San Marcos nonprofit keeps aviation history aloft

Members of the Central Texas Wing of the Commemorative Air Force dedicate their days to the preservation of some of the storied aircraft of U.S. aviation history.

Their efforts mean that the hangar the San Marcos nonprofit group calls home has achieved a unique success.

Chief Mechanic Ray Clausen highlights the Bell P-39 Airacobra and the Bell P-63 King Cobra.

"The P-39, there's only two in the world that fly, and we have one here. [The] P-63, there's only three of them in the world that fly," Clausen said. "And this facility is the only place on the planet that has one of each that flies. We call this place the Cobra Den because of that."

Nationwide, CAF owns about 150 airplanes total, with one key difference, said Clint Epley, the group's museum curator.

"We don't keep broken, static airplanes," Epley said. "We either repair them and get them flying again, or we get rid of them. But we don't put them on pedestals or sit them here statically."

However, Epley said there are a couple of planes that haven't flown in a year or more. The parts are arranged nearby for each disassembled aircraft, some of which have been stripped down to their metal frames.

"We have some that are under heavy repair. That T-6, and this over here—this is all part of a BT-13 that we just went up and rescued from Cleveland about two weeks ago," he said.

Clausen is the maintenance officer for the CenTex Wing. As the only FAA-licensed mechanic on site, he oversees the repairs and restoration of all the planes.

"The FAA allows a lot of the work on planes to be done if it's supervised by a licensed mechanic," Clausen said. "Everybody gets hands-on [experience], which is what they're here for, and we get a lot of work done."

Clausen also oversees the student volunteers who come to the hangar from St. Philip's College in San Antonio.

The students particiapte in a contest to determine the 10 who will travel to San Marcos to stay for at least one month at a time. Their travel is funded by state grant money the school receives.

"They get real-world, hands-on, fixing-airplane experience on planes that actually fly," he said. "The planes they've got in the school are taken apart, put back together by one class, then the next class comes in pretty much junk."

Clausen said the students enjoy the program so much that the majority of each class usually makes the trip, with the students not covered by the grant paying their own way.

"It's hugely popular," he said. "This is a resume-building experience for them, plus they get immersed in the history."

That history surrounds visitors to the hangar and is featured in detail in the three rooms that comprise the CAF's museum that Epley oversees.

The first room houses what he calls the "touchy-feely room," full of items such as an ejcection seat, a standard bucket seat, a WWII–era helmet, binoculars and more that children can try on and play with.

"We have a parachute there that we'll put on them. It's about 40 pounds, so it gets their attention," he said.

The European Theater room showcases models of WWII aircraft that fought in Europe. Epley rattles off names and facts about each one.

"There's the P-38, P-39; the bombers—the B-24, the B-17, the B-25, which, by the way, was in every operation; the P-47 and the P-51; the C-47; the gliders "

The museum also features a section on women in warfare, including Molly Pitcher, Rosie the Riveter and female aviators—Women Air Service Pilots, also known as WASPs—as well as weaponry, uniforms and photographs from throughout the history of aviation.

Funds for the planes' maintenance and the lease on the hangar—$1 per year to the City of San Marcos—are raised at the group's annual Dinner Dance.

The USO swing dance–style event features a 16-piece band, dance competitions and contests for the best-dressed couple and best-dressed woman. WWII period attire is encouraged.

The dance raised $30,000 in 2011. This year's event is from 6–11 p.m. Nov. 10 at the hangar.

Tickets are $40 per person or $500 per table and may be purchased at the hangar or by calling Alison Ender at 396-0765.

In the hangar

The CenTex Wing of the Commemorative Air Force is responsible for the maintenance and restoration of four CAF aircraft at the hangar.

• Bell P-39Q Airacobra (right)
• B-25 Mitchell Yellow Rose
• BT-13 Valiant
• U-3A Administrator

Central Texas Commemorative Air Force, San Marcos Municipal Airport, 1807 Airport Drive, San Marcos, 396-1943, www.cafcentex.com