Commemorative Air Force Arizona Wing

The Commemorative Air Force, a worldwide, all-volunteer, non-profit organization, is dedicated to the preservation in flying condition of the great warplanes from WWI through Vietnam.  It is a worthwhile museum and tribute to WWII era aircraft and airmen and women. Falcon Field is where over 1,000 WWII British pilots were trained before the U.S. was in the war.


CAF Aviation Museum

The Arizona Airbase has an authentically restored WWII B-17 bomber "Sentimental Journey" and other war birds. Of the 12,731 B-17s built during WWII, approximately 50 survive worldwide and seven in the world are currently in flying condition.  "Sentimental Journey" is one of those.  It is displayed from fall through spring at the museum but flies to approximately 60 cities in the United States and Canada during the summer. 

 "Sentimental Journey" Their B-17 Flagship

While crawling through the operational B-17, it occurred to me the men who flew theses planes were young and thin. Realizing that the pilots, navigators, bombardiers were about 22-25 years old and most gunners were in their teens, who flew and fought in these aircraft risked all, often not returning.
I walked in the footsteps of the young men who fought in WWII. I walked through history!



Ball Turret Gunner

There were several other vintage aircraft here and the museum offers warplane rides. Each plane tells a story from the B-17, to the F4U-Corsair and the P-51 Mustang. The plane that President George H. Bush flew is there. There are artifacts and displays of the Doolittle Raiders, Tuskegee Airmen, WASP, uniforms  pictorials and 1940s newspapers to tell the story.



Tail Gunner

As children of WWII veterans, we were pleased to be greeted and informed by a veteran docent. Our veteran docent, machine gunner Buck Buchanan, was extremely knowledgeable and passionate about the B-17. When we left the museum we had even more respect for those who served in the war. We appreciate the sacrifices made by the greatest generation 70 years ago.

 



WWII Hero "Buck" Buchanan