Event

CAF SoCal Presentation Series: Harnessing the Sky: Fredrick “Trap” Trapnell The U.S. Navy’s Aviation Pioneer

From bi-planes to jets!

On Saturday, June 10th, local author Dana Trapnell Tibbitts, will share the nearly lost history of the man called the “godfather of modern naval aviation.”

Based on the award winning biography, Harnessing The Sky: Frederick “Trap” Trapnell, the U.S. Navy’s Aviation Pioneer, recently published by the Naval Institute Press, this Living History presentation is open to the public.
Weather and maintenance permitting, the museum will fly it’s Zero killer, the F6F Hellcat, an airplane whose expedited development under Trapnell was critical to U.S. victory in World War II.

Tibbitts, who is Vice Admiral Trapnell’s granddaughter, will share the little known story of early flight test and the development of another formidable Navy fighter, the F4U Corsair. Trap became the first Navy pilot to fly a jet, and then guided Navy flight test through the monumental and treacherous transition to jets.

Other iconic, flyable aircraft will also be on display, like a real Japanese Zero. For the adventurous, rides for hire will be available in several different vintage military aircraft. A food vendor will also be on hand for those wishing a meal.
Mark your calendars to learn about the Navy’s test pilot legend, Frederick “Trap” Trapnell. Saturday June 10th, 11am at the Commemorative Air Force museum at the Camarillo Airport, 455 Aviation Drive, Camarillo, California. Experience living history.

During the PBJ tour to Dayton Ohio in April, the crew were given a presentation by Dr. Dan Desko of B-25history.org at the CAF Heart of America Win in Olathe, Kansas.

Dan’s very personal and informative presentation was on the North American Aviation production facility in Fairfax, Kansas.

The main take-home lesson for us was the revelation that all B-25/PBJ aircraft, including ours, were built at the Kansas facility.

The following link is to a video of that presentation:

We are proud to announce that our home airport in Camarillo is one of three locations chosen for the 2017 AOPA  Regional Fly-In.

Four states, four fly-ins. And the first stop is Camarillo (KCMA), April 28-29, 2017

The event will feature two full days of activities, including an expanded roster of learning opportunities and workshops on a range of topics such as mountain flying or owner-performed maintenance. The goal is to help make flying more fun, affordable, safe, and accessible.

We are very excited to have this event take place at our home airport and are preparing for the increased exposure and attendance this will bring to our museum facilities.

Join us at the CAF SoCal hangars on April 15, 2017 and learn about the P51 Mustang, the air superiority fighter of WWII.

On 15 April 1944, the 8th Air Force began Operation Jackpot, attacks on Luftwaffe fighter airfields. Adolf Galland, commander of the Luftwaffe fighter force is quoted to have said that “the day when the Allies took their fighters off the bombers and put them against the German fighters, that is, went from defensive to offensive, Germany lost the air war.”

Join us in the museum hangar to hear a panel discussion on the P51’s historic importance and flight characteristics. The panel will be opened to a question and answer session followed by a walk-around the CAFSoCal’s own P51-D Mustang “Man’OWar” and a flight demonstration (weather and maintenance permitting)

Experience Living History
Saturday, April 15, 2017, 11am-2pm
Commemorative Air Force Hangar
455 Aviation Dr.
Camarillo, CA
805-482-0064

We’re excited to have the CAF Air Power History Tour coming through Camarillo and staging at our ramp an museum  April 17 thru 24th .

Aircraft tours, historical Q&A and warbird rides!

see you here!

We are excited to kick off the 2017 Airshow season at the El Centro Airshow on March 11.

Our fighters and the PBJ bomber will depart for the Airshow on  Thursday March 9th and will be gone until after the Yuma airshow on March 18.

Once again, scale model enthusiast from the area will gather at the CAF SoCal Museum Hangar for Modelfest 2017.

Sunday, February  26th

Show Hours 8:30 am – 3:00 pm

ADMISSION IS $10.00 PER PERSON
Enter your models in the Fairest Model Contest anywhere. First entry is $4.00, each additional entry is only $2.00. There are 43 different categories to enter including 8 junior categories. Bring your models and show them off or just come and see the neat and interesting models that have been entered.

See the Ventura Hobbies website for details.

We’re pleased to announce the next installment of our Experience Living History presentation series, this time on the Grumman F8F Bearcat.

Saturday, February 18th, 11AM-2PM

CAF SoCal Hangars at the Camarillo Airport.

Focussed on the development and production of the legendary US Navy fighter, the presentation will also include a “walk around” question and answer session followed by a flight demonstration (weather and maintenance permitting)

Be sure to check our website calendar for up-coming presentations and events

BENEFITING: COMMEMORATIVE AIR FORCE
EVENT: 12 Planes of Christmas

THE STORY:

The SoCal Wing’s Navy/Marine B25-PBJ, Semper Fi, is the only flying PBJ in the world.

SoCal Wing obtained this warbird in May of 1993 and after 23 years of meticulous restoration it flew for the first time in May of 2016.

In its debut season, the unit has done a tremendous job of flying the PBJ to air shows, memorial fly overs and other venues for public display of this historic aircraft, in flight and in static display and tours, to carry on the important mission of preserving and bringing to life what our “greatest generation” flew.

The aircraft still needs some items to “finish the job” and present a more accurate display. Practical items such as new windshields, and interior lining, as well as those “finishing touches” such as replica rockets and 50 cal. machine guns.

Your generosity will help us maintain this one of a kind aircraft on its important mission to thrill and educate future generations as well as preserve history.

North American PBJ/B-25 Mitchell N5865V on Crowdrise