Old Bomber Seeks New Home

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed)
Nov 9th 2008 at 11:06AM

Usually when I hear of something in need of a home it's a kitten or maybe a puppy. Today's homeless item is a bit bigger, it's Texas Raiders, a member of the Commemorative Air Force (CAF). This World War II B-17 Bomber is one of 12 still capable of flight and it is losing its Houston home. Aero-News Network reports that the owner of the hangar that houses Texas Raiders will terminate the lease effective November 30, 2008 leaving the $3.5 million plane homeless. The CAF Gulf Coast Wing has to vacate the hanger and the vintage bomber is not flightworthy so another hangar is needed to complete the restoration process. They are seeking anyone in the Houston area who can offer a standard lease or donation agreement to allow the bomber to remain in Houston. Else it will have to go to go to the Commemorative Air Force Headquarters in Midland, Texas and will have to be partially dismantled basically undoing six years of volunteer restoration. It last flew in November 2001 to celebrate the opening of the National D-day Museum in New Orleans, LA.

Tags: bomber, plane, world war ii, WorldWarIi