Curious on the backstory behind the photos? This is the place. You'll find not only write ups on local outings, but also reviews of major events I’ve attended.
From The Vault: 2021 Wings Over Dallas WWII Air Show
We revisit the 2021 Wings Over Dallas WWII Air Show!
This show was particularly tough to revisit considering the horrible tragedy occured at the 2022 show, with some of the aircraft and volunteers in the photos having been lost. I've also thrown together some new edits that have never been seen before. Below you'll find the original writeup:
One of the last air shows we try to attend each year is the Commemorative Air Force Wings Over Dallas WWII Air Show which is held annually at the Dallas Executive Airport. The event always promises an extraordinary collection of flyable vintage aircraft, most of which are owned and operated by the CAF. This year's attractions included aircraft rides in a variety of historic aircraft, education day, living history, and an impressive daily air show.
In addition to CAF aircraft, this year's show included an additional P-40 Warhawk joining the fray courtesy of the local Cavanaugh Flight Museum and the Trojan Phlyers AirShow & Racing Team performing formation aerobatics with their T-28 Trojans.
The Commemorative Air Force's mission is to educate, inspire, and honor through flight and living history experiences. Events like Wings Over Dallas show the mission is still going strong 64 years after the organization's inception.
Thank you to all involved for a great show! We will certainly be back again next year.
Flying Heavy Metal
Bruce Dickinson, frontman of iconic metal group Iron Maiden visits the Commemorative Air Force in February 2022.
Iron Maiden frontman, Bruce Dickinson, is no stranger to heavy metal, nor is the Commemorative Air Force B29 B24 Squadron. With a personal connection to the B-24 Liberator and an accomplished pilot himself, Dickinson was a fitting guest at the CAF's Henry B. Tippie National Aviation Education Center in Dallas, Texas in February 2022 - home of the Commemorative Air Force operated B-29 Superfortress "FiFi" and B-24 Liberator "Diamond Lil."
In addition to touring the world for over 40 years with his iconic band, Bruce is a pilot and has accumulated over 7,000 hours of flight time since obtaining his license in the 1990s. He has previously flown Boeing 757s for a British airline, and most notably flew Iron Maiden on multiple tours around the world in Boeing 737s, 757s, and 747s affectionately dubbed "Ed Force One," a homage to the band's mascot, Eddie. In addition to commercial aviation, Bruce has forayed into the air show scene, flying his replica WW1-era Fokker Dr.I Triplane which was made most famous by German flying ace Manfred Von Richthofen, The Red Baron.
Dickinson's visit was not only special because of his passion for historic aviation, but also a deep personal connection to one of the two heavy bombers that call the Education Center's 30,000 sq ft hangar home. Bruce's great uncle served as a B-24 crewmember with the Royal Air Force's 200 Squadron during WWII. Bruce credits his great uncle for getting him into aviation and cherished the opportunity to get up close and personal with the world's only regularly flying example.
After touring the hangar, nose art gallery, and graciously agreeing to a sit-down interview, Dickinson was treated to a flight in a 1953 T-34A Mentor trainer operated by the CAF T-34 Sponsor Group where he was able to get some stick time prior to his spoken-word show at the nearby Majestic Theatre in Downtown Dallas.
A special thanks to our friends at Buffalo Airways for helping set up this wonderful visit and of course, thanks to Bruce for making time to come visit our beloved warbirds!
