Commemorative Air Force B29 B24 Squadron

While we were in Colorado Springs, our own Jeremy Lashbrook took the time to speak to the cadets at the Colorado Military Academy. CMA is a highly regarded K-12 charter school focused on fostering leadership and aerospace education through the lens of the United States Civil Air Patrol and the United States Air Force. It was our pleasure to be able to speak with them!

Any CAP members or alumni out there?

Due to a last-minute cancelation, we have ONE open radio operator seat in Colorado Springs for Saturday morning at 9am. Grab it while you can at:
https://caf.formstack.com/forms/b29_colorado_springs_co_2024

Here's a to Diamond Lil taking flight at the Dallas HQ a few years ago. You can see her on display in Dallas at Aviation Discovery Fest October 4-6. Though she won't yet be flying, you can grab a flight in FIFI that weekend at https://aviationdiscoveryfest.org/aircraft-rides/

📸 Dylan Phelps - Centerline Images

The view from the bombardier's seat is amazing, but a seat anywhere on FIFI is pretty special. We have seats available next week in Amarillo, and after that in Seattle, Dallas and Tulsa. The 2024 season is almost over, so meet us in one of these cities to become a part of living history! Check out the remaining tour stops at https://www.airpowersquadron.org/schedule

📸 Dylan Dorvee

This week, we're in Colorado Springs. After that, we open up September by visiting the 14th most populous city in Texas and the most populous city in the Texas panhandle. Can you guess where we'll be?

Hints available at https://www.airpowersquadron.org/schedule

📸 Jon Almeida

In Cheyenne last week, we had the privilege of receiving a unique award plaque from Maj Gen Stacy Jo Huser of the 20th Air Force. It was truly special to be recognized for our mission to educate, inspire, and honor by the very individuals we work to celebrate every day!

Did you know that the 20th AF can trace its lineage directly back to WWII? Do you know where the first served?

We're in the Mile High city this week, so come tour the aircraft or take a flight. There are still a couple of open spots on Nella, the AT-6 Texan that was actually used to train WASP at Avenger Field during the war!

Book a flight in Denver or next week in Colorado Springs: https://www.airpowersquadron.org/schedule

The Womens Airforce Service Pilots was formed in 1943, but women had been flying in two precursor units since 1942. Can you name either of the precursor units that were blended to form the WASP?

Every summer, JPMorganChase CEO, Jamie Dimon, and members of the JP Morgan operating committee do a summer bus tour. They meet with company members, clients, and community partners - visiting branches and offices. Their goal is to ensure that their employees and partners know their focus is on the progress and success of their commitments. But this year's tour just happened to overlap with our visit to Des Moines, so their crew got to visit with our crew, and Dimon got to pose with FIFI and the gang!

Do you have a pic of you and FIFI?

The Avro Lancaster first flew in 1941 and was introduced in 1942. The Boeing B-29 Superfortress first flew in 1942 and was introduced in 1944. So, it might surprise you to know that the Lancaster has the heavier payload capacity. Do you know how much each can carry?



📸 Dylan Phelps - Centerline Images

We had a distinguished visitor at our Cheyenne tour stop: Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon! You never know who you're going to bump into at one of our tour stops!

When's the last time you looked up into FIFI's bomb bay?

This week in Cheyenne, we had some missileers from the 20th Air Force visit and check out the aircraft. It was our pleasure to show them around! Do we have any Air Force vets in the audience? How about from the 20th?

Here's a for all you Diamond Lil fans! When Lil first flew for the CAF, it wasn't in any sort of USAAF paint scheme. Here's a shot of her in 1968 in her green and white livery. Do you know why she was painted that way?

The final B-29 mission of World War II was conducted in 1945 by the 315th Bombardment Wing. Taking off from Guam, they targeted oil storage facilities in Akita, Japan, as part of a broader effort to cripple Japan’s remaining resources. The mission was completed without incident, with all aircraft returning safely.

Unbeknowst to USAAF planners, on the same day dramatic events were unfolding toward the surrender of Japan. While the B-29s were in the air, the Emperor had signed the surrender, but elements of the Japanese military had planned to detain the Emperor to keep him from announcing it to the people. As Emperor Hirohito is about to be transported to the Household Ministry Building where he will record the surrender messages, a blackout caused by the air raid forces him to his bomb shelter for 27 minutes, confusing and confounding the conspirators who are waiting to intercept him. The blackout caused by bombing raids contributed to the failure of the coup, allowing Hirohito to broadcast the surrender on August 15, 1945.

The mission’s details, including its contribution to Japan’s decision-making, were not widely known until it was declassified in 1989. Had you ever heard the story of the last mission?

Touring with Nella, the authentic AT-6 Texan trainer actually used by the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) during WWII, always means a lot to us in honoring those women. But when it brings people together, it's even better. At this year’s EAA AirVenture, Nella had a reunion with two daughters of WASP member Jane Doyle. Read the whole story on the HQ website at https://commemorativeairforce.org/news/nella-reunion

Book your own AT-6 flight with us in Cheyenne this week at https://www.airpowersquadron.org/cheyenne-wyoming

Join us for a once-in-a-lifetime experience as you fly on one of history's greatest aircraft this week in Cheyenne at https://www.airpowersquadron.org/cheyenne-wyoming

📸 Gary Daniels

Meet us in Cheyenne to get a view like this August 14-18. Which seat would you like?

This week it was time for the Stearman's 100-hour inspection, so what better way to celebrate than to share some pics of the process? Have you ever wrenched on aircraft before? What & when?

🚨 BEST SEAT IN THE HOUSE ALERT! 🚨

Due to a last-minute cancelation, we have a single available bombardier seat on a flight in Lincoln this Sunday, so get it while you can at https://www.airpowersquadron.org/lincoln-nebraska

It was 78 years ago today that the Convair B-36 Peacemaker made its first flight. It was a behemoth as you can see from this comparison with one parked next to a B-29. Its wingspan alone was nearly twice the distance of the Wright Brothers' first powered flight! Can you guess how wide it was?

Did you know that you can fly an AT-6 Texan that was actually used by the Women's Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) during WWII? The AT-6 "Nella" is at most of our stops, including this weekend in Lincoln and next week in Cheyenne! Catch up with her at https://www.airpowersquadron.org/schedule



📸 Dylan Phelps - Centerline Images

In the early-morning hours of August 6, 1945, the B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay, piloted by Colonel Paul W. Tibbets Jr., took off from Tinian Island for the Japanese city of Hiroshima. At 8:15 AM local time, Enola Gay bombardier Thomas Ferebee released the first atomic bomb, nicknamed “Little Boy,” from an altitude of 31,060 feet.

After falling for 43 seconds, “Little Boy” detonated 1,968 feet above Hiroshima, resulting in widespread destruction and significant loss of life and property. Hiroshima became the first city in history to be targeted by a nuclear weapon, marking a pivotal moment in World War II and modern warfare.

The Enola Gay returned to Tinian at about 3 PM, with this photo taken sometime that afternoon. The mission lasted approximately 12 hours.

Did you get a chance to see FIFI at Oshkosh? Let's see your pictures in comments, and we may feature yours next! We'll get you started with this one from Brad Pilgrim. Now, let's see yours!

Something about a Superfort under a full moon, eh? 😍

📸 Rocky Smith

Here's a from AirVenture last week when we got to fly with our friends from B-29 Doc, something we hadn't been able to do since 2018! Nice to see them both together again, don't you think?

📸 Dylan Phelps - Centerline Images

B-24 Liberators embarked on one of the costliest air missions of the war in 1943 known as Operation Tidalwave. The mission was to attack oil refineries in Ploesti, Romania to disrupt Axis oil production. The mission was a disaster, with 53 of the 178 bombers lost, 310 airmen killed, and 108 captured. In the course of this single mission, FIVE Medals of Honor were awarded... three posthumously. Do you know the story of Tidalwave?