Has A Plane, And A Plan... Just Needs The Cash

Lee Owens is a US Air Force veteran, and the Chief Pilot for Glendale Aviation in Arizona. He has an ambitious idea to honor the Tuskegee Airmen.

He wants to become the second African-American to fly around the world, and wants to do it in a three-quarter scale replica of the P51-D Mustang. Owens has the plane... but now, he needs $400,000 to cover expenses.

"I want people to know and remember what great American treasures those men are," said Owens, 56. "Despite the prejudices of that time, they showed the country they could help."

The Arizona Republic reports Owens has been working on the idea since 2003, and raised $160,000 through private donations to acquire the plane. Now, he's running out of time to make a weather-dictated July deadline to begin the flight, and needs to cover costs for a chase plane, fuel, lodging and other expenses.

He says he has a crew ready to go. The plane carries authentic period markings, and Owens wants to keep it that way. He says that's limiting sponsorship opportunities.

"I'd be more than happy to put logos all over my flight suit and fly banners in front of the plane," Owens says. "I just don't want to turn it into a NASCAR plane."

Owens tells the paper the flight will take 35-45 days, depending on weather.

FMI: www.tuskegeeairmen.org