History of the Florida Wing

Our Mission

The Florida Wing is the DeLand-based unit of the Commemorative Air Force (CAF), headquartered in Dallas, Texas. The CAF's mission is educational: to ensure that generations of Americans value and support the contributions of military aviation in securing our national freedom. Through our aircraft, museum, and outreach programs, we recreate, remind, and reinforce the lessons learned from the defining moments in American military aviation history.

The Florida Wing is led by a Wing Staff of officers elected by the membership. Comprised entirely of volunteers, the Florida Wing operates as a non-profit, tax-exempt, educational and charitable organization.

The Beginning

On June 29, 1996, during a meeting at the NAS DeLand Museum, the Florida Wing of the Commemorative Air Force was born. The founding staff included Dick Russell as Squadron Leader, Fred McKaig as Executive Officer, Harvey Adams as Finance Officer, David Bishop as Adjutant, Dick Kelso as Operations Officer, Arthur Perry as Maintenance Officer, and Steve Moddle as Safety Officer. CAF Colonel Bob Robbins also joined as a member on that historic day.

The new Wing began with 30 members and $1,400 in the bank. Before settling on DeLand, the founders considered several other locations including Daytona, Ormond Beach, and New Smyrna Beach airports. DeLand Mayor David Rigsby made a compelling presentation that encouraged the Wing to make DeLand its permanent home. From the start, the founders set an ambitious goal: to become a flying organization rather than take on a lengthy restoration project.

Our Aircraft Through the Years

The Wing's first order of business was finding an aircraft. Members located a damaged L-17B Navion, affectionately named "Allie Gator," and set about restoring it to flying condition. Operating from a rented T-hangar at DeLand Airport, Wing members successfully completed the restoration, and "Allie" went on to represent the Florida Wing at dozens of airshows across the country from 1996 to 2013.

In 1999, the Wing acquired a UC-45J/SNB twin Beech from Kissimmee, with twelve members agreeing to sponsor the aircraft. Unfortunately, inspections revealed extensive corrosion in the horizontal stabilizer and elsewhere, and by 2005 the aircraft was declared unserviceable. The Wing obtained permission from CAF Headquarters to disassemble and part out the aircraft, with the final parts sold or disposed of by September 2008.

In 2002, the Wing received a second L-17, dubbed "Misty Blue," donated by Wing member Bob Cline. With a pair of L-17s, the Wing expanded its airshow appearances and outreach activities. However, due to funding constraints, the Wing Staff made the difficult decision in 2009 to return "Misty Blue" to CAF Headquarters.

In 2005, CAF Headquarters assigned a TBM-3E Avenger torpedo bomber to the Wing for restoration. The project aircraft arrived in May 2006, and restoration work commenced in the new hangar. Wing members added considerable value to the aircraft over the following years, but the worldwide recession made the project financially untenable. In April 2012, the Wing Staff voted to suspend restoration, and in October of that year, the TBM-3E was sold and shipped to Carson City, Nevada.

Using funds from the sale of the TBM-3E, supplemented by CAF Headquarters, the Wing purchased a flying T-34A Mentor in 2012. This marked a pivotal transition from a restoration-focused organization to an active flying operation. The T-34A has since become the centerpiece of the Wing's community and youth outreach programs, logging well over one hundred flight hours annually.

Building Our Home

The journey to a permanent hangar was a long one. Initial discussions with the City of DeLand in 1996 included a cost-sharing plan for construction, but city support gradually diminished. Throughout 1998 and early 1999, the Wing explored alternative sites. In July 2000, the City of DeLand offered the Wing a land lease at $2,500 per year, which CAF Headquarters approved in May 2001.

The Wing applied for a Volusia County ECHO Grant to help finance construction, but the first application was denied because CAF Headquarters was considered a "foreign" (non-Florida) corporation. In response, the Aviation Airpower Historic Foundation of Florida was created to apply for future grants.

Ground was broken on December 9, 2003, and the Wing received its Certificate of Occupancy on November 9, 2005. The hangar was constructed using donated steel framework and doors. A 3,600 square foot concrete apron and taxiway were added to make the facility fully operational. The official Hangar Dedication took place on March 31, 2007, with special guests including Patti Froelich and Bob Robbins Jr., children of founding member Bob Robbins.

Educational Programs and Special Events

The Wing supports an active educational program that includes both static display and flying demonstrations of CAF warbirds. In 2014, the Wing sponsored a major public event when the CAF's B-29 Bomber "FIFI" flew into DeLand Airport and was exhibited for two days adjacent to our hangar. In 2015, the Wing hosted the B-24 Squadron Tour, featuring the legendary B-24 Liberator "Diamond Lil," which was available for tours and flights.

Also in 2015, the Wing sponsored the CAF Red Tail Squadron's "Rise Above" traveling educational exhibit, which highlights the courage and determination of the Tuskegee Airmen who overcame obstacles to train and fight as U.S. Army Air Corps pilots during World War II. The exhibit featured the original film Rise Above on a 160-degree panoramic screen in a 30-seat, climate-controlled mobile theater. The CAF Red Tail Squadron's P-51C Mustang joined the exhibit for display and rides.

The Wing Today

Today, the Wing operates its T-34 Mentor, a familiar sight in the skies around Central Florida. The Wing regularly participates at SUN 'n FUN and other regional fly-ins, continuing its mission to educate the public about America's aviation heritage. Our hangar at Sidney H. Taylor Field in DeLand is open most Saturdays from 10:00 AM to noon, and visitors are always welcome.

The Bob Robbins Memorial Library/Museum

The Bob Robbins Memorial Library/Museum is housed within our hangar facility. Established as a cornerstone of the Wing's educational mission, the library contains books, recordings, historic films, oral histories, photographs, and serves as a repository of U.S. aviation-related memorabilia. The museum showcases uniforms, equipment, flags, medals, flight manuals, and aircraft models that preserve the heritage of America's participation in past conflicts. The collection is available to students, researchers, and visitors.

For a detailed look at the Wing's first twenty years, see: Florida Wing at 2017 (PDF)