Since we have been adding new presentation videos fairly consistently, we decided to add a permanent home for these videos. You can now access them from the top main menu under AIRCRAFT.
Here is the link as well: Aircraft Presentations
And a very special thank you to all volunteers and staff for your hard work in getting this valuable information down on video for all to experience.
We would like to express our sincerest condolences to the friends and family of David Vopat, the pilot of the Planes of Fame’ Northrop N9MB ‘Flying Wing’, both recently lost in a crash just outside of Chino, CA. Dave was a pilot and mechanic at Planes of Fame Air Museum in Chino, CA, and played a major role in the preservation and operation of this one-of-a-kind aircraft. More detailed information can be found on their website located here: Tribute to David Vopat
The N-9M was a unique national treasure and the fatal crash has left us deeply saddened. Our thoughts are with the pilot’s family, our Planes of Fame friends and the warbird community at large, all of whom are deeply effected by the sorrow of this loss.
We realize that an unfortunate event like this will raise the question of risk vs. reward, so we are including here a recent post from our social media outlets by one of our own volunteers:
“Why do we do this? Why take on the risks of operating vintage aircraft, sometimes paying that ultimate cost?
Far from being adrenaline junkies pushing the latest energy drink, in our opinion, we do this to follow our passions and seek a connection with the brave men and women of an important part of our collective history. To not do so, would condemn these aircraft to becoming dusty, soulless relics in museums and within pages of history books, soon to be forgotten along with what they stood for and the price that was paid by a generation of people to preserve our freedoms.
It offers little comfort to the larger surviving family of this tragedy, but thank you for doing what you do, may we take some solace from the thought that to follow one’s passions in life is a blessing few can boast. We’ll miss the N9MB and even more, our friend who has traded one set of wings for another.”
Effective April 1, 2019, the price of a 20 minute ride in Our P-51 Man-O-War is $1895. The additional time rides have been adjusted accordingly
This past Sunday February 24th the Modelfest was again held at the Commemorative Air Force, Southern California Wing’s Museum (455 Aviation Drive Camarillo, CA 91010). This annual event is a Model Contest and Swap Meet. There are 43 different categories, 8 of which will be in the junior category.
If you missed out this year, just make plans now for next year. Plans are already in the works for Modelfest 2020 in February 2020.
As always, this event is sponsored by Ventura Hobbies and the Commemorative Air Force.
For more information call Vern Morseman @ 805-658-8138 or view the website at VenturaHobbies.com
Join us for another instalment in the Living History Presentation series.
Hear from our historians, maintenance personnel and pilots about the YAK3 fighter and take your chance to get a closeup view of the cockpit.
Saturday, April 27, 2019
11AM- 2PM
CAF SoCal hangars at the Camarillo airport
Flyer
Here’s a link to a video created by member Lon Magdich of the Living History Presentation on the Utility Aircraft in January
Here’s a link to a video created by member Lon Magdich of the Living History Presentation on the Pacific Airwar
CAF SoCal Wing is honored to have our most recent restoration project included as part of the headquarters’ annual 12 Planes of Christmas fundraiser.
Follow THIS LINK to find out more about the status of the project and pitch-in to get this monumental effort off to a good start.
Help us return this one-of-a-kind aircraft back to it’s original glory.
One of our own suffered a complete loss of home and property to the devastating recent California fires.
Help our family take care of one of our own by donating to the Go Fund Me page we’ve setup for him and his family.
Don has been a member at CAFSoCal for many years. Like most of our volunteers, he’s the quiet type who shows up and gets the job done without much fanfare.
You know the type. The kind of guy that makes organizations like ours successful.
So you may not have seen him in the pictures and videos we post, or have heard us mention his name much. And we don’t even have an emotional picture of his property loss to tug at your heart strings (the one on the GoFundMe page is a stock image).
But here’s our chance to say “Thank You” when it really matters.
Please pitch in to the fund raising campaign and help Don and his Family get back on their feet.
Every dollar counts.
Thank you!
The 2018 Aviation Career Day held at the Camarillo Airport and the CAF hangars was a fantastic event.
We were once again thrilled to have the Ventura County Ninety Nines, VC Career Education Center, VC Dept or Airports, CP Aviation and the California Aeronautical University, to name just a few of the participants hold this annual event at our hangars.
High school and middle school students from Ventura County were in attendance to explore the possibilities of a future in the aviation industry. Just look at the joy in our good friend Si Robin in the images below to get a sense of what this event means to us.
We are already looking forward to the 2019 edition of this fun event!
Visit their Facebook page for further information.
