Red Bull P-38 (real)


Moderator: hbartel

Post Reply
User avatar
Ed Kettler
Posts: 3437
Joined: Sat Dec 15, 2001 6:05 pm
Location: USA
Contact:

Red Bull P-38 (real)

Post by Ed Kettler »

From 9/7 to 9/14/2008, the Red Bull P-38 will be visiting the Cavanaugh Flight Museum at Addison Airport, TX. This P-38L used to be flown in the CAF white/red/blue trim by Lefty Gardner for many years. It just completed a four year restoration at Ezell Aviation in Breckinridge TX, and survived a near fatal pass by a tornado that hit the airport the day before the first flight with only a minor dent. The plane is now owned by Red Bull, and will be departing for Salzburg, Austria soon. There is currently some discussion if it will be flown across the Atlantic, or crated and shipped, as it is not equipped for drop tanks. It is an awesome restoration!!!!

Here are a few pictures from this afternoon's flight.

Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image

The sound of the two Allisons is incredible! It is supposed to fly out next Sunday, so if you live in the DFW area, please swing by the museum and check this out!
Lee Liddle
Posts: 3330
Joined: Thu Jun 20, 2002 10:30 pm
Location: USA

Post by Lee Liddle »

WOW!! Beautiful!! Gotta go see that. Thanks for the pics Ed.
EK
Posts: 338
Joined: Fri Aug 22, 2003 6:36 pm
Location: Aubrey,Texas

Post by EK »

Ed, in the first picture at the top is a Navy bird. Is it a Stoof with a Roof or just a Cod?
User avatar
Ed Kettler
Posts: 3437
Joined: Sat Dec 15, 2001 6:05 pm
Location: USA
Contact:

Post by Ed Kettler »

US-2B - ASW gear removed, used at Corpus Christi to ferry student pilots to/from training carrier.

http://www.cavanaughflightmuseum.com/Tracker.htm has more info on the plane.
Cajun
Posts: 2020
Joined: Wed Mar 28, 2001 10:22 pm
Location: USA

Post by Cajun »

A belated thanks Ed, for the pictures. I had seen stories of the restoration, but not the pictures.

The P-38 was Lefty's favorite plane of the many WW2 warbirds he owned over his long carreer. I had the pleasure of knowing Lefty while learning to fly at his FBO at the Brownwood Airport in the mid '60s. He was a total aviator in every sense of the word.

Sadly he passed away in Dec 2008 at the age of of 87. The following is from the Kerville newspaper.

KERRVILLE — On Dec. 24, 2008, Lefty Gardner departed this earth, showing us how to soar with the eagles, but this final time, on the wings of an angel. He passed away peacefully at the age of 87.

Lefty started his aviation career at the age of 21, when he joined the Army Air Corps. He flew 34 missions in the European Theater during World War II in B-24’s and B-17’s, receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with Three Oak Leaf Clusters. After his tour, Lefty joined an elite group of pilots flying to Sweden at night carrying supplies for the underground and POWs. After 12 missions, he came home and finished his education at Texas A&M, receiving a BS degree in agriculture.

Lefty and his brother started an Ag flying business in Crystal City, Texas. He then went on his own and, with a dear friend, developed a process used to control mesquite and other noxious brush on the West Texas ranches, allowing better grazing conditions for cattle. He retired from this after 35 years.

Lefty was reared in the Beeville, Texas, area. During his lifetime, he lived and worked his businesses in Crystal City, Brownwood, Mercedes and Lakeway. He and his wife retired in Kerrville, Texas.

He, along with others, founded the Confederate Air Force, now known as the Commemorative Air Force, and was a member of the General Staff for many years. As the first procurement officer for the CAF, he held both A/P and A/I licenses, enabling him to travel the world to repair and ferry vintage WWII aircraft home. He became the Chief Check Pilot for the CAF and was rated in all the aircraft the CAF acquired.

He was widely known for his flying abilities, especially in his P-38 “White Lightnin,â€
Post Reply