by Chuck Cravens The Red Tail runs after 10 months of repairs Update As November comes to a close, more and more signs point to a return of the Red Tail to the skies and its educational mission. Last month we saw wing mounting, landing gear work, air induction system, and cockpit progress. The wing...Continue Reading
by Chuck Cravens One more wing assembly photo: Tye and Mark install one of the four large bolts that attach the wing to the fuselage. Update The milestone events of last month (moving out to the hangar, receiving the wing from Odegaard Wings and assembling the wing and fuselage) call for follow up in this...Continue Reading
by Chuck Cravens Lining up the wing and fuselage, almost ready to join. Update Some very significant events have happened this last month. Many assume our restoration shop is at the airport but that isn’t the case. It is 8 miles away in an industrial park. So, along with the usual restoration shop images, we...Continue Reading
by Chuck Cravens This is a front view of fuselage with lower cowl former and also note that the side cowl former has been dimpled and the Dzus springs installed. Update Last month’s update was produced early to have a current status report at AirVenture in Oshkosh, so this month’s update covers a slightly longer...Continue Reading
by Chuck Cravens She’s looking more like a flyable Mustang every day. Update Some skins and systems are in process this month and are nearing completion. Firewall forward area before the skins are fitted shown here. Rear angle view in this shot, she once again matches her name. Rudder hinge and pushrod shown before the...Continue Reading
by Chuck Cravens The Red Tail mounted in its fixture at the AirCorps Aviation restoration shop with another rare C model, Lope’s Hope 3rd in the background. We are very privileged to have two P-51Cs in the shop at once, truly an unusual sight! Update In last month’s Red Tail update we left off with...Continue Reading
by Chuck Cravens This is a front view of fuselage in the fixture inside the restoration shop working area. CAF Red Tail Squadron’s Tuskegee Airmen P-51C Update Robert Heinlein once said “A generation which ignores history has no past and no future.” This wisdom appears as part of the Commemorative Air Forces’ mission statement. Heinlein’s...Continue Reading
by Chuck Cravens Beautiful paint job by Flying Colors Aviation reflected from a wet ramp. (Photo Credit: Adam Glowaski) Summary The famous Red Tail P-51C, one of the most important educational tools of the Commemorative Air Force, sustained damage during a wheels-up landing in Dallas on February 3rd, 2016. It is very satisfying for those of...Continue Reading
by Chuck Cravens The Red Tail lands after a successful test flight with a background of snow. Update We at AirCorps were honored to be trusted with the repair of this very important warbird. Erik Hokuf and Mark Tisler were quoted in the press release when the Red Tail flew and I think they summed...Continue Reading
