Warbird Information Exchange

The kinder gentler CAF lets you paint them any way you want as long as you leave enough billboard space for that ugly ass tattoo.

Bullsh*t!

HQ "personally" had the one for the B-24 custom made and they made it a point to make it the first airplane they ruined...I mean, "tattooed" (FIFI was second). They'll deny it until the end, but after some rather heated meetings with me about the whole idea, a point was being made to me by making Ol' 927 the first one with the sticker. I d*mn near quit over that episode alone, and probably should've, but I stuck it out in time for them to ruin...I mean, "tattoo" other aircraft. I can assure you that the Helldiver and Corsair tramp stamps are EXACTLY where HQ wants them!

I'm done with this conversation. Carry on.

Gary

Ober, Gary, Jack Cook, others.... I feel we're beating a dead horse here. Some of you may not like the logos, but the CAF is a brand and needs some method of recognition. Albeit other methods of aircraft branding could have been implemented, this is the one that was chosen. I don’t feel it ruins aircraft, Gary. If you are saying that all your hard work and dedication to the B-24 was ruined by a simple logo then that’s a shame. That aircraft is informing future generations of Americans of the sacrifices that those young bomber crew men endured. If you have a problem about that, then you should have felt it was “ruined” when the unit picked the nose art, it’s not original but just its more marketable than the US flag that was original to that scheme. I hate to tell you all, but the general public doesn’t care that the logo isn't original. We are all on the same team here, people. If you paint your warbird purple I'd support you, and I'd expect the same. The adage is "Keep 'em Flying", not "Keep 'em Flying in historically accurate paint schemes that represent the era and service of the particular warbird in question".... I may not like the logo, but I understand it.

_________________
Taylor Stevenson

Sorry, but the "US flag that was original to that scheme" ISN'T original to the scheme the B-24 carries today. For the neutrality flag to be accurate the black camouflage would have to carry to the upper portion of the fuselage. Just a little detail that you may have missed. Here is one of the many photos of the night camouflage scheme that I've collected in my research:


And here is the inspiration for what the airplane carries today:


Just thought I'd do a little "informing future generations" by getting the paint scheme facts straight. Place the stickers wherever you please. Since my wife and I are no longer affiliated with your "Brand" we will watch from the sidelines.

Scott

Yup. That pretty well sums it up. I think the nose art was masterfully done by Chad Hill, but if you recall, I desperately tried to get the American Flag "approved" for the reconfiguration. Additionally, I tried to get the approval to have the black paint come up to the top of the fuselage, but I lost that battle as well.

So yes, it is MY opinion (which I should be entitled to) that the hard work I did to that aircraft was indeed ruined.

I understand that I may occasionally sound "out of line" with my CAF comments lately, but I feel I have some reason to feel bitter. After being repeatedly accused of things I didn't do, even as recently as a few weeks ago, I think that me being pretty dang angry is a normal emotion. I applaud many of the things that organization does, but it amazes me how they seem to thrive at burning bridges with people who put their hearts and souls into their aircraft, which I think is fair to say that I was certainly one of those people.

So am I pissed? You bet I am! Is it only about the tramp stamps on the airplanes? Absolutely not. But after being told to "keep it professional" for so long about my opinions on the decals, I think I should be allowed to let those of us here on WIX who love Warbirds to know and understand that I was vehemently opposed to that move by HQ. I can't get in trouble for it now......unless, of course, they come up with some more false accusations to slander me with.

So, in closing with this argument (at least my part of it).....

I have worked hard all my life...but never as hard as I did for the CAF. My involvement with them included some of the proudest moments of my life, but unfortunately, it has also been the trigger for my frequent deep, deep depression that only worsened as my time with them progressed. But to "make up for it," many of those who I thought were not only my co-workers, but also my friends in that organization, have turned on me. I get accused of things I didn't do, and those who know I've done nothing wrong won't defend me. Yup.....I'm pretty pissed, and the bridge is burned.

Good luck to those of you who haven't been burned yet. Just remember, no good deed goes unpunished.

Rant, and whining, over.

Gary

Count on at least two of us who are in your corner, Gary.

Scott and Ellen

Gary,
I think you know how I feel my friend.
Has for Brad, well I'm pretty sure I have his proxy!!

_________________
Don't touch my junk!!

Carefull Gary they might dock your retirement. I'll keep ranting, they only thing they can do to me is not take my dues! One of the reasons I never lifed up.

""but the CAF is a brand and needs some method of recognition.""

Gary's hard work on the B-24A got the CAF huge and positive coverage worldwide.
A whole lot more, BTW, than any decal could.
I'm still waiting to see a photo of the decal on the very weird paint job the P-40N got.
How about forward of the cockpit by Tex's name!

_________________
Don't touch my junk!!

Gary, et all,

Please don't think I'm trying to hijack this thread. I have been an aquaintence of Gary's for a few years now, and aside from a small personal disagreement, have found him to be a ture professional and his hiring was the best thing the CAF has done in many years. It's too bad that other people's egos got in the way and he was forced to leave. I can't even begin to imagine how anyone could have thought that he had any other than the best intentions for the organization during his tenure. Sure, he made people do work that they didn't want to do, but we have far better aircraft because of it. I was truely sorry to see hime leave.

RICK

Gary A.,
If you ever want to come up here and get punished by the 14th Liaison Squadron, we would be honored to have you.

The logos look stupid. I didn't know about them until I saw the Dauntless soiled by one at Reading. The aircraft are what the organization is about, so putting them out there with adequately trained spokesmen should be good. Trash the logos, they look like red, white, and blue airplanes...

_________________
REMEMBER THE SERGEANT PILOTS!

Are you going to put a decal on the L-5?

_________________
If God had wanted man to fly behind a flat motor, Pratt Whitney would've built one.

First off, my Stinson L-5G is privately owned NOT a CAF aircraft. That being said, I would/could not put that logo on my aircraft. However, there is a "Member Owned CAF" decal. I will definitely put the CAF member owned flag in front of my a/c, but not the decal. I own the aircraft, it is my choice. The CAF owns theirs, it is their choice. I have said this time and time again, I am as big of an authenticity nut as the rest of you, maybe more than most, and I am not a big fan of the decal, but it is what the CAF board chose based on the recommendation of the President. If you don't like it, get involved, get elected, and make the change.

Jack Cook... The restoration of the B-24A gained the CAF and Gary a lot of recognition in the Warbird community, HOWEVER 99% of the general public doesn’t know what the heck a B-24A is supposed to look like. That being said, Joe Schmo airshow attendant is going to see a lineup of aircraft at the show that share a common logo and is more likely to wonder, "Wow what is this CAF? they sure own a lot of a/c"... I believe your efforts for being 100% accurate have blinded you from that reality. Not personal, just an observation.

I wish every aircraft could be like Happy Jacks, How Boot That, and even my little plane, but as a fleet there needs to be some common thread between the CAF aircraft. Maybe the logo isn't it, but there has to be something.

_________________
Taylor Stevenson

The fact remains the everybody know who the Confederate Air Force is.
But who the heck are these Commerative guys?? A decal will never fix that

_________________
Don't touch my junk!!

Although I have heard this before, I have never seen real evidence that it is true, and remain somewhat skeptical.

The main reason for my skepticism is that throughout the time when the CAF aircraft didn't wear warpaint, other privately owned flying warbirds did. Apparently without government interference.

I have always wondered if there are any real paper records somewhere of the DOD's opposition to the use of military schemes on warbirds during this period.

August