’Tis the season for giving. Instead of spending money on valueless trinkets this year, invest it somewhere that can really make an impact. As the holiday approaches, Commemorative Air Force (CAF) Dixie Wing Museum is encouraging people to invest some of their Christmas cash into a campaign that will bring a little sliver of history back to life. Check out an article by Aviation Pros on a recap of the operation.
CAF is a non-profit, 100% volunteer organization dedicated to restoring World War II aircrafts to their normal airborne abilities. Based in Dallas, Texas the organization consists of 13,000 members who service a collection of more that 165 WWII military planes.
Throughout December, CAF has been working on a campaign to support the refurbishing of these planes, particularly the FG-1D Corsair. The Corsair is an iconic fighter craft and based in Georgia at the Atlanta Naval Air Station Chamblee during combat. Built by Goodyear and designed by Vought, the Corsair was flown extensively by the Marines and Navy during the war.
Known for its swift speeds and whistle noises made during attack, the Corsair supported the Marines throughout the Japanese and Korean conflicts and was considered a hometown hero. A rarity, there are fewer than 20 Corsairs still in existence, and unfortunately it is one of the few remaining planes of the 300,000 U.S. manufactured military aircrafts. The majority of the planes were discarded at the culmination of the battle, their precious history buried with them. To preserve such a relic as the Corsair, CAF performs multi-year reconditioning treatments on the plane.
The priceless machine is part of CAF’s mission to educate people on WWII and make the subject enjoyable. According to the Aviation Pros article, CAF is launching a campaign to aid in the Corsair’s restoration – specifically an engine replacement – and start an “overhaul of the aircraft’s airframe and sub-systems,” protecting what history is left.
Restitution efforts will take six months and cost over $100,000. To offset costs, the museum relies on fundraising events, like the one being conducted during the month of December. All contributions are tax-deductible and go directly to the organization’s educational mission.
In addition to the refurbishing, CAF is also creating an airshow act around the plane to exhibit its unique abilities and resurrect a world of history. “Audiences around the country will be able to experience the incredible Corsair as it dog-fights a Japanese Zero – the iconic ‘enemy,’” the Aviation Pros article says. The museum feels that it is vital to ensure that these airplanes continue to soar to honor those who fought so valiantly for our freedom.
This Christmas, set aside the bouts of frantic stress of gift shopping and instead contribute to the honor of those whose valiance has given us the biggest gift for which we should be grateful during any season, a great country preserved by freedom. To contribute to the cause, please visit https://www.crowdrise.com/fg-1d-corsair-n9964z1
