Dallas – February 3, 2016 – The Commemorative Air Force (CAF) Red Tail Squadron, America’s tribute to the Tuskegee Airmen, confirms that Wednesday morning, February 3, their P-51C Mustang Tuskegee Airmen was involved in a gear-up landing at Dallas Executive Airport (DEA). The aircraft was landing back at DEA, the national headquarters of the CAF, for a special event in honor of Black History Month in the Dallas area.
Piloting the aircraft was CAF Red Tail Squadron Leader Bill Shepard. He sustained no injuries as a result of the gear-up landing. No injuries were reported on the ground. Dallas-area first responders were on the scene.
“Earlier today, the CAF Red Tail Squadron’s P-51C experienced a gear-up landing at Dallas Executive Airport,” said Stephan C. Brown, president and CEO of the CAF. “Pilot and Squadron Leader Bill Shepard was uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage, but we will start the restoration process shortly. As with the Tuskegee Airmen she honors, this airplane will ‘Rise Above’ to ‘Triumph Over Adversity’ and fly again. We appreciate the many messages of concern received today.”
Special events for Black History Month will continue as scheduled.
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 (CAF) 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 over 165 airplanes distributed throughout the country to 79 units located in 25 states for care and operation. For more information, visit www.commemorativeairforce.org.
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Press Contact
Adam Smith
Commemorative Air Force
(214) 330-1700
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