“A generation which ignores history has no past and no future” – Robert Heinlein
The CAF 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.
An airplane on display in a museum tells a story without a doubt, but it involves only the eyes and is an impersonal, uninvolved look at man’s creation. How much more complete the story if it fully engages the senses – the sight of the plane with prop turning; the smell of the oil; the sound of the engine roaring; the smooth, riveted skin that bears the craft aloft. How much more complete the story when a veteran approaches to reconnect with the aircraft that bore him safely home – recalling the comrades lost, the missions flown.
An estimated 1,000,000 people each year view the aircraft of the Commemorative Air Force at airshows across the nation, giving those visitors the rare opportunity to connect in a personal way with these extraordinary pieces of our country’s history. The CAF has approximately 157 airplanes in its fleet, making it the world’s eighth largest air force. At any one time, approximately 100 of these historic planes (some the only examples left in the world) are flying; the others are in restoration or maintenance.
Keep ‘em flying. This is our creed and more. It’s who we are, what we do and why we do it. |
