The Capital Wing of the Commemorative Air Force will be appearing with its TBM-3E Avenger “Doris Mae” (Buaer 91426) a Grumman-designed (TBF) aircraft built under license by General Motors in New Jersey in 1945.
Initially assigned to the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC), this aircraft served as a replacement aircraft in several USMC training units in California from 1945 to 1948. After WWII, thousands of surplus aircraft, including Avengers, were stored at a Naval Air Station in Litchfield Park, Arizona. Here, many of these aircraft were put back into service due to the demands of the Korean War. The TBM Avenger is the largest and heaviest single-engine bomber of WWII and was flown by Pres. George H.W. Bush.
Warbird rides in this aircraft are available with advance tickets available at CapitalWingWarbirdRides.org or on-site at the airport if unsold flights are available.
The Capital Wing will also be flying a Stinson L-5 Sentinel, known as the "Flying Jeep", a World War II era liaison aircraft used by all branches of the U.S. military and by the British Royal Air Force.
It was produced by the Stinson Aircraft Company. Along with the Stinson L-1 Vigilant, the L-5 was the only other American liaison aircraft of World War II that was purpose-built for military use and had no civilian counterpart. Capable of operating from short unimproved airstrips, the L-5 "Sentinel" delivered personnel, critical intelligence and needed supplies to the front-line troops.
Flight adventure rides are also available in this warbird at CapitalWingWarbirdRides.org or on-site at the Hagerstown airport for flights not sold in advance.
ALSO ON DISPLAY AT "WINGS & WHEELS EXPO" WILL BE:
A C-54, from the Berlin Airlift Historical Foundation - Famous for the "Chocolate Drops" when the heroic efforts of the United States and her allies from 1948-1949 saved more than two million blockaded Berliners from hunger, cold, and communist rule. For more information about the Foundation visit www.spiritoffreedom.org
A 1944 Douglas DC-3 airplane - This 1942 classic served the Northern Territories of carrier Candian Air North, and today is affectionately known as "Yukon Sourdough." Ask questions what it was like to ride and fly one of these rugged planes of yesteryear. Many are still in service today for passenger and cargo duty. For more about its amazing history and recent restoration, and to read a recent writeup, click here!
A Stearman (Boeing) Model 75 biplane formerly used as a military trainer aircraft, of which at least 10,626 were built during the 1930s and 1940s.
A Fairchild UC-61 "Forwarder" (known best later as a Fairchild Model 24), first built in the early 1930s.
Three vintage PT-19 fighter-trainers from World War II, all from the Museum's collection. These are flyable aircraft which were the monoplane primary trainer aircraft built by Fairchild and used by the US Army Air Corps, the RAF and the RCAF to ready pilots to go into combat.
