FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CAF Red Tail Squadron Kicks Off Holiday Fundraising Campaign to Support the P-51C Mustang Tuskegee Airmen
Red Wing, Minn. – December 1, 2016 – The Commemorative Air Force (CAF) Red Tail Squadron, America’s tribute to the Tuskegee Airmen, announced the launch of CAF’s annual “12 Planes of Christmas” campaign to raise funds to support the ongoing operation and maintenance of their fleet, which includes the P-51C Mustang Tuskegee Airmen. Donors can contribute directly to the Squadron’s P-51C Mustang Tuskegee Airmen during the month of December at https://www.crowdrise.com/cafredtailsquadron.
The mission of the CAF Red Tail Squadron is to educate audiences across the country about the history and legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen, America’s first black military pilots and their support personnel. The P-51C Mustang Tuskegee Airmen plays a pivotal role in this outreach effort, along with the Squadron’s RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit mobile movie theater.
During World War II, the U.S. manufactured more than 300,000 aircraft to support the war effort. Once the aircraft were no longer needed in service, they were abandoned or stripped, smelted and cast aside. As the decades passed and the aircraft faded alongside the important history they represent, the CAF was founded to return some of these remarkable warbirds to the sky in order to honor those who fought for our freedom. The P-51C Mustang Tuskegee Airmen occupies an important place in military aviation history and reminds future generations of the Tuskegee Airmen’s struggle with racism and how they fought to overcome the unjust obstacles set before them in order to fly and fight for their country.
To pledge your support for the P-51C Mustang Tuskegee Airmen, visit the aircraft’s fundraising page during the month of December to make a donation. Funds raised to support this historic and iconic World War II aircraft will be used to ensure its continued safe operation and keep it in the skies and on the tarmac at events around the country to inspire generations to come. Learn more at redtail.org.
About the CAF Red Tail Squadron
The CAF Red Tail Squadron is a volunteer-driven non-profit organization dedicated to educating audiences across the country about the history and legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen, America’s first black military pilots and their support personnel. RISE ABOVE: Red Tail, their three-fold outreach program, includes a fully restored WWII-era P-51C Mustang, the signature aircraft of the Tuskegee Airmen; the RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit 53’ mobile theater featuring the original panoramic film “Rise Above”; and resource materials for teachers and youth leaders. Each year, they embark on a nine-month cross-country tour that includes appearances at air shows, schools, museums and community events. The group’s Six Guiding Principles – Aim High, Believe In Yourself, Use Your Brain, Be Ready To Go, Never Quit and Expect to Win – serve as the foundation for their outreach programs and are based on the experiences and successes of the Tuskegee Airmen. The CAF Red Tail Squadron is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization part of the Commemorative Air Force (CAF). Learn more at www.redtail.org.
About the Commemorative Air Force
The Commemorative Air Force honors the men and women who built, maintained, and flew in these airplanes during World War II. The organization believes that is best accomplished by maintaining the airplanes in flying condition; taking the airplanes to the people allowing them to experience the sight and sound of the aircraft in flight.
Collecting, restoring and flying vintage historical aircraft for more than half a century, the Commemorative Air Force ranks as one of the largest private air forces in the world. The CAF is dedicated to Honoring American Military Aviation through flight, exhibition and remembrance. A non-profit educational association, the CAF has more than 13,000 members and a fleet of 166 airplanes distributed throughout the country to 76 CAF units for care and operation. For more information, visit www.commemorativeairforce.org.
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Press Contact
Darcy Castro
darcy@redtail.org
(203) 297-4994
Visit www.redtail.org/news-media-kit for access to more photos and materials especially for the media.
