Warbird Information Exchange

Brad:
I did find out the story behind the CG4 glider and the R4B helio. Both, at some point prior to my heavy involvement with the CAF, were deemed by the powers that be at the time (the General Staff) to be difficult to impossible to restore to flying condition. The helio used an odd-ball Warner engine that was no longer available (or repairable), and the glider was actually parts and pieces of three or four, with the fuse center section about the only thing recognizable. Hence those two machines were given to the museum side of the CAF (there are actually 4 different corporate entities that make up the CAF...long story about why...). The helio is in museum storage and will eventually become an exhibit. Some parts of the glider were incorporated into a D-Day exhibit here, other parts were sold/loaned/swapped (I'm not sure which) to the Silent Wings museum in Lubbock, and some pieces are in outside storage at HQ.
Re: the airplanes in Harlingen that the CAF "allowed" to be scrapped...actually, I believe those airframes belonged to the Air Force and the city of Harlingen and the AF had final say over them. With the exception of a PBY (not located in Harlingen), everything that could be moved from Harlingen to Midland was moved. (I worked with the guy who oversaw the move; he's my source)...Re: the Mossie bits and pieces...I don't believe the CAF ever owned outright a Mossie, just like the CAF never "owned" the six P-47s that came out of So. America. Lots of rather interesting transactions happened in the old days at Harlingen, and things are a bit hard to trace, but I've got access to all of the logs, etc, of all the airplanes that were officially in the fleet...Not saying those are definitive sources, but one would think they were.
Hope this answered some questions....
Bill Coombes
General Staff

Hey Brad... remember keep your butt safe! I too was a long time "outside member". I worked with the film/video company for years that produced the Airsho' video's etc.. hung out at Breckinridge (didn't know ya then) .... but a few years ago, bit the bullet and joined up.... Wrote a couple of scathing emails to some General Staffers and they sent me back to "Old Shep" himself... Bill Coombes... Airsho' Chairman and now a few years later... on the General Staff himself... He took my criticisms, thoughts, etc and probably really wanted to send it to to the trash, but Bill is a bigger man than I, and has graciously allowed me to contribute to Airsho'. Now that was said to get here..... The CAF is not perfect, was not perfect, and will not be perfect... But the only way to enact changes within an organization is to BE IN that organization. Yes people get mad and leave 'cause of whatever.... How many type "A" personalities can you cram in a room with everyone wanting to lead the way..... sounds like some officers I know still active.... Anyway, we always will need passionate people to help keep us going... Now on the plus side I have been able to fly in, film, and photograph some wonderfully unique aircraft and meet people from all around the world who love aviation and history. Yes, we have taken more than our share of lumps and bumps, some deservedly so and some very tragic. You want a sponsor? I'll put my name down for ya! Alan Brooks

Just to add on the Mosquito. It was a pile of wood scrapes that I believe came from one that sat at San Antonio airport for years before ending up in harlingen. I've only been around 26 years in the CAF, but I remember the Mosquito as just a few pieces. I also saw it in SA years before. The CG4A's- some belonged to the silent wings museum and were loaned to the CAF. They took them back when they had the room at the new Lubbock location. The R4B had a group out of El Paso who wanted to rebuild it. One of the main problems was the transmission which could not be located. The one with it was not the proper one, I believe.

_________________

Blue Skies,
Doug

www.cavanaughflightmuseum.com