Commemorative Air Force

The Commemorative Air Force is a nonprofit aviation organization based in Dallas, Texas. It preserves and flies historic military aircraft. Its stated mission is to educate, inspire and honor through flight and living history experiences.

Its fleet is called the Ghost Squadron. The CAF says it includes more than 180 aircraft of more than 60 different types, including planes from other countries and from conflicts since World War II. The group is best known for its World War II aircraft. It also keeps a few post-war aircraft and helicopters. Bombers in its history include the B-29, B-25, B-17 and B-24. Its aircraft are restored, maintained and flown by volunteers and aviation professionals under FAA rules.

The CAF describes itself as a non-traditional flying museum. Many of its units run museum spaces, but the group is best known for bringing aircraft to the public. Its aircraft appear at hundreds of airshows, fly-ins and tours each year in the United States and abroad. Many aircraft offer a Living History Flight Experience, which lets the public fly in a historic military aircraft.

The CAF began in 1957, when a small group of former service pilots in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas bought a P-51 Mustang. They later added two F8F Bearcats. On September 6, 1961, the CAF was chartered as a nonprofit Texas corporation to restore and preserve World War II combat aircraft. Its first museum building opened in 1965 at Rebel Field in Mercedes, Texas. In 1968 it moved to Harlingen, Texas.

The group was first known as the Confederate Air Force. A membership vote changed the name to the Commemorative Air Force, effective January 1, 2002. The CAF has about 20,000 members. They live in every US state and in 28 other countries. The CAF has more than 75 units in the United States and other countries, such as airbases, wings and squadrons.

Anyone aged 18 or older can join as a Colonel member. Cadet membership is open to ages 13 to 17. Members do not need to be pilots or veterans. The CAF also runs education programs for students, teachers and the public, including aviation history outreach, STEM projects and youth programs. It is made up of four corporations, including a flying museum that holds title to the aircraft and a foundation that manages an endowment fund.

Services

• Historic aircraft preservation
• Living History Flight Experiences
• Airshow appearances
• Aviation education programs
• Membership