Warbird Information Exchange

With Fifi having engine problems, what is the status of Diamond Lil? Will she be going it alone with some type of tour?

Well, Fifi and Diamond Lil were supposed to be at the Indianapolis Air Show in August, and with Fifi's problems the removed Fifi but Diamond Lil is still on the schedule. So possibly.

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"Keep 'em Flying!"

Yes, Diamond Lil is going out on tour. She is leaving Midland on Monday morning, heading towards Huntsville, AL. I just ran her up this afternoon and everything is doing great so far! Some of our crew is washing her as I type this, as Andy and I are starting to work things out for the engine change program on FIFI. Lil's tour schedule will differ slightly from the one that it was going to have with FIFI, as some places just don't want the B-24 without the B-29. Our guys are trying to keep the schedule up to date on our website: http://www.cafb29b24.org/cal/calendar.php

I hope this helps,
Gary Austin
Crew Chief, B-29/B-24 Squadron
Commemorative Air Force

Gary, I'm just curious as to what your appearance fee is for the B-29 & B-24 for an air show.

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"Keep 'em Flying!"

Ahh, that is a good question. I hear things sometimes, but am not privvy to any exact information regarding appearance fees. I think we have a basic number, but it will vary somewhat from show to show. We try to work with airshows and sponsor groups to fit in their budgets and it also deeply depends on how far we have to travel to get to a particular location. We try to stay within two or three hours from our next stop. That tends to keep the amount of fuel burn down.

I'm sorry if that's too vague an answer for you, but I try to stay out of the money part of this operation on purpose.

Gary

I saw the 1966 Mexican film "La Vida de Pedro Infante", a biopic of the beloved Mexican singer and actor, on TV the other day and its final scenes recreated Infante's fatal crash in a B-24 on April 15, 1957. I was surprised to see that they used Diamond Lil in her previous identity of XC-CAY for the flying sequences (although the cockpit shots were done in a DC-4!)

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All right, Mister Dorfmann, start pullin'!
Pilot: "Flap switch works hard in down position."
Mechanic: "Flap switch checked OK. Pilot needs more P.T." - Flight report, TB-17G 42-102875 (Hobbs AAF)

That's awesome! I didn't know of any flying footage of Lil before the CAF had her. Very cool.

Gary Austin

Gary ~ Thanks for the heads-up about Diamond Lil's ~ best wishes for a safe and successful 2006 Tour !

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Blue Skies .....

Peter

Consolidated by US state ~ see if there's a heavy bomber tour stop coming to an airport near you ...... http://www.bomberflight.info

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