Commemorative Air Force

On May 28, 1971, an Aero Commander 680 left Atlanta with a group of businessmen headed to Martinsville, Virginia, to inspect a potential real estate development site. Flying through rain and fog, the plane crashed into Brush Mountain, west-northwest of Roanoke, Virginia. All six on the plane were killed, including Audie Murphy.

Audie Leon Murphy was born on June 20, 1925, in Kingston, Texas, and grew up in a poor sharecropping family during the Great Depression. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Murphy was determined to join the military, but at just 5 feet 5 inches tall and severely underweight, he was rejected by the military. After finally gaining enough weight, he enlisted in the United States Army in 1942 at the age of 17.

Murphy was assigned to the 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, and quickly earned a reputation for fearlessness under fire. He fought in Sicily, Italy, southern France, and Germany, participating in some of the toughest campaigns in the European Theater. Despite his small stature, Murphy repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire to rescue wounded soldiers, lead attacks, and hold defensive positions against overwhelming odds.

His most famous action came on January 26, 1945, near Holtzwihr, France. During a massive German assault, Murphy ordered his men to withdraw while he remained behind alone at a burning tank destroyer. Standing exposed on the wreckage, he used its mounted .50 caliber machine gun to hold off advancing German infantry and tanks for nearly an hour while directing artillery fire by telephone. Wounded in the leg and completely isolated, Murphy continued fighting until his ammunition was exhausted, then led a successful counterattack after rejoining his men. For this action, he received the Medal of Honor.

By the end of the war, Murphy had received virtually every major American combat award for valor, including the Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, two Silver Stars, the Legion of Merit, and three Purple Hearts. France and Belgium also awarded him numerous decorations for bravery. He had become America’s most decorated soldier of WWII.

After returning home, Murphy struggled with what would now be recognized as post-traumatic stress disorder, including insomnia and recurring nightmares. Despite those challenges, he built a successful Hollywood career, starring in dozens of westerns and war films. In 1955, he portrayed himself in the film adaptation of his memoir *To Hell and Back*, which became one of Universal Pictures’ biggest hits of the era.

Murphy remained deeply respected by veterans throughout his life for speaking openly about the psychological toll of combat long before PTSD was widely understood. After his death at only 45 years old, he was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery, where his grave remains one of the most visited in the cemetery.

Wondering what CAF events are coming up in the next couple of weeks? Check out the list below.

Wondering what CAF events are coming up beyond that? Visit commemorativeairforce.com/events

May 26-31 • Ride the B-25 and B-17 in Richmond, VA
May 28-31 • Ride the B-29 and friends in Johnstown, PA
May 30 • KCFO Fly-In in Watkins, CO
May 30 • CAF SoCal Presentation: F-35 Test & Operations in Camarillo, CA
May 30-31 • Warbird Weekend in Fayetteville, AR
Jun 1-24 • Aviation Summer Camp in Mesa, AZ
Jun 2-3 • Ride That's All Brother in Harrison, AR
Jun 2-7 • Ride the B-25 and B-17 in Reading, PA
Jun 3 • CAF Warbird Tube: Before the Spitfire - online
Jun 4-8 • Ride the P-51, RC-45, PT-13, and AT-6 in Bridgeport, CT
Jun 5 • Paint the N3N to Save the N3N in Reno, NV
Jun 5-7 • 35th Annual WWII Weekend in Reading, PA
Jun 5-7 • Ride the P-51, SBD, and LT-6 in Reading, PA
Jun 5-7 • Ride the B-29 in Reading, PA
Jun 6 • Aviation Discovery Day in Madison, MS
Jun 6 • Hangar Hang out and Rides Day in Houston, TX
Jun 6 • 1940s Hangar Dance in Heber City, UT
Jun 6 • Fly-In and Car Cruise in Churchville, MD
Jun 6 • Wings over Cannon in Clovis, NM
Jun 6-7 • Spirit of St. Louis Air Show & STEM Expo

📸 Robert Belote

On 27 May 1919, a US Navy Curtiss NC flying boat arrived in Lisbon, Portugal, becoming the first airplane to cross the Atlantic Ocean.

The aircraft, designated NC-4 and commanded by Lieutenant Commander Albert Cushing Read, completed the final stage of its historic journey after departing from the harbor at Ponta Delgada in the Azores. The flight was achieved through a series of carefully planned stages stretching from the United States to Europe. Although the crossing required multiple stops rather than a continuous flight, it demonstrated for the first time that aircraft could span the Atlantic by air.

The attempt had begun earlier that month as part of a United States Navy project intended to prove the long-range capabilities of naval aviation after the First World War. Three large Curtiss NC flying boats, designated NC-1, NC-3, and NC-4, departed from Naval Air Station Rockaway in New York on 8 May 1919. The route carried them northward through Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Trepassey, Newfoundland, before the dangerous ocean crossing to the Azores.

To aid navigation, the Navy positioned dozens of warships across the Atlantic as station markers equipped with radio communications and powerful searchlights. Severe weather and mechanical difficulties complicated the mission. NC-1 was forced down at sea west of the Azores and sank after its crew was rescued. NC-3 also landed in rough seas and, unable to take off again, taxied hundreds of miles through difficult conditions to reach the Azores. Only NC-4 remained capable of completing the crossing. After repairing damage sustained during earlier legs of the journey, NC-4 departed the Azores and flew to Lisbon, arriving on 27 May before continuing onward to Plymouth, England, several days later.

Although NC-4 was first, British aviators John Alcock and Arthur Brown would complete the first *nonstop* transatlantic flight only weeks later.

The birth of a legend.

On 27 May 1958, at Lambert Field in St. Louis, Missouri, McDonnell Aircraft chief test pilot Robert C. Little made the first flight of the YF4H-1 prototype, the aircraft that would later become the famous F-4 Phantom II. The 22-minute flight was cut short when a hydraulic leak prevented the landing gear from retracting, limiting the aircraft’s speed and maneuverability. Despite the problem, the flight demonstrated the promise of a powerful new carrier-based interceptor for the United States Navy.

The aircraft originated in the early 1950s as a McDonnell proposal for a high-performance fleet defense fighter capable of protecting carrier battle groups against Soviet bombers and cruise missiles. The Phantom was designed around two General Electric J79 turbojet engines and advanced radar-guided missile armament. The Navy ordered prototypes in 1955, and development quickly showed that the aircraft possessed exceptional speed, range, and payload capability far beyond its original interceptor role.

As testing progressed, the United States Air Force became interested in the design. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara strongly favored standardization between the services to reduce costs and simplify logistics, and the Navy’s Phantom appeared capable of fulfilling Air Force requirements with relatively minor changes. In 1962, the Air Force ordered its own version of the aircraft under the designation F-110A Spectre. The Air Force version featured dual controls, wider tires, and equipment changes suited for land-based operations and tactical missions.

That same year, the Department of Defense introduced the Tri-Service Aircraft Designation System to unify the separate naming systems used by the Navy, Air Force, and Army. Under the old Navy system, “F4H” indicated the fourth fighter design from McDonnell, whose manufacturer letter was “H.” The Air Force had separately adopted the F-110 designation for its version. Under the new 1962 system, all variants were redesignated into a common sequence, and the aircraft officially became the F-4 Phantom II. Navy F4H-1 aircraft became F-4B models, while the Air Force F-110A became the F-4C. The Phantom would go on to serve with both services, as well as the Marine Corps and many allied nations, becoming one of the most successful and recognizable combat aircraft of the Cold War.

Production of the Phantom II continued until 1979, with more than 5,000 aircraft built. It served extensively during the Vietnam War in both fighter and strike roles and remained in front-line service with the United States military for decades. The aircraft established numerous speed and altitude records and became one of the few fighters widely used by both Navy and Air Force forces in large numbers.

On 26 May 1942, the Northrop XP-61 Black Widow made its first flight from Hawthorne, California, with veteran test pilot Vance Breese at the controls. The large twin engine aircraft was the first American warplane specifically designed from the outset as a radar equipped night fighter.

After the brief maiden flight, Breese declared the XP-61, "flies beautifully and is an old man's airplane." Breese was selected to conduct the first flight because he had become one of Southern California’s most trusted experimental pilots. By 1942 he had already gained prominence after flying the prototype NA-73X Mustang for North American Aviation on its maiden flight in October 1940. As an independent contract test pilot, Breese worked throughout the rapidly expanding California aviation industry for companies such as North American, Northrop, Douglas, Lockheed, and others.

The XP-61 emerged from a 1940 United States Army Air Corps requirement for a long range night interceptor capable of locating and destroying enemy aircraft in darkness and poor weather. Northrop responded with an advanced design centered around the new SCR-720 radar system and a crew of three consisting of pilot, gunner, and radar operator.

Following its development and refinement, the P-61 Black Widow entered operational service in 1944 and became one of the most effective Allied night fighters of the war. The aircraft intercepted German bombers and fighters in Europe and later Japanese aircraft in the Pacific. More than 700 Black Widows were built, and the type remained in United States service after the war in several specialized roles before being retired in the 1950s.

Four P-61s are known to survive. Do you know where they are today?

You've heard of the F8F, but have you ever heard of the F8B?

This week's , the Boeing XF8B was one of the largest and most ambitious single engine carrier fighters ever built in the United States. Conceived during WWII, it was intended to serve as a long range multirole aircraft capable of escorting bombers, intercepting enemy aircraft, carrying bombs, or even delivering torpedoes against shipping. In fact, Boeing referred to it as a “five in one fighter.”

The aircraft was powered by a massive 28 cylinder Pratt & Whitney XR-4360 radial engine producing around 3,000 horsepower and driving contra rotating propellers. Despite its size, the XF8B retained the sleek lines of a fighter, with folding carrier wings, an internal bomb bay, and provision for either six .50 caliber machine guns or six 20 mm cannon. It was designed to operate from aircraft carriers far out in the Pacific while striking targets deep inside the Japanese home islands.

Development of the XF8B began after the U.S. Navy issued requirements for a long range carrier fighter that could also fulfill attack missions. Boeing’s Model 400 proposal won favor because it promised exceptional range and payload while retaining fighter performance. A contract for three prototypes was awarded in 1943.

Boeing pursued the project with an unusual amount of freedom from Navy interference, hoping to streamline development and avoid the endless design changes common to wartime aircraft programs. The resulting airplane became the largest single seat, single engine fighter aircraft built in America during the war. The roomy fuselage even allowed installation of a temporary second seat behind the pilot during testing so that a flight engineer could monitor systems in flight.

The first XF8B prototype flew on 27 November 1944. Flight testing generally went well and pilots found the aircraft impressive for its size, with strong performance and remarkable versatility. However, timing worked against the project. By the time the aircraft was fully ready for operational evaluation, the war in the Pacific was winding down. Military priorities rapidly shifted after 1945, and the arrival of jet fighters made even advanced piston engine designs obsolete.

Though testing continued into 1946 and 1947 with both Navy and Army Air Forces interest, enthusiasm steadily faded. Ultimately, the military was unwilling to commit to large production orders, and Boeing chose to end the program rather than continue investing in a design that no longer matched postwar priorities.

As the test program wound down, the aircraft were gradually scrapped. The last surviving example lingered into 1950 before also being broken up. None were preserved, making the XF8B one of the most impressive lost prototypes of the piston engine era. It was also historically significant because it marked Boeing’s final piston fighter project and nearly the company’s last fighter aircraft altogether until its merger with McDonnell Douglas decades later.

On 26 May 1940, the Allies launched Operation Dynamo, the massive evacuation effort to rescue forces trapped in Dunkirk.

Over the next nine days, an improvised fleet of Royal Navy vessels, merchant ships, and civilian “Little Ships” evacuated more than 338,000 Allied troops across the English Channel. The operation became one of the defining moments of World War II, but it unfolded under relentless attack from the Luftwaffe.

For the soldiers crowded onto Dunkirk’s beaches and piers, air power often meant survival.

The Royal Air Force committed substantial fighter forces to the evacuation, though Air Chief Marshal Dowding deliberately held back a significant portion of Fighter Command. Flying from bases in southern England, Hurricanes and Spitfires crossed the Channel continuously to intercept German bombers and Messerschmitt Bf 109 escorts before they could strike the beaches and evacuation fleet below.

Dowding's decision to limit his commitment, ultimately deploying around 16 squadrons rather than his full strength, was controversial, drawing complaints from naval commanders that air cover was insufficient. But Dowding was determined to preserve his force for the inevitable battle over Britain itself, a decision that would prove vindicated in the months ahead. Although many troops believed the RAF was absent because much of the fighting occurred inland or at high altitude, Fighter Command was engaged in constant combat throughout the operation.

The Luftwaffe launched repeated attacks using Heinkel He 111s, Dornier Do 17s, and the feared Junkers Ju 87 Stuka dive bombers, which proved especially deadly against ships in the harbor and offshore. RAF fighters disrupted bombing runs, broke up formations, and forced German aircraft to operate under constant pressure. Historians often point to Dunkirk as the Luftwaffe’s first major setback of the war. Despite heavy losses at sea and in the air, Germany failed to stop the evacuation.

The RAF’s role extended beyond fighter cover alone. Coastal Command patrolled the Channel approaches against submarines and German E-boats, while RAF bombers attacked troop columns and supply lines around Dunkirk in an effort to slow the German advance and buy more time for the evacuation.

The rescue came at an enormous cost. Nearly all heavy equipment was abandoned in France, thousands of troops were killed or captured, and many ships were sunk. Churchill himself warned that “wars are not won by evacuations.” Yet Dunkirk preserved the core of Britain’s army and gave the nation a desperately needed morale boost at a critical moment.

Just as importantly, the RAF emerged from Dunkirk battle-tested and intact. The lessons learned during the evacuation, including improved fighter control and interception tactics, would soon prove vital during the Battle of Britain only weeks later.

French forces in particular played a major role during the final stages of the operation. As more British troops evacuated, French soldiers increasingly manned the perimeter and continued resisting German attacks almost until the very end of the operation. Around 40,000 French troops were eventually left behind and captured after the evacuation concluded on June 4, 1940.

Some British units were also captured after being cut off or ordered to remain in place too long. Others managed to escape in the final hours. In total, roughly 90,000 Allied troops, many of them French, were taken prisoner after the evacuation ended.

Join us on Wednesday, May 27, at 7 p.m. Central for this week's Warbird Tube: B-17 Tail Gunner to POW. In his book, Tailspin, author John Armbruster brings the story of Gene Moran to life: from a catastrophic fall from a shattered B-17 to the harsh realities of life as a prisoner of war.

To watch LIVE, pre-register at: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5372464956337893465?source=SoMe

This Memorial Day, please join the CAF in honoring all those Americans who gave their life in the service of our country. Enjoy the holiday, but never forget why we have it. 🫡

📸 Kevin Hong