCOIC of the Marksmanship School (SMsgt Day) and when I went to qualify the other instructors gave me a hard time. Despite all their harassment I scored 294 out of 300 using the M1 and shooting the small bulls eye at 100.
After we had gotten our uniforms we marched over to the BX to get the items that we were short of. One of the guys was short his flight hat but it is known by other names. Anyway when we got into the BX he went up to one of the ladies and told her he needed a cunt cap. You have to really wonder where some these guys had been.
The Central Texas Wing 
