Gulf Coast Wing
Encyclopedia
The Gulf Coast Wing of the Commemorative Air Force
is a United States historical air display organization which includes two sub-groups that participate in the display of vintage aircraft and public military history education about military aviation during World War II and beyond.
at airshows. Designed as a living history lesson, "Tora, Tora, Tora" is intended as a memorial to all the soldiers on both sides who gave their lives for their countries.
Tora, Tora, Tora began in 1972, when six T-6 Texan training aircraft were modified to replicate Japanese aircraft for use in the movie of the same name. After filming, they were donated to the CAF. The Gulf Coast Wing requested assignment of the aircraft and at once began developing an act for presentation at air shows. The act debuted at the Galveston Air Show on June 25, 1972. By 1977, Tora had gained national exposure, and by 1978, Tora began to make international appearances in Canada
and Mexico
.
In 1991 Tora participated extensively in the 50th anniversary year commemorations of the Pearl Harbor
attack.
Throughout the 90s, Tora was in heavy demand at air shows throughout the country, and as recently as the Spring of 2000, Tora aircraft and pilots participated in the filming of a new movie release by Disney called Pearl Harbor
, which focused on that attack. As of the 2007 air show season, the men and women of Tora have been performing as a professional air show act for over 35 years.
Besides the Japanese Zeros, Kates, and Vals, the act has also included U.S. fighters to represent the handful of American pilots who were able to scramble against the attackers. The CAF's B-17G "Texas Raiders
" has also flown in the Tora act, to represent the B-17s that were enroute to Pearl from the mainland and arrived during the attack.
Guinness World Records recently certified the 10178.3 feet (3,102.3 m) wall of fire at the MCAS Yuma Air Show on March 14, 2009 as the longest wall of fire, ever. Nearly two miles long, this pyro spectacular was created by the Bomb Squad of Tora, Tora, Tora.
’s Gulf Coast Wing "Texas Raiders
" group maintains and flies the B-17G Flying Fortress (former U.S. Navy PB-1W) named "Texas Raiders", which is based at David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport
(KDWH) in Tomball, Texas
.
The ship was built in 1944 by Douglas Aircraft Corporation at the Long Beach, California
plant under license from Boeing
. On July 12, 1945, she was delivered to the U.S. Army Air Corps as B-17G-95-DL 44-83872. Number 44-83872 was one of the last 20 B-17s built by Douglas. On July 21, 1945, all 20 were transferred to the U.S. Navy to serve as PB-1W Patrol Bombers. 44-83872 was assigned the U.S. Navy Bureau of Aeronautics
Number 77235.
The Navy used PB-1Ws as the original Airborne Warning and Command System or AWACS aircraft, as well as for electronic countermeasures
, anti-submarine warfare
and hurricane hunters
. The Navy sealed up the bomb bay doors, installed 300 gallon wing-mounted drop tanks and the AN/APS-20 Seasearch Radio Detection and Ranging (RADAR
) equipment in a bulbous housing below the former bomb bay. Radio direction finder
(RDF), instrument landing system
(ILS), and long range navigation (LORAN
) was also installed at this time. She was not painted, but waxed to prevent corrosion, and kept her original Browning M2 machine guns.
In January 1955, VW-1 phased out PB-1W operations for the new Lockheed
PO-1W and WV-2 (Navy versions of the EC-121 Warning Star
) based on the Lockheed Constellation
airframe. January 1955 BuNo 77235 was placed in Flyable Storage Status until officially retired from Naval service on August 25, 1955 with 3257 hours flying time accrued. It was one of the last B-17s left in service at the time and one of only 3 PB-1Ws saved from the scrapyard or scavenging.
Aero Service Corporation bought BuNo 77235 for $17,500 and on October 1 of 1957, was registered as N7227C and then used as an aerial surveying platform. She was sold in 1961 and used as an aerial photographic aircraft by ACS Inc. until September 22, 1967.
The Confederate Air Force acquired her for $50,000 and she was issued the "Tail Number" N7227C. She was white with a large United States flag on the tail and a Confederate States of America
Battle Flag was added to it after the CAF purchase. Assigned to the Gulf Coast Wing by the CAF in 1972, Texas Raiders has undergone many changes to put her back to the B-17 G model configuration that flew with the United States Army Air Corps
in the European Theatre of Operations under the "Mighty" Eighth Air Force
.
She was named "Texas Raiders
" during her first CAF restoration in the 1960s as a memorial to Texas aviators who served. Texas Raiders also underwent a $300,000 restoration and rebuild project from 1983 to 1986, and is currently finishing a lengthy and costly main spar replacement project, started in 2001 due to FAA Airworthiness Directive
# 2001-22-06 citing corrosion in the wings. The most recent refurb cost in the neighborhood 200 thousand dollars to complete.
Texas Raiders took to the air once again on October 13, 2009, still painted in the combat colors commemorating the U.S. Army Air Corps 8th Air Force, 1st Air Division, 381st Bombardment Group (Heavy), 533rd Bombardment Squadron's plane "hull number" X.
The 381st Bombardment Group was formed at Pyote Air Force Base
and was assigned to Ridgewell
Airfield in Essex
, England
, about six miles from Haverhill
.
Since her return to flight, she has visited many airshows and fly-ins, and the Gulf Coast Wing sells warbird experience rides to help defray her operating expenses.
Commemorative Air Force
The Commemorative Air Force , formerly known as the Confederate Air Force, is a Texas-based non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and showing historical aircraft at airshows primarily throughout the U.S. and Canada...
is a United States historical air display organization which includes two sub-groups that participate in the display of vintage aircraft and public military history education about military aviation during World War II and beyond.
"Tora! Tora! Tora!" group
The Tora, Tora, Tora group recreates the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii that signaled the beginning of the American involvement in World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
at airshows. Designed as a living history lesson, "Tora, Tora, Tora" is intended as a memorial to all the soldiers on both sides who gave their lives for their countries.
Tora, Tora, Tora began in 1972, when six T-6 Texan training aircraft were modified to replicate Japanese aircraft for use in the movie of the same name. After filming, they were donated to the CAF. The Gulf Coast Wing requested assignment of the aircraft and at once began developing an act for presentation at air shows. The act debuted at the Galveston Air Show on June 25, 1972. By 1977, Tora had gained national exposure, and by 1978, Tora began to make international appearances in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
.
In 1991 Tora participated extensively in the 50th anniversary year commemorations of the Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
attack.
Throughout the 90s, Tora was in heavy demand at air shows throughout the country, and as recently as the Spring of 2000, Tora aircraft and pilots participated in the filming of a new movie release by Disney called Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
, which focused on that attack. As of the 2007 air show season, the men and women of Tora have been performing as a professional air show act for over 35 years.
Besides the Japanese Zeros, Kates, and Vals, the act has also included U.S. fighters to represent the handful of American pilots who were able to scramble against the attackers. The CAF's B-17G "Texas Raiders
Texas Raiders
The Commemorative Air Force’s Gulf Coast Wing "Texas Raiders" group maintains and flies the former PB-1W / B-17G Flying Fortress named "Texas Raiders", which is based at David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport in Tomball, Texas.-History of the B-17:...
" has also flown in the Tora act, to represent the B-17s that were enroute to Pearl from the mainland and arrived during the attack.
Guinness World Records recently certified the 10178.3 feet (3,102.3 m) wall of fire at the MCAS Yuma Air Show on March 14, 2009 as the longest wall of fire, ever. Nearly two miles long, this pyro spectacular was created by the Bomb Squad of Tora, Tora, Tora.
"Texas Raiders" group
The Commemorative Air ForceCommemorative Air Force
The Commemorative Air Force , formerly known as the Confederate Air Force, is a Texas-based non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and showing historical aircraft at airshows primarily throughout the U.S. and Canada...
’s Gulf Coast Wing "Texas Raiders
Texas Raiders
The Commemorative Air Force’s Gulf Coast Wing "Texas Raiders" group maintains and flies the former PB-1W / B-17G Flying Fortress named "Texas Raiders", which is based at David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport in Tomball, Texas.-History of the B-17:...
" group maintains and flies the B-17G Flying Fortress (former U.S. Navy PB-1W) named "Texas Raiders", which is based at David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport
David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport
David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport is a public-use airport located near the city of Tomball in unincorporated Harris County, Texas. It is northwest of the central business district of Houston...
(KDWH) in Tomball, Texas
Tomball, Texas
Tomball is a city in Harris county in the U.S. state of Texas, a part of the Houston metropolitan area. The population was 9,089 at the 2000 census. In 1907, the community of Peck was renamed Tomball. The city are named for local congressman Thomas Henry Ball, who had a major role in the...
.
The ship was built in 1944 by Douglas Aircraft Corporation at the Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
plant under license from Boeing
Boeing
The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
. On July 12, 1945, she was delivered to the U.S. Army Air Corps as B-17G-95-DL 44-83872. Number 44-83872 was one of the last 20 B-17s built by Douglas. On July 21, 1945, all 20 were transferred to the U.S. Navy to serve as PB-1W Patrol Bombers. 44-83872 was assigned the U.S. Navy Bureau of Aeronautics
Bureau of Aeronautics
The Bureau of Aeronautics was the U.S. Navy's material-support organization for Naval Aviation from 1921 to 1959. The bureau had "cognizance" for the design, procurement, and support of Naval aircraft and related systems...
Number 77235.
The Navy used PB-1Ws as the original Airborne Warning and Command System or AWACS aircraft, as well as for electronic countermeasures
Electronic countermeasures
An electronic countermeasure is an electrical or electronic device designed to trick or deceive radar, sonar or other detection systems, like infrared or lasers. It may be used both offensively and defensively to deny targeting information to an enemy...
, anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....
and hurricane hunters
Hurricane Hunters
The Hurricane Hunters are aircraft that fly into tropical cyclones in the North Atlantic Ocean and Northeastern Pacific Ocean for the specific purpose of directly measuring weather data in and around those storms. In the United States, the Air Force, Navy, and NOAA units have all participated in...
. The Navy sealed up the bomb bay doors, installed 300 gallon wing-mounted drop tanks and the AN/APS-20 Seasearch Radio Detection and Ranging (RADAR
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
) equipment in a bulbous housing below the former bomb bay. Radio direction finder
Radio direction finder
A radio direction finder is a device for finding the direction to a radio source. Due to low frequency propagation characteristic to travel very long distances and "over the horizon", it makes a particularly good navigation system for ships, small boats, and aircraft that might be some distance...
(RDF), instrument landing system
Instrument Landing System
An instrument landing system is a ground-based instrument approach system that provides precision guidance to an aircraft approaching and landing on a runway, using a combination of radio signals and, in many cases, high-intensity lighting arrays to enable a safe landing during instrument...
(ILS), and long range navigation (LORAN
LORAN
LORAN is a terrestrial radio navigation system using low frequency radio transmitters in multiple deployment to determine the location and speed of the receiver....
) was also installed at this time. She was not painted, but waxed to prevent corrosion, and kept her original Browning M2 machine guns.
In January 1955, VW-1 phased out PB-1W operations for the new Lockheed
Lockheed Corporation
The Lockheed Corporation was an American aerospace company. Lockheed was founded in 1912 and later merged with Martin Marietta to form Lockheed Martin in 1995.-Origins:...
PO-1W and WV-2 (Navy versions of the EC-121 Warning Star
EC-121 Warning Star
The Lockheed EC-121 Warning Star was a United States Navy and United States Air Force airborne early warning radar surveillance aircraft. A military version of the Lockheed Constellation, it was designed to serve as an airborne early warning system to supplement the Distant Early Warning Line,...
) based on the Lockheed Constellation
Lockheed Constellation
The Lockheed Constellation was a propeller-driven airliner powered by four 18-cylinder radial Wright R-3350 engines. It was built by Lockheed between 1943 and 1958 at its Burbank, California, USA, facility. A total of 856 aircraft were produced in numerous models, all distinguished by a...
airframe. January 1955 BuNo 77235 was placed in Flyable Storage Status until officially retired from Naval service on August 25, 1955 with 3257 hours flying time accrued. It was one of the last B-17s left in service at the time and one of only 3 PB-1Ws saved from the scrapyard or scavenging.
Aero Service Corporation bought BuNo 77235 for $17,500 and on October 1 of 1957, was registered as N7227C and then used as an aerial surveying platform. She was sold in 1961 and used as an aerial photographic aircraft by ACS Inc. until September 22, 1967.
The Confederate Air Force acquired her for $50,000 and she was issued the "Tail Number" N7227C. She was white with a large United States flag on the tail and a Confederate States of America
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
Battle Flag was added to it after the CAF purchase. Assigned to the Gulf Coast Wing by the CAF in 1972, Texas Raiders has undergone many changes to put her back to the B-17 G model configuration that flew with the United States Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
in the European Theatre of Operations under the "Mighty" Eighth Air Force
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
.
She was named "Texas Raiders
Texas Raiders
The Commemorative Air Force’s Gulf Coast Wing "Texas Raiders" group maintains and flies the former PB-1W / B-17G Flying Fortress named "Texas Raiders", which is based at David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport in Tomball, Texas.-History of the B-17:...
" during her first CAF restoration in the 1960s as a memorial to Texas aviators who served. Texas Raiders also underwent a $300,000 restoration and rebuild project from 1983 to 1986, and is currently finishing a lengthy and costly main spar replacement project, started in 2001 due to FAA Airworthiness Directive
Airworthiness Directive
An Airworthiness Directive is a notification to owners and operators of certified aircraft that a known safety deficiency with a particular model of aircraft, engine, avionics or other system exists and must be corrected....
# 2001-22-06 citing corrosion in the wings. The most recent refurb cost in the neighborhood 200 thousand dollars to complete.
Texas Raiders took to the air once again on October 13, 2009, still painted in the combat colors commemorating the U.S. Army Air Corps 8th Air Force, 1st Air Division, 381st Bombardment Group (Heavy), 533rd Bombardment Squadron's plane "hull number" X.
The 381st Bombardment Group was formed at Pyote Air Force Base
Pyote Air Force Base
Pyote Air Force Base was a World War II United States Army Air Forces training airbase. It was on a mile from the town of Pyote, Texas on Interstate 20, twenty miles west of Monahans and just south of U.S...
and was assigned to Ridgewell
Ridgewell
Ridgewell is a village and civil parish in the Braintree district of Essex, England, about six miles from Haverhill on the main road between Haverhill and Braintree....
Airfield in Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, about six miles from Haverhill
Haverhill, Suffolk
Haverhill is an industrial market town and civil parish in the county of Suffolk, England, next to the borders of Essex and Cambridgeshire. It lies southeast of Cambridge and north of central London...
.
Since her return to flight, she has visited many airshows and fly-ins, and the Gulf Coast Wing sells warbird experience rides to help defray her operating expenses.