ON TOUR WITH THE CAF GHOST SQUADRON

(Addison, Tex., May 23, 2012) Spending several weeks traveling the United States with three famous World War II airplanes is a dream many military aviation enthusiasts can only imagine. Aviation journalist and photographer Steve Schapiro is doing just that. The Commemorative Air Force (CAF) B-29/B-24 Squadron is excited to announce that for the first time ever they have an embedded journalist as part of their crew. Steve will be traveling with the airplanes and crew of the only flying B-29 Superfortress in the world; one of two flyable B-24 Liberators in the world and a P-51 Mustang throughout their entire East Coast 2012 tour. The airplanes will visit eight eastern U.S. and Canadian cities and started in Lexington, Ky. May 18 continuing through June 17.

Schapiro’s posts appear in a blog on the squadron website. He will be writing about his day to day experience as part of the crew of the two extremely rare bombers, FIFI and Diamond Lil; as well as a combat veteran P-51, The Brat III, owned by the Cavanaugh Flight Museum in Addison, Tex. His daily reports will include stories about the many Veterans he will meet along the way, current crew members, maintenance challenges and many other topics.

Visit the daily report at http://tour.cafb29b24.org or click on the link on our website at www.cafb29b24.org. Tour information for the East Coast 2012 tour as well as future tours may also be found on the website.

Steve Schapiro is an aviation journalist and photographer. He earned his private pilot certificate when he was 17 years old and currently owns a 1968 Piper Cherokee Arrow, which his father bought new and picked up at the factory in Vero Beach, Fla. Formerly the senior editor of publications for EAA's Sport Aviation magazine, Schapiro's work also has appeared in AOPA's ePilot, Flying magazine's eNews, EAA's e-Hotline, Midwest Flyer, the Chicago Sun-Times, and will be appearing in upcoming issues of General Aviation News and Air & Space Smithsonian.
  
The B29/B24 Squadron of the CAF is based in Addison, Tex. The squadron is one of 70 CAF units throughout the United States whose goal is to restore and maintain the organization’s almost 160 military aircraft in flying condition. The CAF is a 501(c)(3) educational organization. We believe that educational mission is best carried out by keeping these airplanes flying. More information about the CAF can be found at www.commemorativeairforce.org.