CAF B-29/B-24 Squadron December 2012 Newsletter by CAF B-29/B-24 Squadron

Commemorative Air Force, Inc. B -29/B-24 Squadron B-29/B-24

Jim Neill Volunteer of the Year

December 2012

B-29/B-24 Squadron Officer & Staff Listing Position

Name

Telephone

E-mail

Squadron Leader

Neils Agather

817-946-9950

vnagather@agathertx.com

Executive Officer

Tom Travis

972-241-8102

TomTravis@aol.com

Adjutant & Personnel Officer

Debbie Travis King

469-688-1709

Squadadjutant@gmail.com

Crew Chief

Rick Garvis

972-380-8800

rgarvis@cafhq.org

Finance Officer

Gerald Oliver

312-953-0357

goliver@behringerharvard.com

Maintenance Officer

Don Obreiter

580-471-3048

obreiter@cableone.net

Marketing, Events and Social Media

Leslie Deese Garvis

713-819-4371

marketing@cafb29b24.org

Operations Officer & B-29 Tour Coordinator

David Oliver

630-853-9624

B29ops@gmail.com

Tour Media Coordinator

Kim Pardon

432-413-4100

kmpardon@yahoo.com

Ride Captain

John Oliver

312-925-6184

jake8350@gmail.com

Safety & Training Officer B-29 Scheduling Officer

John Flynn

717-632-4497

jnaflynn@embarqmail.com

B-24 Scheduling Officer

Chuck Burton

972-243-1316

charlesdburton@msn.com

Facility Manager

Jim Neill

972-306-1051

jakat2@verizon.net

Plane Captain

Henry Bordelon

972-406-0644

pixiee@sbcglobal.net

Tour Guide & Docent

Jack Bradshaw

214-987-1963

jackbradshaw@sbcglobal.net

Webmaster

Rick Greer

The Flyer Editor

Konley Kelley

rgreer4@gmail.com

214-995-5184

konman@gte.net

Photo by Scott Slocum

Spring Tour Schedule (TBA) In this Issue: • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Officer Reports “Keep FIFI Flying” Fundraiser & Website Diamond Lil B-24 Go Team Report Feature Story – “Christmas 1941 & Christmas 1943” by Bob Hilton This Month in History Member News Volunteer Spotlight Holiday Shopping Ideas 2012 Banquet and Award-winners Honor Their Service Favorite Member Pics from 2012 Calendar Squadron Contact Information

Squadron Report Writing this Flyer submission today on the anniversary of Pearl Harbor Day is a good reminder of what the CAF is all about. We commemorate the sacrifice of all our veterans, with a special emphasis on the small number World War II vets still with us. Please take a moment to thank a vet when you see them and take a moment to say a prayer for all those who have gone west. You will receive more detail in the maintenance reports, but I can tell you that FIFI's engine repair is coming along nicely. Anderson reports that they will return it to us by year end. I fully expect that FIFI will be back home in Addison in early January in time for Ground School. Rick and Don, together with the volunteers, are progressing steadily on her annual inspection, which will be completed in Addison. I am confident she will be ready for the planned tour in February. California, here we come! Diamond Lil is also progressing. Thanks to the continued help from our Tulsa volunteers, the needed sheet metal and structural parts for Lil's nose section are coming along nicely. This support is crucial to Lil making it back to flight status in time for her to make her tour commitments. Al Benzing is hard at work putting together a great series of stops for her and assembling the crews to support those stops. Please pay special attention to the plans for Ground School in January. At this point, it is barely more than a month away. Please be sure to put it on your calendar and make plans to come. I just attended the final CAF General Staff meeting of the year. All is going well. Steve Brown reported a $500,000 surplus. That's a very long way from the severe multi-year deficit he inherited. When you see Steve, give him a pat on the back for a job well done. There was a lot of discussion about our Squadron's debt and a solution for its payment is being worked out, more on that later. The reason I mention this is the recognition of the importance of FIFI to the CAF and understanding that our Squadron is doing a good job. Neils Agather Squadron Leader

Executive Officer Report Howdy from rainy Iraq. I've sincerely enjoyed my monthly connections with you all through The Flyer. I'll get to see Katy again for the third time this year as we travel to Istanbul to Madrid and on to the Canary Islands for some much needed R&R with our daughter and our grand baby. This will mark our 7th Christmas overseas in the past decade. We are really looking forward to coming back home and seeing you all again. We can be re-acquainted with FIFI and Diamond Lil and all the great folks associated with them. My closest connection to our aircraft was getting to live fire M2 .50 Cal heavy machine-guns albeit from armored vehicles on the ground. It is great sport as long as no one is shooting back at you. Thanks to all for your service to our Squadron. It's been a great honor to be XO and I look forward to future service with you all. Have a blessed Christmas and a wonderful New Years when it comes. Very Respectfully, Stu and Katy Watkins

Executive Officer-Elect Report It was both a surprise and an honor to be elected Executive Officer last month. Col. Stu Watkins will be a tough act to follow but I promise to do my best. Thanks, Stu, for all your hard work and for your service to our country. Be safe over there in Iraq and we look forward to seeing you back out on tour. This year was interesting to say the least. We had a short tour season with Diamond Lil due to a complete hydraulic system failure and subsequent nose gear collapse in Charlotte, NC over Memorial Day weekend. Thanks to our maintenance crew and some dedicated volunteers who put in extra long hours and made the necessary repairs, we were able to ferry Lil back to Addison eight days later. Hopefully, Lil will be back in the air this spring. FIFI had a great series of tours this year. Again, as in Charlotte with Diamond Lil, our members put in long hours and made each stop a success. FIFI did more ride flights this year than any of us thought possible - except for Gerald Oliver, our eternal optimist. Thanks for the vision and the encouragement, Gerald. Next year promises to be our best yet so please come out and join us. Meanwhile, have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Tom Travis Executive Officer - Elect

Photo by Scott Slocum

Maintenance Report FIFI The #2 engine will be run on the test stand next week then should be shipped to Midland by the end of the year. A big thank you to the Midland volunteers for continuously coming out and helping with winter maintenance on FIFI at CAF headquarters. We are about halfway through the winter maintenance inspection on FIFI. If all goes well, FIFI should be back in Addison by the first week of January. Diamond Lil The Tulsa American Airlines team of Jim Gentry and Ken Ruggiano are doing a fantastic job of manufacturing parts for Diamond Lilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nose section. Winter maintenance is also progressing very well. As to the hydraulic system failure, there are indications of other contributing factors that led to the mechanical failure of the system. Once our investigation is completed, maintenance will issue a full report. A big thank you to all the volunteers who have come out this Winter and showed their dedication to help keep these airplanes flying! Last but not least, a special thanks to Neils Agather for his leadership and support of the maintenance department. We would not be able to do what we do without our fearless leader. Rick Garvis Crew Chief

FIFI in Midland

Diamond Lil in Addison

Flight Operations Report New Avionics for FIFI Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m pleased to announce that Karl Stolzfus from Bridgewater Virginia has graciously donated a Garmin 530 WAAS unit for FIFI. Karl is a longtime member of the CAF Capital Squadron and proud T-6 owner. Karl and his company, Dynamic Aviation, were a former employer of mine and I invited Karl to ride on the B-29 between Charlotte, NC and Reading, PA. The flight included a quick detour over the battlefield at Gettysburg and a pass over the Bridgewater airport where the entire staff of Dynamic Aviation was standing outside waiving. After inspecting our avionics, Karl graciously offered to donate a unit to the aircraft and we are proud to have the new Garmin upgrade. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be working over the next few months to make preparations for the installation of this unit in addition to two new Garmin transponders. All of these units will be installed in the center pedestal where they can be conveniently hidden by the avionics box cover during cockpit tours. A big thanks to Karl Stolzfus and Dynamic Aviation for their support of the squadron. Ground School Ground School is fast approaching. January 19th and 20th are on the calendar and we are making preparations. We have yet to find a venue large enough for our group. Stay tuned for updates as we get closer. It promises to be another exciting year for training. Please be sure to RSVP to John Flynn that you are coming. If you plan to attend the pilot session, please RSVP to David Oliver to make sure we have enough training materials.

Flight Operations Report (cont) The e-mail addresses to RSVP for Ground School and Pilot training are below: John Flynn jnaflynn@embarqmail.com David Oliver B29ops@gmail.com West Coast California Tour Preparations are coming along for the California Tour. The start and end dates of the Tour are February 21st to April 4th. We have made some great arrangements with the Southern California wing of the CAF and will be partnering with the Arizona Wing for some local tour stops in Phoenix. Please check the members website for a link to the calendar to see more detail. If your interested in attending the tour please contact John Flynn for tour positions available.

Training & Safety Report Thanks to all who have helped make 2012 another safe and successful year for our squadron. Continue to keep safety in mind as we participate in the upcoming holiday festivities with our families and also as we work on our aircraft in preparation for the 2013 tour season. We have a significant amount of work to do on both planes and a relatively short time to do it. Next yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tour season will be here before you realize it. I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Safe New Year.

REMEMBER: IF THE JOB IS DONE RIGHT, IT IS SAFE! John Flynn Safety Officer

Financial Report We are happy to report the B-29 engine fundraising campaign is going well. A special committee was formed to develop and execute a plan to raise donations to go directly to the repair of our number two engine. As you recall, this engine had an accessory shaft failure during the last airshow flight of the season. The crew performed well and returned to the airport safely, but the engine suffered some damage. Repair costs are estimated to be about $100,000. It was also determined that in order to keep the airplane operating we need a fifth engine. That way, if there is ever another engine issue, we can change it out and keep going. If this had happened during the middle of the year the financial effects would have been devastating. A goal of raising $250,000 was set. The committee developed a special website and theme of the campaign called “Keep FIFI Flying.” The website address is www.KeepFIFIflying.org . Press releases and emails have been sent to thousands of people. To date, many hundreds have visited the website and over 250 have made donations. The amount that has been donated as of this writing is over $85,000. We are hopeful to break $100,000 before year end. If you have not visited the web site, please do so soon. We hope you will help support FIFI. We appreciate your help and a special thanks to committee members Kim Pardon, Debbie King, Rick Greer, David Oliver, Steve Buss, Karissa Kienast and Neils Agather. Best Always… Gerald Oliver Fundraising Chairman www.KeepFIFIflying.org

www.keepfififlying.org

B-24 Go Team Report By Al Benzing December 2012 This is the first in a series of B-24 Go Team reports. Some of you may not be familiar with this effort, so I'll also briefly cover the Purpose and Goals. Purpose: To place a focus on Diamond Lil as a viable and important part of our Squadron and highlight to the public this flying testament to the incredible history of the B-24 Liberator and the crews who flew her. Goals: MX: Get Lil back in the air by June 1st, for a 2013 Summer/Fall tour schedule. Keep Diamond Lil Flying: Create a fundraising effort; enlisting involvement of aviation enthusiasts, foremost those with family ties to WWII aircraft. Historical Information: Create videos, storyboards, and displays to tell the B-24 and Diamond Lil story. These will put history on display whenever Lil is in the public view for rides, cockpit tours, and the Mobile Museum. Airshows and Tour Stops: Arrange a viable schedule of appearances that will pay for the cost of operation and provide resources for future needs. Progress Report: MX efforts: Crew Chief Rick Garvis will cover the details in his MX report. I will just say that with his efforts to engage Tulsa to play a major role in the nose restoration, and some volunteer assistance with the annual inspection and some safety enhancements, Lil should be ready by June 1st. Note: Our Crew Chief can use 'Hands On' help. Call Rick and discuss specifics, or just stop by the hangar and he or Don will put you to work. Keep Diamond Lil Flying: There is currently a "Keep FIFI Flying" campaign, which is receiving quite a lot of aviation press exposure and some success. We are planning a very similar program for Diamond Lil, which we'd like to begin in a few months. Fortunately, we have Squadron members with the expertise to put this program together. There have been already been some discussions and a planning meeting is scheduled for January. Historical Information: An initial meeting December 8th with a follow-up in January is planned. We are looking at 1) Researching historical information, 2) Creating videos to depict B-24's being built, flying missions and the story of our B-24A, and 3) Using some of that same material to create â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;storyboards' for display on/near the aircraft and in the Mobile Museum. I'm excited about the possibilities because there are talented and creative people on this team who will dream up innovative ways to present these to the public.

B-24 Go Team Report (cont) Airshow & Tour Stops: I am learning that there is much involved in this process! “B-24 Scheduling Officer” is a new title, which has brought a new level of activity to my email & phone. Initial contacts were made to set an overall schedule although at this point much is still in flux. After the first of the year, and continuing as we close in on an actual 'Fly date', the schedule will firm up. OSH is in the plan, but rather than repeat the schedule here, I ask that you refer to the website where the proposed 2013 calendar for the B-29 & B-24 are posted. I'd also like to say “thank you” to Walt Hawkins for passing along some interesting contacts and information on possible future venues. Who is on the B-24 Go Team? As I spoke with many of you in the Squadron about roles in supporting Diamond Lil, the response was overwhelmingly positive and enthusiastic. All were aware that accomplishing the above goals will require a significant effort but everyone expressed an interest to pitch in. Yet, I was aware that many experienced members also have duties with FIFI, which already requires a significant commitment. It would not benefit the Squadron or the B-24 project to simply take from FIFI to fulfill the needs of Lil. The approach I've taken is to find where talent and timing could work for all parties. During this early stage, and with FIFI not flying for another month or two, I've asked Kim Pardon, Konley Kelley, Bill Hickox, Leslie Garvis and Rocky - along with Gerald and David Oliver to assist with fundraising, historical information and marketing planning. Once these tasks are underway, work will continue on video & storyboard production, even as several individuals will move on to support FIFI. During the Spring, I'll look to others for some new tasks. Then, as we get nearer to June 1st, it will be time to gather crews and support members to handle our 2013 schedule. In conclusion, the B-24 Go Team is a group of creative individuals who I can call on to make specific contributions of time and talent for Diamond Lil during this next year. Thank you to all who help “Keep 'em Flying.” Al Benzing

Feature Story Christmas 1941 & Christmas 1943 By Bob Hilton The story of my 1943 Christmas really began in 1941. On Dec. 7, 1941 I was 16 years old and had gone to a movie matinee with a high school buddy. The title of the movie was “The Alvin York Story”. Alvin York was a GI who served in the infantry in WW1. He was quite a hero and was awarded numerous medals including the Medal of Honor. Leaving the movie our car radio reported the bombing of Pearl Harbor by the Japanese. The first reaction of my buddy and me was to be upset that we were only 16, not old enough to help stomp those “sneaky little yellow bastards” to death. We knew it would only take a few months and our armed services would have wiped them off the map! So much for the wisdom of our judgmental qualifications. A year later, I was 17 and had been accepted into the USAAF Aviation Cadet Program. I was called to active duty in Feb. 1943 and told to report to the AAF recruiting center in Kansas City. Arriving in KC, I was placed on a Pullman car with several other Cadets for our destination, Kearns AAF Base near Salt Lake City. WOW! This was living! I had never been on a Pullman, had never been further from home than KC, and had never seen mountains. We had dinner in the dining car as well as breakfast, lunch and dinner the next day! Kearns was boot camp for Cadets. Suffice to say my “jovial” outlook changed next day on arrival at Kearns and had my first meeting with a drill sergeant. I survived! When I applied for the Cadets, I desperately wanted to be a pilot. My first disappointment came at Kearns. Although I had passed the original physical when I applied, I was told at Kearns my color perception would prevent me from becoming a pilot. My choices were: Be a gunner, aerial photographer or, if I wished, I could transfer to the Rangers and go to OCS! Some choice—I went for photographer. Following training at Lowry Field in Denver, I was assigned, along with two other trainees who had become great friends, to Pratt AAF Base at Pratt, KS. We didn’t know Pratt was a B-29 training base until we arrived. The 40th Bomb Group, to which we were assigned, received the first B-29 production model. The 40th was an “old” AAF Group and had been brought back to the “States” specifically for training in B-29 operations. The 40th had previously done patrol duty for the Panama Canal. The three of us were really thrilled with our assignment. (cont. next page)

I was particularly pleased with Pratt’s location. My hometown of Bronson, KS, was located on US Highway 54 very near the Missouri state line some 275 miles from Pratt. Pratt was also on ’54 some 80 miles west of Wichita.. It was close enough for me to hitchhike home on a weekend pass or make rail/bus connections through Wichita. By this time in my life CC, who had been my high school girlfriend, had become my “steady” even though she was still in high school. I took every opportunity to get a “weekend” pass to Bronson. Usually I hitchhiked. In those days no driver would pass by a hitchhiking GI and it was normally quicker to reach Bronson via hitchhiking than rail/bus through Wichita. I do remember one ride through the Kansas flint hills with a sand/gravel truck driver that made me feel flying in a ’29 with a trainee pilot was much the safer - as well as much more thrilling. Which brings me to Christmas 1943… My two buddies from Lowry, Charley Kissel and Art Jordan, were from Ohio and Michigan, respectively, much too far for them to make it home over the holidays. It came to be that Charley hitchhiked home with me for Christmas and Art for New Years. CC arranged dates with some of the local Bronson girls for both Charley and Art. CC and I, along with our guests, made our usual trips to the Tower Ballroom in Pittsburg, KS and to the “line houses” just across the state line in Missouri. Both venues were nothing more than honky-tonk dance hall/bars but they did have great jazz and country music. By then, many civilian goods were being rationed. Chief among those rationed, for country people, were gasoline and tires for cars. New cars, of course, were no longer made. My father had ample fuel from his oil field work but his tires were virtually smooth. On any of our dates to the Tower or line houses we always borrowed spare tires from CC’s father or anyone else who had kindness in their hearts for a GI on leave. My New Year’s visit, accompanied by Art, was somewhat “ad hoc” inasmuch we were theoretically limited from going more than 25 miles from Pratt because of expectation of receiving overseas orders. No problem for Art and me (or so we thought). We believed we could be back in Pratt in a few hours if orders came through that affected us. Our “old army” section chief wouldn’t formally approve our plans but he did agree not look for us for a few days and would call us if necessary. What we didn’t plan for was a huge winter snowstorm that paralyzed Kansas for a few days. All highways were closed and rail/bus service ceased. I did manage to contact the section chief and, following an extensive lecture delivered in terms only “old army” could deliver, agreed he would “cover” for us. We had a wonderful extra two snowbound days of leave. No harm done, no overseas orders were received for a couple of months. (cont. next page)

New Years was my last visit home although my mother and father, along with CC, were able to visit me in Pratt once before we left for overseas. Their visit to Pratt was a bittersweet visit. I was thrilled to be able to show them the base and the B-29, but we all knew it would be the last time we’d see each other for months. In my next letter to CC, I noted she was crying tears as big as golf balls when they left. It was during the time I spent in Pratt that we became much more aware of the seriousness of the war. The 40th lost several flight crews to aircraft crashes during training. Two of my high school buddies were killed when their B-17’s were lost over Germany. Another, a Navy pilot, was lost operating from an aircraft carrier in the South Pacific. Although CC and I continued to talk only of my return when the war ended, the potential for another outcome weighed heavily on our minds. And, among those KIA’d, was our friend Art—he had told us after the New Years visit “it was the best time of my life”!

Bob (on right) and Art Jordan

This Month in History T/Sgt. Arthur Benko of “The Goon” By Konley Kelley The B-24D Liberator “The Goon” was a wellknown bomber in the China-Burma-India (CBI) theater in the Pacific War. This was due in a large part to a photo of its nose art appearing in an issue of National Geographic magazine. What made “The Goon” even more famous and the pride of the 308th BG was its top turret gunner, T/Sgt. Arthur Benko. Benko is officially credited with 18 Japanese aircraft shot down. His deadly aim was forged as a skeet and rifle champion in Arizona before the war. T/Sgt. Arthur Benko sitting next to the top turret on “The Goon”

Some were skeptical asT/Sgt. Benko’s score mounted so an intelligence officer boarded “The Goon” on a mission to see for himself. On that mission, T/Sgt. Benko shot down seven Japanese aircraft, quickly making a believer of the officer. Prior to a mission, Benko removed all tracers from his ammunition belt. He did not want to the enemy to know they were being fired upon and tracer fire can show a false trajectory as the shells lose weight when burning in flight. In December, 1943, “The Goon” lost two engines after a night attack on the Kowloon docks. The crew jettisoned all nonessential items and everyone bailed out except for the pilot, who was eventually able to make it to a friendly base. Benko and another crewman were captured and killed by the Japanese. T/Sgt. Arthur Benko, the leading air gunner of all allied forces in WW2, was lost. Original 3D artwork by Konley Kelley

Member News

B-29 / B-24 Squadron membership fees are due January 1, 2013. You can renew online at www.cafb29b24.org or mail a $75.00 check to Debbie Travis King, Squadron Adjutant and Personnel Officer: Debbie Travis King 13562 Braemar Drive Dallas, TX 75234

MARK YOUR CALENDARS B-29 Ground School January 19-20, 2013 Addison, Texas Details to follow.

Contribute a story to THE FLYER Attention history buffs, aviation fans and writers: Contact Kon Kelley at konman@gte.net if you have a story idea for THE FLYER in 2013. It would be great to have new contributors fill the pages of this wonderful publication next year.

Member News Tom Travis Honored with The Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award On November 17, 2012, Tom Travis was presented The Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award. This honor from the FAA recognizes pilots who have demonstrated professionalism, skill and aviation expertise by maintaining safe operations for 50 or more years

Photo by Al Benzing

Volunteer Spotlight Jim Neill by Angie Whitney

Jim Neill is a man of all trades, not many but ALL. He joined the CAF only 3 ½ years ago and he’s already proven himself invaluable. He spends at least 40 hours a week at the CAF hangar in Addison. When I asked him what he does all day, he got a big smile on his face and then said “really…let’s make a list…I am listed as the Facilities Manager. That means I organize construction activities. I am the shipping and receiving department. I run for parts. I order parts, parts, parts and more parts. These are old planes, they need a lot of parts!! I also clean the floor for parties that are held here at the hangar. Changing those parts can get a bit messy at times.” Jim also helps put together Ground School (which by the way is January 19-20, 2013), organize volunteers, and coordinate work details. What is the best part of his job as a volunteer? Going on tour with the airplanes. Jim told me getting to go on tour is the reward for all the work he puts in at the hangar. He absolutely loves meeting people. He gets to tell the stories about the aircraft. He can educate new generations on the old aircraft and keep the stories moving forward. Jim loves to not only talk about the crews that flew the planes but about the ladies that built the planes. As he said “every rivet has a story and I love to share them.” Jim said the other great part about being on tour is learning the stories from the folks that built the aircraft and crewed the aircraft. As time passes there are fewer and fewer of these people so it is up to us, the volunteers of the CAF to keep these stories alive. (cont. next page)

Jim Neill (cont) One story from the summer of 2012 tour stands out. Jim was at Andrews AFB when a young lady came up to him. She told him that her grandpa had flown in a B-24 like Diamond Lil and asked if she could go get him. She brought her grandfather and Jim was, with pleasure, storied again on the B-24. While this gentleman was getting his picture taken under the nose of Diamond Lil, another gentleman in a wheelchair pulled up who had also crewed a B-24. Jim got to stand by and listen to these veterans exchange stories. Jim has added these stories to memory and will pass them on as well. He believes this is what the CAF is all about, passing history forward to others. Another story Jim shared happened in Reading, PA. Tracy Toth had WASP uniforms made for she and fellow Squadron member, Debbie King. Little did they know that two WASP veterans from WW2 were going to show up at the air show, including one of the ladies who arrived in her original WASP uniform. This made a great photo opportunity. Here stood WASP veterans and two of his Squadron mates who are sharing the legacy of the WASP. Again, Jim has more stories to add to his repertoire as he educates the younger generations. How did Jim get interested in airplanes? He says it was love at “first flight.” When Jim was five years old, he took his first flight aboard a Stinson Voyager. After that, he built a lot of models. His P-38 model was his favorite because it was a flyable model and he could be at the controls. In 1967, Jim got his pilot’s license and he has been at it ever since. If you ask Jim why you should join the CAF, he will tell you it is about making sure the history lives on. You not only get to help keep the historic aircraft flying, you get to keep the stories alive as well.

One of our newest members, Angie Whitney, has volunteered to write the Volunteer Spotlight for our newsletter. If you would like Angie to profile someone, please e-mail her at angie@princessraja.com.

Holiday Shopping Ideas

B-29 / B-24 Squadron PX http://www.b24b29px.org/ Find us on

Model kits make great gifts Most local hobby stores carry B-29 and B-24 model kits. Hobby Town or Hobby Lobby (which has a great internet coupon), have the kits, tools and paint to build your own squadron. And, as you get more experienced, try customizing your model using scratchbuilt parts or homemade decals. Squadron Mail Order/Squadron Signal www.squadron.com is located in Carrollton, Texas. There you can find kits, books and supplies to build any model kit imaginable.

2012 Banquet & Awards November 17, 2012 Addison, Texas Squadron members and families dined on a menu of English fare including Scotch eggs, Shepherds Pie, Bangers & Mash and Curry Chicken inspired by our allies in WW2. The SkyGate Studios Production Team also treated the Squadron to a screening of the short film, RED COURAGE, starring our beloved â&#x20AC;&#x153;FIFI.â&#x20AC;? 2012 B-29/B-24 SQUADRON AWARDS Leadership Award David Oliver

Professional Aircrew Member Award Tom Travis Debbie King Ray Whiteman Greg Trobridge

Dedication Award Jonathan Oliver Bob and Mildred Freeman Touring Award Phil Pardon Paul Maupin Dan Owens Curtis Wester Above and Beyond Al Benzing Kon Kelley Leslie Garvis Don Obrieter Kim Pardon Gerald Oliver John Flynn

Professional Aircrew Member Award David Oliver Mark Novak Rick Garvis Jim Neill Duane Moreland Terry Senger Golden Wrench Award Bruce Lane

Sam Mangram B-24 Restoration Award Don Thurston Vic Agather B-29 Restoration Award Rick Garvis PX Person of the Year Award Rocky Smith

Professional Maintenance Award Henry Bordelon Brad Pilgrim Mike Brown Greg Pitoniak Jim Gentry Larry Popp Patrick Herlihy Steve Rabroker Joel Kimmel Mark Russell Karl Lane John Schauer Duane Moreland Joe Simonds Shad Morris Ray Whiteman Joe Narciso Michael Van Hee Adam Newby Bird Dog Don Obreiter

Squadron Volunteer of the Year Jim Neill

2012 Banquet & Awards

Just a few shots of our many B-29/B-24 Squadron award recipients Congratulations to all! 25

Honor Their Service A Capitol Campaign of the B-29/B-24 Squadron

Sponsor a Living Legacy Become a part of the CAF story

Ask us how to become an Aircraft Sponsor including adding your name or the name of your loved one on the side of the aircraft. Various donation levels available. The planes of the Commemorative Air Force are kept flying as a living memorial to veterans of all ages. The Commemorative Air Force is a flying museum accredited by the IRS as a 501 ÂŠ 3 not-for-profit corporation. All donations are tax deductible.

See www.cafb29b24.org for more information

Favorite Member Pics from 2012

Rocky Smith

Kim Pardon

Mike Brown Mark Howard

Gerald Oliver

Dan Owens

Gerald Oliver

Kon Kelley

Chuck Burton

Kon Kelley Gerald Oliver

Winter Maintenance

Winter Maintenance Winter Maintenance

Winter Maintenance

Squadron Mtg.

B-29 Ground School

Winter Maintenance B-29 Ground School

Winter Maintenance

Winter Maintenance Winter Maintenance

Winter Maintenance

B-29 / B-24 Squadron Addison Airport 4730 George Haddaway Drive Addison, Texas 75001 www.cafb29b24.org 972-380-8800