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From: john@newave.mn.org (John A. Weeks III)
Newsgroups: sci.aeronautics,sci.military
Subject: Re: Confederate Air Force
Message-ID: <1991Jun4.040241.9195@amd.com>
Date: 2 Jun 91 01:24:47 GMT
References: <1991Jun1.012543.27386@amd.com>
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From: john@newave.mn.org (John A. Weeks III)


> From: jem3@pyuxf.cc.bellcore.com (John E McKillop)
> FLASH: The Confederate Air Force is moving from Harlingen, Texas to
> Midland International Airport, Midland, Texas. Understand the move
> is currently underway and the October (?) airshow will be held in
> Midland. The new CAF Museuem offically opens on 7 Dec 91 I think.

Not exactly a 'news flash', the move has been planned for quite some time.

The CAF wanted to expand, but the airport in Harlingen was too crowded.
The city of Harlingen chose to encourage commercial development over the
CAF, so the CAF decided to move.

The CAF was also having problems with the salt air on the coast causing the
airframes to corrode very rapidly.  Moving inland will help preserve the
aircraft.

The annual Ghost Squadron airshow last October was billed as the last major
airshow in the (Rio Grande) valley.

The move was originally scheduled to be made over the course of two years,
with no annual airshow.  The CAF would tour some of its planes to honor the
50th aniversary of WWII.  This is one of the reasons that the Tora! Tora! 
Tora! show is touring many airshows this summer.  Howard Purdue offered to
make his annual memorial day weekend airshow at Brekenridge the offical CAF
airshow, which the CAF accepted.  The CAF then figured out that it could move
more rapidly than they originally thought.  So now they are going to have a
Ghost Squadron show afterall on Oct 11-13 in Midland TX.

The big event on Dec 7 is the dedication of the CAF facilities.  Rumor
has it that President Bush will use the CAF event for a major speach
honoring the 50th anniversary of Pearl Harbor, and other rumors indicate
that other dignitaries will also attend.

If you have any interest in warbirds, you should try to visit the annual
CAF Ghost Squadron show at least once in your lifetime.  The show features
lots of flying, with 25 warbirds in the air at once during one point last
year.  You will see planes that you might not otherwise get to see, like
the B-29.  And the whole show atmosphere is more airplane oriented than
money oriented.  You can walk the flight line and watch near the planes
as they fire them up and taxi out.  The soda prices are reasonable, the
food is excellent yet inexpensive, and the people were very nice.

-- 
John A. Weeks III               (612) 942-6969             john@newave.mn.org
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