January - Contrails.us

A New Year Dawns on the Wing
I hope everyone had a Merry
Christmas and a Happy New Year.
What happened to 2012? Went by
so quickly
hangar at Midland where they have
events, they have one, and it moves
a lot of air. We can make this happen.
June– PT engine arrives at hangar. Work begins to hang new engine. Warbirds on Parade website
created by Mike Horner.
We are in a
new year and
there
are
some projects
that we are
looking forward to accomplishing.
Some of the aircraft at the hangar
are in annual. The R4D was moved
in to the hangar a couple of weeks
ago and is undergoing its annual.
July– Airborne Heritage Platoon
did jumps from the R4D.
Wing Leader
One of the
projects is to
Col. Steve Bennett install new
lighting
in
the hangar so we can actually see
what we are doing. The volunteers
working on the aircraft need better
lighting and we want to make that
happen.
The second project is to install a
large ( I mean LARGE) overhead
ceiling fan. IF you have been to the
We have new pilots at the Wing
transitioning into our aircraft. Matthew Breitenstine, Jim Davis, and
Tommy Williams. Keep ‘em flying.
I would like to give a quick synopsis of the year 2012 at the DFW
Wing. ( don't hold me to accuracy)
January– Started working on replacing the chairs in the meeting
room. Mission Accomplished
February– The BT returns to
flight. Great Job.
March– Winter Staff Conference
attended. We lost a great friend in
Colonel Norm McGowan.
April– We had a new editor of the
Propwash begin. Cadet Matthew
Case. He has been doing a great
job.
May– We had events in Corsicana, Temple, Brady, and Mesquite.
PT engine goes down. Great job on
the pilot skills. We got a new refrigerator for the galley.
Recruit and Retain
August– Stearman returns to service. Outstanding job!
September– Warbirds on Parade
is a great success!!
October– Terrell event, quite successful.
November– R4D attended Skyball X event at DFW.
December– Great Christmas Party!
Thanks to all of our members for
a wonderful 2012. I look forward
to 2013. The DFW Wing has the
greatest members.
See you at the hanger,
Steve
Index
Schedule of Events
Page 2
Museum Article
Page 3
Warbird Updates
Pages 4/5
New Members
0
We did not have any new members join
our wing since the last Propwash.
We need everyone to talk to at least one
person and mention the DFW Wing
and all the CAF represents.
Whether it is emailing someone the link
to the website so they can check it out
themselves or printing out the Propwash
when you get it and hand it to someone
with your name and phone number
written on there so they can contact you
once they have read it. However you feel
comfortable in getting the word out, we
need your help.
Propwash
Published monthly by
the DFW Wing of the CAF
Writer/Editor
CDT. Matthew Case
Photography
Col. Raymond Jeffcoat
Hangar Needs
Drum Liners
Please email me any other items that may be of
use at the hangar.
Send comments, questions, or articles to
[email protected]
Thanks for all your kind donations.
2
Divine Wind
The first kamikaze force was
composed of 24 pilots from
Japan's 201st Navy Air Group;
these pilots were volunteers.
On October 25, 1944 five kamikaze pilots crashed into U.S.
ships during the Battle of Leyte
Gulf. The targets were U.S.
escort carriers; one, the St. Lo,
was struck by
Wing Historian
a A6M Zero
fighter
and
sunk in less
than an hour,
killing
100
Americans.
There
had
been suicide
attacks before
but those atwere
Col. Elaine Webb tacks
individual
decisions. On January 5, 1945
the first order for kamikaze
attacks was issued; prior to this
date kamikaze pilots had volunteered for suicide missions.
By the end of WWII 47 U.S.
ships had been sunk by kamikaze attacks.
Prefecture, Japan. Hagakure
begins with the words
"Bushido is a way of dying".
Bushido required the samurai be willing and prepared to
sacrifice one's life in devotion
to his lord.
In 1274 Kublai Khan landed
an invasion force at Kyushu.
They returned to their
ships at night and
moved out to sea in
order to prevent a surprise attack. Caught
off shore at night by a
typhoon the Mongolian invaders lost approximately 200 ships
and 13,000 soldiers;
the result was retreat.
On the 15th of August
1281 Kublai Khan's
second
attempt
to
conquer Japan also
failed. The Japanese
forces numbered approximately
40,000;
they were vastly outnumbered
by
the
Mongol fleets.
The
first fleet from north
China consisted of
900 ships and 40,000
troops; the second
fleet
consisted
of
3,400
ships
and
100,000 troops from
south China. As the
forces
approached
Kyushu they were
struck by a typhoon.
Most of the Mongol
ships and troops were
destroyed by the typhoon - a divine wind.
All WWII Japanese soldiers,
sailors and pilots followed a
Field Service Code issued by
General Tojo based on the bushido code of ethics followed by
samurai warriors. This said in
part "Do not live in shame as a
prisoner. Die, and leave no
ignominious crime behind you."
The basis for this code is
Hagakure, a collection of
commentaries compiled from
1709 to 1716 by samurai
Yamamoto Tsunetomo, who
served Nabeshima Mitsushige, the third ruler of what is
I have read that most
modern day Saga
kamikaze attacks were
3
launched from bases at Kyushu. How inevitable that they
would be known as a "Divine
Wind" when the Japanese
hoped to again defeat an enemy.
L-5 Lair
The L-5 returned to the air in December after all of her systems checked
out perfectly. Thanks again to the members that help keep Miss Ziggy soaring with her one-of-a-kind smile. We're looking forward to another safe and
active year in 2013 with our tough and agile beauty.
BT Corner
The BT flew several hours with no problems this past month - the only complaint being the minimal heat the heater puts out. The annual
ran out on the 31st of December so the BT will be down for maintenance for a month or so. The compression check has been done with
all cylinders on the new engine looking fit for another year! We look
forward to a quick return to service after the long downtime last year.
4
Stearman Space
The Stearman has flown this month;
however, unsurprisingly, cold temperatures have slowed down enthusiasm for
rides. This cold really shows the dedication that open cockpit flyers needed in
order to fly in all kinds of weather and
conditions! The Stearman now has entered a state of rest and maintenance in
order to be prepared for the upcoming
air show season.
R4D Roost
The R4D Annual begins anew. A year already???
First, the engines get a bath as they are well lubricated—inside and out! Then, cowlings are removed and an oil sample is taken and engine oil
drained. One spark plug from each cylinder is then
removed to facilitate the compression checks. Yep,
that’s only half of them in the photo below… no
wonder this is so expensive. They’ve since been
cleaned and tested, and will be ohm tested also.
Compression checks were A-Ok.
The oil sample results are back now and they’re
good to go as well.
We also took the opportunity to do some cosmetic
work on the tail cone
while she’s in the hanger. So far, the ol’ gal is
looking fit for another
year of living history for
the crowds.
5
Photos From Around the Hangar
DFW Wing Staff 2012
[email protected]
817 269 4081
Col. Tom Travis
[email protected]
972 241 8102
Maintenance Officer
Col. Robert Collier
[email protected] 972 641 4595
Finance Officer
Col. Jim Breitenstine
[email protected]
817 294 2936
Adjutant
Col. Curtis Green
[email protected]
469 964 0572
Public Info. Officer
Col. Tom Manley
[email protected]
612 817 0665
PX Officer
Col. Steve Bennett
[email protected]
817 269 4081
Wing Museum Curator
Col. Elaine Webb
[email protected]
817 478 0105
Wing Chaplain
Col. John Crane
[email protected]
469 261 2314
Hangar Deck Officer
Col. Dan Bunch
[email protected]
972 270 0461
Propwash Editor
Cdt. Matthew Case
[email protected]
972 837 5171
Wing Leader
Col. Steve Bennett
Executive Officer
Position Open
Operations Officer
6
Dallas/Fort Worth Wing
of the Commemorative Air Force
738 Smith Lane
Seagoville, Texas
75159
Next Meeting is
Saturday, January 12
Wing Meeting at 1:30
Take time to thank the following sponsors for their ongoing support of the DFW Wing
Texas Loan
Texas First Cash Financial Services
Southwest Airlines
Ellis County Press
Charles Schwab
Awards To Go
Back Country BBQ
Lancaster Regional Airport
Hickory House BBQ
Davis Jewelers
Coyote Roofing
Antique Heritage Tractor Club
Lancaster Machine Shop
24 Hour Wrecker Service
Lancaster K Auto Parts
Business Tech Applications
Select Aircraft Services
Fritts Car Shows and Awards To Go
PDG Services
Dallas Air Salvage
Jim & Mary Jane Goad Farms
MCM Grandé Hotel
Colonels:
Admiral Level:
Neils Agather, Steve Bennett, Michael Gaston, Bruce
Stringfellow, Jim Jackson, John and Donna Sweat, Russ Coonley.
Captain Level:
Tom Travis, Thomas McCoy, Donald Barton, Jean Paryl,
Shirley Wood, Dan Bunch, David Pasahow, Ken Linton, Russell
Hicks, Jim Goad.
Commander Level:
Russ Coonley, Bonnie Coonley, Dr. Michael Jez, Kathleen
Chitwood, Phil Moroneso, Harold Savoy, Dan Bunch, Jack
Bradshaw.
Anchor Level:
Richard Betham, Robert Martin, Jay Hauteman, George
Lodge, W.N. Bentson, Edward Sharum, Jason Railsback, Ken
Norvell, Doris Goad, Ray Kinney, Tad Foran, Jim Wells, Candis Wells, Marty Case, Ed Halter, John Curry,Howard Webb,
Elaine Webb, Stephan Brown, Richard Warner, Richard
Brown, Arine Knecht, Alfred “Lucky” Louque, Ben Saladino,
Jim Davis, Christine Poyer, Diane Darrah, Debbie Chitwood,
Ainsley Chitwood, Paul Chitwood, William Mcguire, Larry
Gollaher, Patricia Harvard, Curtis Green, Barbara Hair, Aubrey Hair, Wyley “Coyote” Smith, Ken Taylor, Phil Moroneso,
Dan Bunch, Robert Martin, David Pasahow, Jan Collmer, Jack
Bradshaw, David Siegert, Steve Bennett, Charles Waldrop, Julian Banks, Maureen Wood, Matthew Chitwood, Leigha