Red Tails Plane Exhibit

[squiffynole]

How cool is this?

Red Tails plane flies into Tallahassee for black history exhibit
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - An exhibit flying into Tallahassee this Black History Month is about America's first black military pilots.

The planes flown by the Tuskegee Airmen were most commonly known for their red tails.

The Rise Above exhibit tours the country teaching people about the Tuskegee Airmen and their contribution to World War II.

About 2,000 people from school children to World War II vets come in yearly to see the exhibit, which includes a brief documentary about the Red Tails and a chance to first hand experience the plane they flew in war.

Dr. A. J. Brickler III with North Florida Women's Care says that he's proud to bring this lesser-known piece of black history to the Capital City every year.

Tallahassee also played a role in the Tuskegee Airmen's journey. The fighters would do test runs between Tuskegee and Tallahassee before heading off to the war.

For anyone interested in coming out, the exhibit opens Tuesday and goes until Friday with show times at 2:35 p.m., 3 p.m., and 3:25 p.m.


It's open Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3:40 p.m. It's free to come out and experience this piece of history.

It's all happening at the Flightline Hangar beside the Tallahassee International Airport.

 

[T-NOLE]

I went last year. It's very cool if you have the time to get out there.

 

[F4Gary]

My Dad used to dogfight with the Redtails in Italy in '44-'45 when he was flying P-38's out of Foggia.

 

[squiffynole]

My Dad used to dogfight with the Redtails in Italy in '44-'45 when he was flying P-38's out of Foggia.

The P-51 is amazing, the Tuskegee Airmen story is amazing and your Dad is amazing!

I learned the P-51 is what you call a tail dragger, one of my specialties. This particular plane was manufactured in 1945 and did not see war service but close enough for me.

The engine is water cooled unfortunately the radiator would get shot up sometimes.

How fun was this - a single pilot in a tight cockpit sitting right in front of extra fuel storage?

So sleek, so beautiful, so powerful.

Hearing the stories of the airmen brought tears to my eyes, this is a terrific exhibit for local folks to check out with their kids.

 

[F4Gary]

That is a rare B model P-51. It's called a razorback because of the way the fuselage comes back from the top of the canopy. Limits rearward visibility. Later models got the bubble canopy. The D model was the most popular.

Edit- It's a C model, not a B. The B and C were the same except the C was built in Dallas.

 

[firenole1]

This is like the

P-51​

the Redtails first flew after the P-40's they were first issued with in North Africa and at Ramatelli in Italy. They later got the P-51D.

 

[F4Gary]

This is like the

P-51​

the Redtails first flew after the P-40's they were first issued with in North Africa and at Ramatelli in Italy. They later got the P-51D.

Ramatelli was part of the Foggia airfield complex. My Dad flew out of Lesina and Foggia.

 

[firenole1]

Dad was in Panama, then Dale Mabry, then Venice (in Florida) and lastly in Virginia. He did say something about the "Redtails" training at Dale Mabry while he was there. They were flying P-40's then before they went overseas. He was a line chief.

 

[hatsbo]

Thanks for posting Squiffy, my mind traveled back to this scene from Speilbergs's memorable WW 2 film, "Empire of the Sun." And that over emoting kid is Christian Bale, lol.