Airbase Arizona Mesa, AZ

B-17 Flying Fortress Sentimental Journey More Sentimental Journey Info

Sentimental Journey was originally manufactured and delivered to the U.S. Army Air Forces for war service in 1944 where she flew missions in the Pacific Theater. After the war she flew for training, testing and at-sea rescue missions and was eventually sold for surplus and used as a fire bomber. In 1978 the aircraft was purchased by a Commemorative Air Force (CAF) member and donated to the newly formed Arizona unit of the world-famous CAF. She was meticulously restored and is today maintained in tip-top condition and operated by all-volunteer crews from the membership of CAF Airbase Arizona.

B-25 Mitchell Maid in the Shade More Maid in the Shade Info

B-25J Mitchell “Maid in the Shade” was built in early 1944. She’s very rare – one of 34 B-25Js still flying. Nearly 10,000 were produced.

Used mainly as a low altitude strafe and skip bomber. Was used in America’s first large-scale bombing offensive in the Philippines - sunk 8 ships and shot down 5 planes.

Combat History – Based out of Serraggia Airbase, Corsica from Nov 1 – Dec 31, 1944.

Assigned to:

• 57th Bomb Wing o 319th Bomb Wing o 437th Squadron
• Combat missions flown:
  • 13 over Italy
  • 2 over Yugoslavia

PT-17 Stearman More Info

Wartime Mission: Trainer Aircraft. The Stearman Boeing PT-17 “Kaydet” bi-plane served as a military trainer in the 1930s and 1940s for the USAAF (USAF), US Navy, and the Royal Canadian Air Force. A total of 8,584 were built in the United States and is one of the most recognized trainers of all time. The majority of pilots learned to fly in a Kaydet and were required to solo in this aircraft before receiving pilot wings.

Post-war, the PT-17 was used crop dusting, aerobatics, wing walking and various sport uses. It has also been in the movies seen chasing Cary Grant across a field in North by Northwest and was featured in The Aviator.

SNJ-5 Texan More Info

Wartime Mission: Trained several hundred thousand pilots in 34 countries. Named “the pilot maker” by its crews, it was a trainer aircraft with all the characteristics of a high-speed fighter with more maneuverability and easier handling. It was designed to give the best possible training in all types of tactics, from ground strafing to bombardment and aerial dog-fighting, and contained such versatile equipment as bomb racks, blind-flying instrumentation, gun and standard cameras, fixed and flexible guns, and just about every other device that military pilots had to operate. Today, the SNJ-T6 Texan established a unique racing class at the Reno National Air Races and is a regular... ...

L-16 More Info

Wartime Mission: target-spotting and Liaison with Korea. The L-16 was a US civilian aircraft in military colors. The result of numerous design and engine upgrades throughout its use in WWII and post-war civilian pleasure-flying, it served in the Army throughout the Korean War, where it performed many of the same roles it had in WWII: Target-spotting, observation, general utility, liaison missions, and rescue. Post war, in the late 1950s, quite a few L-16s returned to civilian life, where most of them shed their wartime paint and resumed life as 7BCM or 7CCM Champs, teaching primary students to fly across the US. Still others went on to serve in the US Civil Air Patrol, a civilian... ...

C-45 Expiditor More Info

Wartime Mission:Transport, navigational and weapons trainer, light bomber, photo-reconnaissance, mission liaison, and mothership for drones.The C-45 Expeditor or a variant was initially introduced to the civilian market, but once war broke out, its potential was realized and produced began in large quantities. It was used in every branch of American service during WWII and Korea and remains one of the world’s most widely used light aircraft. The C-45 Expeditor or a variant was initially introduced to the civilian market, but once war broke out, its potential was realized and produced began in large quantities. It was used in every branch of American service during WWII and Korea and... ...

C-47 Skytrain Skytrain "Old Number 30" More Skytrain "Old Number 30" Info

“Old Number 30” is a C-47A produced by Douglas Aircraft in Long Beach, CA and delivered to the Army Air Force in April 1943. The airplane was then assigned to the 60th Troop Carrier Group (TCG), 11th Troop Carrier Squadron (TCS) and flown to the Mediterranean Theatre in May 1943. During the period of 1943-1945 it operated from numerous U.S. and British Airbases in North Africa, Sicily, and Italy. On those missions “Old Number 30” flew invasion troops into Southern Europe, towed gliders during the Invasion of Sicily, dropped spies, propaganda and supplies for the OSS and SOE in Serbia, delivered supplies, artillery and mules to Yugoslav Partisan forces, flew night rescue missions of... ...