CAF Meets IPMBA: From Bicycles to Warbirds

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by David Cohen, Maryland National Capital Park Police Reserve Unit

Since joining IPMBA in 2007, I have submitted quite a few articles. The one thing I get asked about even more than the content of any of the articles is my “About the Author” blurb, which indicates that I restore World War II era aircraft: how I came to be involved in such an enterprise.

By the winter of 2011–2012, I had become quite adept at restoring old bicycles. Working on bicycles was always fun to me, but it was also starting to get to be old hat. I was looking for another challenge. Ever since I was a young boy, World War II aviation has fascinated me, and when I learned about the Warbird movement – people who actually restore and fly these aircraft – I knew it was something that I wanted to do.

I was aware of an operation somewhat near me that was restoring a TBM Avenger, a World War II carrier based torpedo bomber. I found one of the contacts online and asked if I could stop by and see what was going on. He said “Sure”, so on the morning of April 20, 2012, I set out across northern Maryland and into southern Pennsylvania, to a farm outside of Fawn Grove.

The farm belonged to Jack Kosko, who was an Avenger radioman in World War II, flying off the USS Langley in Torpedo Squadron 23 from February through May 1945. Jack was a remarkable individual.

A carpenter by trade, he was considered a “car guy” for much of his life, having amassed a collection that once numbered 21 cars. In 1996, at age 71, he decided he was going to restore an Avenger to replicate the one he flew in World War II. Now, mind you, Jack had no experience with airplanes up until this point. People asked him, “How do you restore an airplane?” He replied, “You just do it.”

In keeping with the famous line from the movie Field of Dreams: “If you build it, they will come”. Once word got out that Jack was restoring an Avenger to airworthy condition, all kinds of individuals came out to volunteer with him. Almost all had military experience; some were World War II veterans. After about six years and 23,000 man-hours, the Avenger was delivered to the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum in Reading, Pennsylvania, where it was flown and added to their collection.

Shortly after the first Avenger left, the group found out about a second Avenger belonging to the Commemorative Air Force (CAF). It was purchased in 2001 for one of their local chapters in Frederick, Maryland. When the chapter folded, the plane was moved to Hagerstown, Maryland, where it languished for several years. The plane was then assigned to the CAF’s Capital Wing in Culpeper, Virginia, but it needed to be restored.

Jack offered to restore the plane for the CAF, if they would pick up the cost of the materials. A deal was struck and the second Avenger was delivered to Fawn Grove.

By the time I arrived in 2012, the Avenger was nearing completion. The group was more than willing to let a “bicycle guy” come and join their ranks; after all, Orville and Wilbur Wright started as bicycle mechanics, too! The average age of the volunteers in Jack’s group was 84 years old, so I was quite the “baby”. I would joke that this was my mid-life crisis; while many men “of a certain age” try to hang out with women half their age, here I was hanging out with men twice my age!

The Avenger was moved to Hagerstown for final assembly and made its first post-restoration flight on April 18, 2014. After putting up the requisite number of hours to obtain its full flight certification, the plane went to its new home in Culpeper.

I remained with Jack and his group for a few more years, as they were working on a Cessna Bobcat for their next project. Unfortunately, health issues finally caught up with Jack. He sold the farm in 2016; the Bobcat went to another collector in Massachusetts. In May 2017, Jack Kosko passed away at age 91.

In the aftermath of his passing, I felt the best way to honor his legacy was to join the group that now had the second Avenger, the CAF’s Capital Wing in Culpeper, Virginia. I “pulled the trigger” and joined the group.

The CAF, or Commemorative Air Force, was founded in 1957 by a group of pilots in Harlingen, Texas. They wanted to fly WWII fighters, but even though it was really inexpensive by today’s standards, they couldn’t individually afford it, so they went in together and bought a P-51 Mustang. When they flew it, people would run outside to see it. Pretty soon they realized that it would be a lot more fun to have two planes flying that could play dogfight, so they went looking for another aircraft.

They discovered that it was difficult to find another WWII aircraft because the surplus aircraft were being scrapped. They were appalled that no-one was saving the aircraft. Even the U.S. military didn’t seem too concerned with keeping these machines, which, by most accounts, led to the Allied victory. So, the group switched from aviation enthusiasts to preservationists. They set a goal of obtaining one of each type of World War II aircraft.

Once they had a few Bearcats, a Mustang, and a P-40, they started adding bombers to the collection as well. They began doing airshows in the 1960s. The concept of having multiple aircraft in the air, telling a story and showing off the impressive aircraft was well-received by crowds. CAF airshows became legendary, and the CAF was invited to various locations to perform a World War II Flying Circus act.

Today, although the past 60 years have wrought many changes, the CAF is still much the same. The organization is driven by people who are very passionate about keeping alive the history of World War II and America’s airpower, as well as the thousands of stories of the men and women who built, flew and maintained these aircraft. Phrases like “Keep ‘em Flying” and “Lest We Forget” are still the battle cries of CAF members.

It is through the support of thousands of volunteers, donors, airshow patrons, and educators that the CAF remains the “World’s Largest Flying Museum” and one of the most impactful World War II organizations.

The CAF currently has a membership of about 12,000 people in 80 different units (Wings) throughout the country and boasts more than 170 aircraft. Unlike the group at Jack Kosko’s hangar, the average age is 57 years old, and has been trending downward as many of the original World War II generation volunteers have passed on and younger volunteers have taken up the challenge.

The Capital Wing in Culpeper, Virginia, is representative of one of those units. The Capital Wing is currently responsible for four aircraft. Besides the Avenger, the Wing has an L-5 Sentinel (a small observation/liaison type plane) and a Vultee BT-13 Valiant trainer that was used at Tuskegee Field during World War II to train pilots who would ultimately become the Tuskegee Airmen. The last plane is a replica of a Japanese Val dive bomber. This was one of the planes assembled for the movies Tora, Tora, Tora and Midway, the TV miniseries War and Remembrance, and other appearances.

These airplanes are not “hangar queens”. They go out to various airshows throughout the spring, summer and fall. The Capital Wing’s Avenger, now known as “Doris Mae”, has a very active airshow schedule and is one of the busiest Avengers on the East Coast. “Doris” has made appearances at airshows from New England to Florida, has flown over football stadiums, performed flyovers and simulated dogfights over the S.S. John W. Brown (a restored World War II Liberty Ship that cruises the Chesapeake Bay), and participated in the 70th Anniversary World War II Victory Flyover in Washington, D.C. in 2015. “Doris” averages about 50 hours of flight time per year. During the winters, she undergoes maintenance to prepare for the next flying season.

While working to keep these planes flying is a major focus of the group, there are literally dozens of roles to be filled that do not necessarily involve mechanics, from bookkeeping to selling souvenirs during airshows. If you’re willing to come out, the Wing will find a place for you.

So, why should IPMBA members consider joining the CAF? First off, being around these planes is just really cool. Unlike in museums, where you see the planes from behind stanchions, when you are with a CAF wing, it is literally hands-on. You can touch the planes, climb on the planes and go inside the planes. The other thing you notice is that being airworthy, these planes are alive. The distinctive smell of gasoline, oil, hydraulic fluid and paint permeates the hangars where the planes live.

More importantly, CAF members share the same values of dedication, teamwork and patriotism that are at the core of law enforcement. Many members are ex-military themselves, a profession which has always been closely related to law enforcement. In a world where the profession of police officer gets demonized in news and social media, the CAF provides an environment where LEOs are welcomed and supported. On Open Hangar Days, when, as the name suggests, the hangars are opened to the public, LEOs can bring their families and know that they are in an environment that supports their efforts every day.

Finally, being part of the CAF means that you are part of preserving history. More than 98 percent of the World War II generation – our “Greatest Generation” –have now passed on. The CAF is as dedicated to preserving their stories as they are about preserving the aircraft they flew in. For, without the human part of the equation, the CAF would only have collection of old planes. It is the exploits of the people who flew these planes that make them truly come alive.

Joining the CAF is not cheap. Annual dues to become a CAF Colonel are $200, which makes IPMBA dues seem like an absolute bargain! The reason it is set so high is two-fold. First, restoring and maintaining aircraft is a very expensive proposition. For some of the larger aircraft, operational costs can be more than $2000 per flight hour. Replacement engines cost anywhere from $60,000-$100,000 dollars.

The second reason is that the high dues separate the “tire-kickers” from those who are genuinely dedicated to preserving these aircraft. There are also separate dues to the local Wing, which tend to vary, but the dues for the Capital Wing, for example, are another $50 per year.

Becoming a CAF Colonel entitles you to receive a CAF name tag, wings and commission certificate, become a member of the local CAF Wing, fly in CAF aircraft on a space-available basis as a qualified crew member, and receive the monthly member magazine Dispatch and gift shop discounts.

Above all, it’s about keeping these flying treasures in the air. Sure, you can go to a museum and see a historic plane in person. That plane, though, is inert. When you see one of these planes fly, history comes alive. Children and adults alike get to see, hear and even feel what it was like when these planes were called upon to protect our Country’s freedom. Knowing you’re part of the team that helped put these planes in the air is a great feeling, too.

I can tell you there are few things that make my heart sing with pride like seeing the Avenger that I helped restore wowing the crowds and reminding a younger generation of the courage and dedication of those who fought in World War II.

If what I’ve written sounds interesting to you, please check the Commemorative Air Force website at http://www.commemorativeairforce.org. ;

Who knows, maybe I’ll see YOU as a fellow CAF Colonel at an upcoming airshow!

Besides being a Colonel with the Commemorative Air Force’s Capital Wing in Culpeper, VA, David is also a 12- year volunteer with the Maryland-National Capital Park Police, Montgomery County Division and the new writer of IPMBA’s “Gears and Gadgets” feature. He can be reached at onyxsax@aol.com.

Photos courtesy David Cohen.

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