To say that the crew of the Commemorative Air Force’s B-17, Texas Raiders, is passionate would be an understatement! Crew Member and Wing Historian for the CAF Gulf Coast Wing, Kevin ‘K5’ Michels is absolutely no exception. After taking a flight on the B-17 we caught up with Michels to hear a little about the history of the CAF and this particular aircraft.
The CAF was formed in 1957 by Lloyd Nolen with the $1,500 purchase of a P-51D Mustang. The CAF has grown tremendously since its inception in Mercedes, TX nearly 65 years ago. As of 2021 the CAF is custodian for 178 aircraft cared for by 86 Units in 26 US States and two foreign countries. The Gulf Coast Wing of the CAF was founded in 1971 and would eventually become the home of the Texas Raiders B-17.
Eddie Burke is credited with coming up with the name “Texas Raiders” in 1973. The name simultaneously honored all Texas combat veterans while carefully avoiding commemorating a single aircraft or crew as no previous B-17 had carried the name. In 1974 the aircraft was officially assigned to the Gulf Coast Wing, its home base to this day. The aircraft has been restored to wartime configuration inside and out by an entirely volunteer group of dedicated supporters.
According to Michels, this particular aircraft was completed on July 12th, 1945, to complete a government contract. The war in Europe was already over at that time, so when this aircraft rolled off the production line it was immediately doomed to be scrapped. Fortunately, in the four days that it sat on the ramp waiting to be flown to the scrap yard, the Navy decided that it could use twenty B-17s to create the first Airborne Early Warning and Control System, or what we know today as AWACS.
The Navy retired this aircraft in 1955 and in 1957 it was purchased by the Aero Service Corporation, which turned it into an airborne photographic and survey platform. In 1957 Aero had a declining need for their B-17 and was open to the idea of selling to the CAF for two reasons: First, they were sympathetic to the CAF’s mission of preservation & education. Second, Aero Service still had the occasional need for the aircraft's capabilities. As such, a buyer who was both amenable to the occasional leaseback of the aircraft and who could be counted on to refrain from adding large tanks or other modifications rendering the plane useless for Aero’s intended purposes served the company’s needs quite nicely.
Since joining the CAF in 1967, Texas Raiders and its crew have carried out the CAF’s Mission of Honor, Inspiration, and Education by appearing at hundreds of hometown airports and performing in hundreds of airshows across the country delighting millions of visitors along the way. The Living History Flight Experience on this WWII vintage heavy bomber, Texas Raiders, is like no other, and the entire experience lasts approximately 90 minutes. Keep an eye out for upcoming 2022 stops in Denver, Colorado Springs, Oklahoma, and Texas. Book your ride experience and support the CAF at b17texasraiders.org.
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