Flying Legends Museum

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1 Texas Flying Legends Museum Honoring the past, inspiring the future by Moose and Jake Peterson JAKE PETERSON 20 APRIL 2014

2 P-40 Grimes Field was reminiscent of a WWII aerodrome with 20 B-25s coming and going. It was the 70th anniversary of the Doolittle Raid, and Grimes was the rallying point prior to the flight to Wright-Patterson. We had just arrived when I received a text, We re in the museum. Casey Odegaard had texted, so off we walked. We had just walked into the Champaign Aviation Museum when we were greeted by all these smiles and, Did you ask him, did you ask him? Bob Odegaard said, He just got here. That was our first introduction to the passion and drive of the Texas Flying Legends Museum (TFLM) crew. It s a passion so encompassing that we were instantly bitten, and years later we re still very much involved with the museum and its mission. The Texas Flying Legends Museum is dedicated to honoring past generations and inspiring the leaders of tomorrow through active display of WWII warbirds, said its president, Tyson Voelkel. Highlighting the drivers behind America s success, our programs serve to remind us of the values and freedoms that make our country great and to challenge visitors to give back to their local communities. We are proud to do our part to ensure that America remains the land of the free and the home of the brave. The Texas Flying Legends Museum is unique because it takes its mission and exhibits to the public. Its amazing squadron of mostly Heritage winners flies in with nostalgic romance, presenting the historic profile of our aviation legacy. At the stick of these aircraft are some of our best pilots today who bring to life these majestic aircraft with their knowledge of not only flight but also their role in our history. And the TFLM unfolds this all for the public by bringing the vets who flew the aircraft at their inception to share their story and bring history to life. This is like no other museum. The Squadron It all started August 27, 2010, when inspiration and logistics wizard Ed Bosarge acquired the P-51D Dakota Kid II from Hank Reichert. At the time, the Mustang was home at the Dakota Territory Air Museum. A month later, the other heart and soul of TFLM, Bruce Eames, bought the P-51D Little Horse, and the squadron was born. All the aircraft in the squadron are amazing flying examples of their types. The flying squadron (because there are a number of aircraft in restoration to be added in the future) includes today: A6M2 Model 21 Zero Last Samurai, B-25J Betty s Dream, P-51D Dakota Kid II, P-40K Aleutian Tiger, FG-1D Whistling Death, P-51D Little Horse, FM-2P Wild Cat, TBM-3E Avenger, Harvard Mk. IV, L-5/OY-1 Sentinel, and C-53 Skytrooper. The Texas Flying Legends A6M2-21 was restored from a wreck discovered in the Ballale Island jungles in the Solomons in In 1968 Bob Diemert recovered several wrecked Japanese aircraft, and from these he completed two Zeros, which were going to museums. He sold the rest of the remaining parts in the 90s to John and Earl Calverley, who constructed the Nakajima A6M2 by duplicating about 14,000 parts from originals, with 5 percent of the plane being original. The paint scheme was based on an A6M-21 shot down and photographed by Americans on Russell Island. The final restoration is stunning, praised by Japanese aeronautical engineers and other world experts. The one modification from the original is its Pratt & Whitney It is the only A6M2-21 still flying in the world! The Texas Flying Legend s Corsair is a thing of beauty! On July 26, 1945, the Navy accepted FG-1D Bu.No It never saw war, but it was moved about the country as a trainer and then put in reserve until Originally designed and built by Vought (FU), Goodyear (FG) contrib- 21

Here are just some highlights of the great detail seen in this FG-1D: functional tail hook system complete with wooden tail hook alignment strips, unmodified instrument panel with original

3 Zero B-25 uted to the number of Corsairs constructed as the aircraft played a major role in the U.S. island-hopping campaign in World War II. Taking the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2010 trophy for best WWII aircraft, the restoration of this aircraft is top-shelf! Here are just some highlights of the great detail seen in this FG-1D: functional tail hook system complete with wooden tail hook alignment strips, unmodified instrument panel with original instruments, functional fluorescent cockpit lighting, three-point canopy rearview mirrors, functional pilot s relief tube, original WWII radio, working Mk. 8 gunsight, functional 16-millimeter gun camera, original Corsair engine, and much more. The Texas Flying Legend s P-40K is one of two found in a marsh in Russia. It was part of the lend-lease program with Russia and crash-landed in Murmansk after mixing it up with JG-5 German aircraft. Most likely, the P-40s were flown across Canada, then the Aleutians, and then Siberia to the western front. JLt II. Mikhajlov, pilot of one of the P-40s, became disorientated after the combat with the JG-5 and crash-landed in the marsh on the Kola Peninsula. They were discovered in 1991 and brought back to the States, and restoration was completed by Warhawks Inc. in The P-40K was painted in the markings of the 11th Fighter Group, 343rd Fighter Group that was based in the Aleutian Islands, the Tigers. Betty s Dream has been called by its restorer, Carl Scholl, at Aero Trader, as one of the finest restored B-25s flying today! It memorializes Capt. Charles E. Pop Rice Jr., who was the operations officer of the 499th Squadron in the New Guinea campaign. The B-25s were modified with extra fuel tanks and nose guns for low-level strafing attacks. Rice was assigned to Betty s Dream in June of The aircraft was a late-model B-25J with standard squadron and group markings. Copiloted by Lt. Victor Tatelman, Betty s Dream escorted two Betty bombers carrying the Japanese peace envoys to Ie Shima on August 19, 1945, and again on the return mission from the conference in Manila with Gen. MacArthur s staff. By the time 22 APRIL 2014

C-53 these talks ended World War II, Betty s Dream carried 22 mission symbols and two silhouettes representing sunken Japanese ships. All of the TFLM aircraft have the same astounding legacy.

The TBM-3E Avenger is a WWII vet; paperwork links it with the sinking of a Japanese ship and participating in the flyover during the signing of the surrender in Tokyo Harbor.

The C-53 is the latest acquisition a DC-3 that was converted to a C-53 and was the star of Warbird Alley, EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2013.

4 C-53 these talks ended World War II, Betty s Dream carried 22 mission symbols and two silhouettes representing sunken Japanese ships. All of the TFLM aircraft have the same astounding legacy. The FM-2P Wildcat came from the Howard Pardue collection. The TBM-3E Avenger is a WWII vet; paperwork links it with the sinking of a Japanese ship and participating in the flyover during the signing of the surrender in Tokyo Harbor. The L-5 OY-1 Sentinel is a gorgeous restoration that won the Heritage in Reno The C-53 is the latest acquisition a DC-3 that was converted to a C-53 and was the star of Warbird Alley, EAA AirVenture Oshkosh Corsair JAKE PETERSON Flying Their Mission The TFLM crew had brought along with Betty s Dream the Zero, Corsair, Mustang, and P-40 to Grimes for the gathering. The question the crew wanted to ask was Do you want to go flying? The TFLM had a mission after the Doolittle reunion ceremony flight at Wright-Patterson. There were two WWII vets a P-47 pilot and a B-25 crew member brothers who were to be honored with an evening flight. Our flight with the two brothers, Herb and Walter, took place late in the evening as the sun was bouncing off the horizon. As planned, Herb JAKE PETERSON 23

JAKE PETERSON Stachler (who passed away fall 2013) wasn t told until almost the props turned that he would be riding in the back of Dakota Kid II, with his brother Walter flying at the waist gun of

The 18-minute twilight flight brought nothing but smiles on the faces of the brothers that you could see clearly in the windows of the aircraft.

7 JAKE PETERSON Stachler (who passed away fall 2013) wasn t told until almost the props turned that he would be riding in the back of Dakota Kid II, with his brother Walter flying at the waist gun of Betty s Dream. The smiles on their faces told the whole story! We were very fortunate that Panchito volunteered to be the photo platform for the flight. The 18-minute twilight flight brought nothing but smiles on the faces of the brothers that you could see clearly in the windows of the aircraft. Herb in the back of the P-51D was all thumbs-up the entire flight. And once on the ground, Walter said, My last flight I didn t land with the plane. (He had to bail out after his B-25 was damaged.) As a toast with some fine scotch was hoisted, the brothers and all the pilots of all the aircraft were all smiles as stories from the flight and the past echoed off the tail of Betty s Dream. Honoring our vets of the past goes beyond just giving them rides. At Oshkosh 2013 at Warbird Alley, TFLM brought history to life. TFLM had brought in a number of vets such as Vic Tatelman, Herb Stachler, Bill Tiger Lyons, Don McKibben, Joe McPhail, David Born, and Clarence Clancy Hess who spoke to the crowd about their experiences flying the aircraft during the war. During one presentation, the backdrop was the C-53, fresh out of paint, looking gorgeous. Then with the help of a great group of WWII re-enactors and with great narration, invasion stripes were painted on the C-53 just as it had been done in England, June 4, 1944, with mops and pails. It was the most amazing thing to watch not only the painting of the 26 APRIL 2014

In 2012 TFLM flew its show for President Bush at his Kennebunkport home.

8 JAKE PETERSON invasion stripes but also how the public was absorbed in the history they were reliving! A very special mission very few have heard that TFLM flew was for a WWII TBM pilot who had to ditch his TBM after a bomb run on a radar installation. In 2012 TFLM flew its show for President Bush at his Kennebunkport home. On a return visit, the pilots of TFLM were invited to the former president s home where they presented him with the TFLM flight jacket and spoke about their shared passion of flight. During the TBM dedication, former President Bush was present and was able to watch his son and grandson fly in the TFLM TBM. The TFLM has three homes: Ellington Field, Texas; Dakota Air Museum, Minot, North Dakota; and Wiscasset, Maine. The squadron moves between these home bases throughout the air. It performs its show at these home bases as well as shows en route. In 2013, because of the sequester, the TFLM flew over the graduation for the Air Force Academy. And as the planes are ferried between locations, they have to put down to fuel. More than once as these amazing aircraft come into a small airport, the whole town turns out to see the aircraft and talk to the pilots. More than once, these folks have met a WWII vet and made a new friend. The mission of the TFLM is simplistic in nature yet complex in execution. Using some of the finest flying examples of the aircraft that defined our world, it attracts the public to its wings. With personal contact and TFLM pilots and vets, it tells 27

JAKE PETERSON the story of the aircraft and the men who manned them to win a war, setting the stage for the freedoms we enjoy today.

By supporting our veterans and sharing with them past history, TFLM not only preserves it but also makes it possible for many to relive it again today.

The Team When it comes to flying these aircraft and their mission, the pilots of the TFLM are very humble.

9 JAKE PETERSON the story of the aircraft and the men who manned them to win a war, setting the stage for the freedoms we enjoy today. TFLM engages its audience and at times challenges audience members to get involved with their heritage and the direction their country is heading. By supporting our veterans and sharing with them past history, TFLM not only preserves it but also makes it possible for many to relive it again today. It s a mission with as humble yet as important a goal as the aircraft TFLM flies! The Team When it comes to flying these aircraft and their mission, the pilots of the TFLM are very humble. They are the first to embrace the youngsters and give them a personal tour of the aircraft. They drop whatever they are doing when a vet stops by and will talk for hours with him. But include their names in a sentence saying they are the best legends and they run for the hills! It s not until you re on the inside and you see the logistics of mov- 28 APRIL 2014

ing all these aircraft to all the shows of which the TFLM is a part it s not until you see the hours and hours of planning and briefs that go into flights and watch their walking through their

You ll see on the side of their caps a very simple mission statement, which they exemplify in their actions: Sacrifice above self.

10 ing all these aircraft to all the shows of which the TFLM is a part it s not until you see the hours and hours of planning and briefs that go into flights and watch their walking through their history-telling performances and the hours spent in the air perfecting their craft do you understand just how dedicated these very talented pilots truly are. You ll see on the side of their caps a very simple mission statement, which they exemplify in their actions: Sacrifice above self. The Texas Flying Legends Museum is here to remind our younger generations of the virtue, strength, pride, and valor that each member of our armed forces carried with them during a period of time when our country needed them most. We hope that these pristine warbirds can provide a sense of inspiration for those who have not experienced war firsthand, and most importantly honor all veterans and their loved ones, while inspiring the next generation. The legends, the men who flew the aircraft in WWII, the planes themselves, and the pilots who fly them today are an incredible part of our aviation heritage. Texas Flying Legends Museum honoring the past, inspiring the future. A special thanks to the TFLM crew Warren Pietsch, Doug Rozendaal, Casey Odegaard, Alan Miller, Sam Graves, Mike Schiffer, Mark Murphy, Bernie Vasquez, Tyson Voelkel, Bruce Eames, and Ed Bosarge for all it does in keeping our history alive! by Jean Barbaud

ENGLISH TEXT SUMMARY NOTES Dear America- Letters Home from Vietnam

ENGLISH TEXT SUMMARY NOTES Dear America- Letters Home from Vietnam Text guide by: Hannah Young Dear America Letters Home from Vietnam 2 Copyright TSSM 2010 TSSM ACN 099 422 670 ABN 54 099 422 670 A: Level