Some History of the Missouri Wing CAF
The Missouri Wing of the Commerative Air Force is a proud group of volunteers who have been able to endure the ravages of multiple disasters over the past few years.
This appeal to the general public is designed to educate people about the problems in maintaining our fifty (plus) year old aircraft. We hope to generate some interest and financial assistance to help us in our never ending quest to keep our planes flying.
Being an all volunteer organization means we rely solely on our members for the expert skills needed to perform the maintenance and restoration on our planes. All of our funding comes from donations, dues and fund raising events. We receive no government funding or grants of any kind at the Wing level.
A short history :
The Missouri Wing found itself dealing with the flood of the century. Being situated very close to the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers meant we could do very little to keep the raging flood waters out of our facility. The old hump backed World War Two hangar that we call home was inundated with as much as eight feet of water. The sight was terrible. All our aircraft were removed to the safety of higher ground but we couldn't move the hangar.
Not beaten by a flood, our members quickly started the long and tedious task of clean up and rebuilding. To this day we are not fully recovered. We still find things that we occasionally need that were destroyed by flood water.
By the time September, 1994 rolled around the Wing felt it was well on the way to recovery. Then disaster struck again. During preparations for our annual big band hangar dance an electrical fire destroyed one of our hangars. Again we were fortunate to have had no planes in the building that burned. The fire represented another setback. Our spirit was still strong, the dance went on with the aroma of the burnt building next door wafting through the nostrils of the crowd.
The spring of 1995 brought more flooding to the airport. Our buildings are at the highest part of the airport but we were not taking any chances. Everything we could move was loaded into tractor trailers and moved to the safety of higher ground. Fortunately, the flood didn't make it into our building this time. We were out of business for about six weeks while our equipment was in storage.
The fall of 1995 brought another surprise for the Colonels of the Missouri Wing. Our beautiful B-25 bomber suffered an unknown engine problem in flight, prompting the pilots to shut down the problematic power plant and land with one engine. After careful inspection it was decided we needed to overhaul one of our big Wright R-2600 engines. It would cost about $35,000.00 to have the work done by a qualified specialist.
The engine was sent out for overhaul in the fall of 1995. Hope was we would have it reinstalled in time for the 1996 season.
1996 brought great hopes of a successful season on the air show circuit. Other circumstances prevailed, however. Corrosion was found in a fuel cell cavity in the nacelle behind the removed engine. Other cavities of similar size and location were immediately suspect. The decision was made to remove both wings from the air frame so that a proper inspection and repair program could be undertaken. The entire 1996 air show season would be missed.
Now here we are at the end of the season. Our B-25 is starting to go back together following completion of a very extensive inspection and repair plan. It looks as though we may have the opportunity to make some maintenance flights late this fall or early next spring.
Never to be discouraged, the members and volunteers of the Missouri Wing were looking forward to the 1997 season. Finances had been drained while we've made repairs to the B-25 and paid our rent with little or none of our normal income derived from the operation of our planes.
Over the course of the summer when we should have been going to every airshow in the area in Show-Me we were working on the troublesome starboard engine. It was getting to the point that some of our members feel like they can take a B-25 engine off and put it back on in their sleep (not a good thing). We made it through the year relying on the fund raisers that have kept us afloat through the lean years - The Fall Hangar Dance and the PX trailer and last but, not least the hard work of our membership.
Contiued the maintenace and repair on the airframe of Show-Me while waiting for the engine to come back again. March 1998 the engine is back and returned to the starboard side of Show-Me where it belongs. April 1998 we hear the sound of two good B-25 engines running. August 1998 - not again - we had a main bearing failure on the starboard engine in Davenport. Back to square one AGAIN! We aquired a "different" engine from a different rebuilder and through the herculean efforts of our members replaced the engine in Davenport. Then more problems with the supercharger on the "new" engine. December 1998 starboard "new" engine finally installled and performing to specifications. Show-Me is flown back to St. Louis. She was flown to Lambert field to await some much needed paint.
Feburary - the wonderful people at Boeing and their suppliers have donated paint and labor to give our Show-Me a beautiful paint job. March - Show-Me finally returns to her home at Smartt Field - looking absolutely superb. A sucessful air show season!- Show-Me performed beautifully. Alton, Malden, Poplar Bluff, Cape Girardeau, Springfield, Davenport, Minneapolis, Whiteman Air Force Base, Offutt Air force Base, Spirit of St. Louis, and Midland. All air shows that Show-Me was a participant in YEAH YEAH YEAH!!! - after so many years of struggling Show-Me is back in operation. We did have a sad note to add at the end of 1999 our T-6 crashed on landing due to a un-predictable wind gust - luckily nobody was hurt but, the plane was a total loss.
July - So far things have been looking up this year. We have been to numerous Air Shows and events. Show-Me has been running very well. The Spring Fling was a great success and we are continuing the air show season. Come on out and see us. We welcome visitors into our hangar and our museum. We ask for a small donation in the museum to help us make expenses.
September - To quote from our illustrious Wing Leader Chet Davis - "The hangar dance was a tremendous success. In fact even Col. Bob Moore was smiling before it was all over. He was very pleased wth the effort of the members that helped out at one time or another during the four days."
There is a new airplane at SMARTT field!!!!!
The biggest news at the MO-WING is the arrival of the TBM from Troy Alabama. The TBM was flown in September 27th and was a beautiful site to behold. Col. Tim Jackson flew her home and reported no problems. Col. Phil Bamberger ferried Cols. Paul Klugnam, Tim, and Dutch Meyerpeter to Troy Alabama to pickup the TBM.
October - We had a "fair" air show season but, the last of the summer Show-Me's left engine decided to stop making full power. Diagnosed with a problem with the supercharger. We are now in waiting for the rebuilt engine from Texas to be available.
You can make donations to the Missouri Wing in any amount. Five dollars will help us pay for postage costs or the utility bills at the hangar. Twenty five dollars will buy a couple of new spark plugs for the bomber (each of our two engines has twenty eight spark plugs!) Fifty dollars will help us print our news letter. Send us whatever amount you can afford. You can rest assured your money will be used carefully. We don't waste money on lavish business trips like the big corporations do. We make every penny count. Yours will be gratefully appreciated and fully documented for your tax deduction.
Won't you consider helping to keep our planes flying? It will mean a great deal to those who enjoy seeing and learning about the great planes of the World War Two era. After all, that is what the Commerative Air Force was chartered for. We here in the Missouri Wing are determined to continue the goals and objectives set down by the great men who had the foresight to begin our task for us.
Send your checks or money orders made out to the Missouri Wing/CAF to PO Box 637, St. Charles, MO 63302-0637.
Phone number 636-250-4515
Thank you very much,