Aviation Museums
and airworthy collections
Commemorative Air Force (CAF)
COMMEMORATIVE AIR FORCE HEADQUARTERS
Dallas Executive Airport, 5661 Mariner Drive, Dallas, Texas 75237
Formerly known as the Confederate Air Force until 2002, the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) is a Texas-based non-profit organisation dedicated to preserving and displaying historical aircraft primarily throughout the U.S. and Canada.
It's origins can be traced to the 'Confederate Air Corps' created by Oscar Harper in Alabama in 1953. Led by the fictional character 'Thaddeus P. Throckmorton' and his recruiting officer 'Jethro Culpepper', the CAC established several features that later became key characteristics of the CAF.
1957: Lloyd Nolen and four friends purchased the P-51 Mustang 'Red Nose' and the CAF group was unofficially founded.
1958: the group purchase two Grumman F8F Bearcats.
1960: the CAF further their search for other World War II aircraft that, until then, were being systematically scrapped as obsolete with no efforts, not even by the Air Force or Navy, to preserve any for display for future generations. The warbirds that remained airworthy were mostly in private hands modified for air racing or converted for commercial use as air freighters and aerial firefighters.
6th September 1961: the CAF was chartered as a nonprofit Texas corporation to restore and preserve World War II era combat aircraft. By the end of the year, there were nine aircraft in the CAF fleet.
By 1963, the group had achieved their goal of acquiring one of each American World War II fighter aircraft.
10th March 1963: The CAF hold their first airshow.
1965: their first museum building was completed at old Rebel Field, Mercedes, Texas.
1968: The CAF move to their new Rebel Field at Harlingen, Texas.
The CAF fleet continued to grow with several bomber types being added by the early 1970s.
1983: the American Airpower Heritage Foundation was founded to financially support the CAF
As of November 2019 the CAF fleet exceeded 170 aircraft including over 120 airworthy examples covering over 60 different types. They are based across 84 units in 26 US States plus 4 other countries.
In order of manufacturer
Beechcraft D18S
A-361 / N197L [Gulf Coast Wing, Spring, Texas]
Beechcraft D-18S
A-171 / N80197 [West Texas Wing (under Restoration) ]
Beechcraft D18S
A-177 / KJ508 / N70GA 'Bucket of Bolts' [Bucket of Bolts Sponsor Group, Fort Worth, Texas]
Beechcraft C-45H Expeditor
AF 834 / 210904 / N40074 [Cimarron Strip Wing, Guymon]
Beechcraft T-34 Mentor
N802HV [Coyote Squadron, David Campbell Field - Corsicana Municipal Airport, Corsicana, Texas]
Bell P-63F Kingcobra
43-11719 / N6763 [P-63 Sponser Group]
Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress
'Texas Raiders' 44-83872 [Gulf Coast Wing]
Boeing B-29 Superfortress
44-62070 'Fifi' / N4249 & N529B [B-29/B-24 Squadron, Fort Worth, Texas]
Boeing PT-13D Kaydet (E75)
N4813V '17' [B-29/B-24 Squadron, Fort Worth, Texas]
Boeing PT-17 Kaydet
N27933 [Dallas/Fort Worth Wing, Lancaster, Texas]
Canadian Car & Foundry Harvard MK IV
N2047 [Tora Sponsor Group, Pearland, Texas]
Canadian Car & Foundry Harvard MK IV
N4447 [Tora Sponsor Group, Pearland, Texas]
Canadian Car & Foundry Harvard MK IV
N15799 [Tora Sponsor Group, Pearland, Texas]
Canadian Car & Foundry Harvard MK IV
N15797 [Tora Sponsor Group, Pearland, Texas]
Consolidated B-24A/LB-30 Liberator
40-2366 'Diamond Lil' (ex-RAF AM927) / N24927 [B-29/B-24 Squadron, Fort Worth, Texas]
Curtiss P-40N-1-CU Warhawk
c/n 29629 / N1226N (ex-RCAF 867) [P-40 Sponsor Group, Dallas]
Douglas A-26B SN Invader
43-7140 'Night Mission' / N240P [Invader Squadron, Fort Worth Meacham Airport, Texas]
Douglas C-47 Skytrain
'That's All, Brother' 42-92847 / N47TB [Centex Wing, San Marcos, Texas]
Douglas C-53D-DO/DC-3A Skytrooper
'D-Day Doll' 42-68830 / N45366 [Inland Empire Wing]
Douglas R4D-6/C-47J Skytrain
'Ready 4 Duty' BuNo 50783 / N151ZE [Dallas/Fort Worth Wing]
Fairchild M-62A
N49238 [Southern California Wing]
Fairchild M-62A-3 Cornell II
N519SH [Coyote Squadron, David Campbell Field - Corsicana Municipal Airport, Corsicana, Texas]
Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat
Minsi III / N1078Z [Southern California Wing]
Naval Aircraft Factory N3N-3 Canary
N44741 [Houston Wing, West Houston Airport, Houston, Texas]
North American AT-6 Texan
N9790Z [Tora Sponsor Group, Pearland, Texas]
North American AT-6A Texan
N6253C [WASP Squadron, Dallas Executive Airport, Dallas, Texas]
North American AT-6B Texan
N11171 [Tora Sponsor Group, Pearland, Texas]
North American AT-6D Texan
N3242G [Tora Sponsor Group, Pearland, Texas]
North American B-25J-32NC Mitchell
44-86758 'Devil Dog' [Devil Dog Squadron, Georgetown, Texas]
North American P-51C Mustang
42-103645 'Tuskegee Airmen' / N61429 [Red Tail Squadron, Red Wing]
North American SNJ-6 Texan
N9820C [Tora Sponsor Group, Pearland, Texas]
Taylorcraft L-2
N53768 [Redbird Squadron, Dallas Executive Airport, Dallas, Texas]
Vultee BT-13A Valiant
N56478 [Tora Sponsor Group, Pearland, Texas]
Vultee BT-13A Valiant
N67208 [Tora Sponsor Group, Pearland, Texas]
Vultee BT-13A Valiant
N27003 [Houston Wing, West Houston Airport, Houston, Texas]
Vultee BT-15 Valiant
N69605 'Little Noodle' [Dallas/Fort Worth Wing, Lancaster, Texas]
also
LIST IN PROGRESSBeechcraft 18/C-45/SNB/JRB
D-18S A-235 / N145AZ [Arizona Wing]
D18S A-806 / N79AG 'Spirit of West Texas' [High Sky Wing, Midland, Texas]
UC-45J Expeditor 39265 / N49625 [Mile High Wing, Rocky Mountain Metro Airport, Broomfield]
RC-45J Expeditor 67124 / N1078 [Indiana Wing, Indianapolis]
TC-45J 51242 / N375VU 'Lone Star Lady' [Centex Wing, San Marcos, Texas]
Bell P-39Q Airacobra
42-19597 'Miss Connie' / N6968 [Central Texas Wing]
Bell P-63 Kingcobra
P-63A-6-BE 42-68941 / N191H [Dixie Wing]
Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress
'Sentimental Journey' 44-83514 / N9323V [Arizona Wing]
Cessna model 310A / U-3A
N5435A [Centex Wing, San Marcos, Texas]
Curtiss C-46F-1-CU Commando
'China Doll' 44-78663 / N53594 [Southern California Wing]
Curtiss SB2C-5 Helldiver
BuNo 83589 / NX92879 [Cactus Squadron / West Texas Wing]
Douglas A-26/B-26 Invader
A-26B 'Lady Liberty' 41-39230 / N9682C [Lady Liberty Squadron, Enid, Liberty]
A-26C-40DT 'Little Twister' 44-35643 / N626SH [Sierra Hotel A-26 Group, Oklahoma]
Douglas C-47A Skytrain
'Old Number 30' / N147AZ [Airbase Arizona, Mesa,]
Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless
BuNo 54532 / N82GA 'Lady in Blue' [Dixie Wing, Peachtree City]
Goodyear FG-1D Corsair 530
BuNo 92468 / N9964Z [CAF Corsair Sponsor Group, Dixie Wing]
Grumman / General Motors FM-2 Wildcat
BuNo 86819 / N5833 [FM-2 Wildcat Sponsor Group, Upland, California]
Grumman F8F-2 Bearcat
BuNo 122674 / N7825C [Southern California Wing]
Grumman TBM-3 Avenger
General Motors TBM-3E BuNo 53353 / N5264V [Missouri Wing]
General Motors TBM-3S BuNo 53503 'Doris Mae' / N40402 [Rocky Mountain Wing]
General Motors TBM-3S BuNo 91426 / N53503 [National Capital Squadron]
Lockheed C-60 Lodestar
'Goodtime Gal' 42-56005 c/n 18-2478 N60JT [Houston Wing]
Mitsubishi A6M3 Model 22 Zero
N712Z [Southern California Wing]
North American B-25 Mitchell
B-25J-5NC 'Yellow Rose' 43-27868 / N25YR [Central Texas Wing]
B-25J-10NC 'Maid in the Shade' 43-35972 / N125AZ [Airbase Arizona]
B-25J-20NC 'Miss Mitchell' 44-29869 / N27493 [Minnesota Wing]
PBJ-1J-30NC Semper Fi 44-30988 / N5865V [Southern California Wing]
B-25J-30NC 'Show Me' 44-31385 / N345TH [Missouri Wing]
North American SNJ-5 Texan
Nakajima B5N 'Kate' Torpedo Bomber N3725G [Tora Sponsor Group, Pearland, Texas]
North American P-51D Mustang
44-73264 'Gunfighter' / N5428V [Colonel Larry Lumpkin (P-51 Gunfighter) Council Bluffs]
44-73843 'Red Nose' / N10601 [Dixie Wing, Peachtree City]
44-72739 / 414292 /QP-A 'Man O'War' / N44727 [Southern California Wing, Camarillo]
Republic P-47N-20RE Thunderbolt
44-89136 / N844WA [Southern California Wing (under restoration) ]
Supermarine Spitfire FR Mk.XIVe
N749DP [Southern California Wing]
Yakovlev Yak-3UA
cn470104 / N529SB [Southern California Wing]