CAF F-82 update

Fri Feb 06, 2009 11:41 am

Sorry if this is old news...just spotted it at the CAF website:

http://commemorativeairforce.org/?page= ... af432993a4

Last edited by Dan K on Fri Feb 06, 2009 2:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Fri Feb 06, 2009 12:49 pm

I hadn't seen this, so thanks for posting it. I must admit that I am disappointed that we are giving up the fight for flight, but I'm sure that the HQ staff and lawyers decided that we couldn't win against the General after all. I'm sure we will hear "the rest of the story" at the Winter Staff Conference.

Fri Feb 06, 2009 1:12 pm

It sucks that we may have to ground such a great symbol of what the CAF has been trying to do for our country, but at the same time, with the Museum beginning to collect a permanent static collection in addition to the rotation of aircraft into HQ, I think that making the plane a centerpiece of the collection will be acceptable to loosing it all together.

Dan, can you please correct the link to direct to http://www.commemorativeairforce.org ? I know we kept the old domain names to keep others from using them and to ensure everyone goes to the right site, but I know there's been a push to ensure that everything that goes out in public only references the current name.

Fri Feb 06, 2009 2:17 pm

CAPFlyer wrote:
Dan, can you please correct the link to direct to http://www.commemorativeairforce.org ? I know we kept the old domain names to keep others from using them and to ensure everyone goes to the right site, but I know there's been a push to ensure that everything that goes out in public only references the current name.

Corrected.

My apologies for any offense created; none intended.

Fri Feb 06, 2009 5:55 pm

No offense at all. Just trying to keep from having any "complaints" that people aren't using the new name.

Fri Feb 06, 2009 8:30 pm

This situation is very sad to me. For decades (I'm thinking maybe since the late 50's/early 60's at bases in Texas), the CAF has supported the military at open houses/airshows by bringing the great warbirds that were a main draw for the crowds that attended. And always honoring the men and services that fought for our freedom.

The AF already has a static P-82 in their museum, and a static P-82 outside in San Antonio, as we all know. Just don't understand this position.

Fri Feb 06, 2009 9:59 pm

So Steve Brown just mosys' on up to DC and has a chat with the AF. OK.....but not being a lawyer I would like to know how two opposing sides in an on going law suit get together and have a chat? Hey I think its great, and if you go back in the discusssion on this topic you will see that I proposed just such action, although it should have been done before Steve coming on board. Maybe there is hope in this litigious society yet. Don't know how to take the compromise as it is one thing that drew our widely scattered membership together."COME ON TEAM LETS GET TOGETHER, TOUGHEN UP, TIGHTEN OUR PURSE STRINGS AND..................PUNT????" Well one way or the other I have finally found out how to get information out of Midland.............just read it here.

Fri Feb 06, 2009 10:04 pm

Or go to the CAF website... that's what it's there for.

Sat Feb 07, 2009 7:01 am

If they only keep it as a static, the CAF might as well give it back to the AF!

Sat Feb 07, 2009 8:09 am

Fouga23 wrote:If they only keep it as a static, the CAF might as well give it back to the AF!

I don't know about that. Times may change someday.

Ryan

Sat Feb 07, 2009 8:25 am

Fouga23 wrote:If they only keep it as a static, the CAF might as well give it back to the AF!

It's been on static for like 10 years.

Sat Feb 07, 2009 9:26 am

MD, try twenty. But not for lack of trying. At least she had the potential to fly if the stars all lined up. This way she's guaranteed not to fly.

I'll ask the question one more time, if the General is so concerned about F-82s why in the heck doesn't he do something positive with the one that he already has ? Does he just get a kick out of throwing his weight around ? I'd be willing to bet that threats were made against other aircraft in the fleet and rather than risk many for one, Steve Brown and the General Staff decided to not risk it and rolled over.

In other words, what will it take to make you go away ?

Sat Feb 07, 2009 10:00 am

from the site:

In it he requested that CAF retain the F-82 on static display in Midland and sign a loan agreement with the Air Force Museum.

In other words, give it back to the AF and admitting they never held title to the aircraft. I'd go with the appeal trial!

Sat Feb 07, 2009 11:03 am

RickH wrote:MD, try twenty. But not for lack of trying. At least she had the potential to fly if the stars all lined up. This way she's guaranteed not to fly.

I'll ask the question one more time, if the General is so concerned about F-82s why in the heck doesn't he do something positive with the one that he already has ? Does he just get a kick out of throwing his weight around ? I'd be willing to bet that threats were made against other aircraft in the fleet and rather than risk many for one, Steve Brown and the General Staff decided to not risk it and rolled over.

In other words, what will it take to make you go away ?

People seem to think that the General just enjoys throwing his weight around. The truth is that believe what you like, he is for the preservation of these aircraft. The things he has done in Dayton alone are mind blowing. The level of restoration has gone through the roof, and even went back and redid some of the older restorations. The fact here is not one that we all like. The NMUSAF isn't trying to take the plane because the CAF was going to fly it at all. But because they were going to sell it. And the NMUSAF states that they have title to it. Any one of you here would do the same thing if you thought you owned something that someone else was trying to sell. It is just funny how some are so hell bent on not likeing the NMUSAF, the government, and the General, that they have no problem attmepting to bend the facts to make them out to be evil.

Sat Feb 07, 2009 12:09 pm

Watching/reading this for lo, these many months, I would suggest that if you really like Warbirds (like most of the posters on WIX) that you really must belong to a sizeable organization like the CAF or EAA. If the CAF membership were even larger, would it give them more "muscle" in disputes like these?
Even if the answer is no, these two (very different) Warbird groups positively promote the Warbird movement and are responsible, directly and indirectly, for saving many Warbirds, let alone displaying and flying them.
Thanks heavens that Scott and his merry band keep this site going for us all to enjoy, but, after contributing to WIX, go join one or both of these groups to more actively support Warbirds.
...stepping off soapbox now...
Thanks for reading,
John