CAF Warbird Tube

It’s a story of courage, survival, and unlikely alliances forged in one of World War II’s most legendary air campaigns. On August 1, 1943, American B-24 Liberators flew one of the most daring and decorated missions in U.S. airpower history: Operation Tidal Wave, the low-level attack on the oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania. But what happened to the crews who were shot down and left for dead? In t...

How can a shared love for the sky connect two lives lived largely apart? In this episode of Air Born: Two Generations in Flight, we sit down to explore the deeply personal story behind the book Air Born, examining the complex connection between a daughter, her father, and the parallel passion for flight that runs through their veins. In the book, she connects her experiences as a Space Shuttle ast...

Graduating just three years before Pearl Harbor, the U.S. Naval Academy Class of 1938 was scattered across every theater of World War II. From the Pacific carrier battles to submarine patrols and naval aviation, discover the remarkable untold stories, sacrifice, and leadership of these Annapolis graduates thrust directly into the greatest conflict in history. We sit down with author and historian...

What is it really like to carry forward one of the most iconic names in aviation history? In this episode, we sit down with Erik Lindbergh, grandson of pioneering aviator Charles Lindbergh, to explore his family’s incredible legacy, personal stories, and the future of flight. Erik shares a unique perspective on aviation's past, present, and future. Watch this episode at https://youtu.be/xZJ4h...

Few fighter squadrons of World War II have achieved the legendary status of the Black Sheep. In just four short months in late 1943, the Marines of VMF-214, led by Major Gregory “Pappy” Boyington, established, for themselves and the Vought Corsair, a reputation that would live on long after the war. That reputation was so formidable it led to the short-lived and controversial TV series Baa Baa Bla...

Join CAF Warbird Tube for a compelling examination of one of history’s most consequential air campaigns, the Battle of Britain. Military aviation historian and author Andy Saunders explores the air war of 1940 from both sides of the English Channel, examining the aircraft, pilots, tactics, and rapidly changing conditions that shaped the battle. At the center of the discussion is the Luftwaffe’s Me...

During World War II, the PBY Catalina became one of the Allies’ most important long-range patrol aircraft—hunting enemy submarines, protecting convoys, and rescuing downed airmen. But few surviving Catalinas have a story as remarkable as PBY-5A BuNo. 2459. Accepted by the U.S. Navy just weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor, BuNo. 2459 was among the first PBY-5A amphibians ever built. It was soon...

During World War II, thousands of young British airmen crossed the Atlantic to learn to fly in the United States. The first and largest of their American training schools was in an unlikely place: Terrell, Texas.  Beginning in 1941, before the United States had even entered the war, Royal Air Force cadets arrived in North Texas to train under wide-open skies, far from the bad weather and dangers o...

The de Havilland Mosquito was one of the most remarkable aircraft of World War II, yet today, not a single UK-built example remains airworthy. In this episode of Warbird Tube, we sit down with John Lilley, Chairman of The People’s Mosquito, to talk about the ambitious effort to change that—and return Britain’s legendary “Wooden Wonder” to the skies. To watch this video online, go to https://youtu....

This is the remarkable story of one of America's pioneering women aviators. We sat down with Judith Stanford Miller, M.Ed., M.A., writer and producer of the documentary "Crosswinds: The Courageous Life of Cornelia Fort," to explore the life and legacy of the trailblazing pilot who, as a civilian pilot instructor, came nose-to-nose with a Japanese Zero as the Pearl Harbor attack bega...

General Robin Olds wasn't just a fighter ace—he became a legend. A triple ace with victories in both World War II and Vietnam, Olds flew the P-38 Lightning, P-51 Mustang, and F-4 Phantom while earning a reputation as one of the U.S. Air Force's most fearless and influential fighter pilots.  In this special episode of CAF Warbird Tube, Robin Olds' daughter, Christina Olds, joins us f...

Get an inside look at the inaugural DC-3 Society Fly-In & Showcase coming to historic Flabob Airport in Southern California this August! On this episode of CAF Warbird Tube, we sit down with Lyndse F. Costabile, Interim Executive Director and Director, Corporate Relations for the DC-3 Society, Andy Maag, on the Board of Directors, and Moreno Aguiari, President of the DC-3 Society Board of Dire...

The Women Airforce Service Pilots changed aviation history. Now, the National WASP WWII Museum is looking toward the future. In this episode of CAF Warbird Tube, Dr. Rachael McClain shares her plans to build on the legacy established by WASP Deanie Bishop Parrish and Nancy Parrish while expanding educational programs and connecting new audiences with one of World War II's most inspiring stori...

The Hiller UH-12, known to the U.S. military as the OH-23 Raven, played a vital role during the Korean and Vietnam Wars. Used for observation, liaison, training, and medical evacuation missions, this versatile helicopter helped pioneer military rotorcraft operations while proving equally valuable in civilian service.  In this episode of CAF Warbird Tube, guest Nick Infantino, founder of the Commem...

The AC-47 “Spooky” was more than a gunship during the Vietnam War—it became a symbol of protection, survival, and hope for troops on the ground in some of the war’s darkest moments.  In this episode of CAF Warbird Tube, we explore the restoration and future of "Spooky 86," the Commemorative Air Force’s AC-47 assigned to the Commemorative Air Force Gulf Coast Wing. Fresh from a major repa...

Get a behind-the-scenes look at the world’s greatest aviation celebration—EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2026! Join us on this special episode of CAF Warbird Tube as we welcome Rick Larsen, EAA’s Vice President of Communities and Member Programming, to give us an exclusive preview of what’s in store this July.  From thrilling airshow performances and historic warbird displays to new features, special anni...

Before dawn on D-Day, C-47 Skytrains filled the skies over Normandy carrying paratroopers of the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions into occupied Europe. Months later, during the Battle of the Bulge, those same aircraft flew desperately needed supplies through brutal winter weather to surrounded Allied troops in the Ardennes.  One of those aircraft still survives. In this episode of CAF Warbird Tub...

For decades, Gene Moran rarely spoke about what happened in the skies over Germany.  In Tailspin, author John Armbruster brings that story to life—from a catastrophic fall from a shattered B-17 to the harsh realities of life as a prisoner of war. Along the way, the story becomes something more: a shared journey between two men confronting trauma, loss, and the challenge of telling the truth about...

More than 6,000 Handley Page Halifax bombers were built during World War II. Today, only a handful remain.  At the Bomber Command Museum of Canada, an extraordinary team of volunteers, historians, and restoration experts is working to bring one of these legendary heavy bombers back from history—piece by piece. Using recovered wreckage, rare original parts, and components sourced from around the wo...

For 53 brutal days during World War II, a small group of American servicemen fought to survive on a remote Pacific island with almost no food, constant danger, and little hope of rescue. In this episode of CAF Warbird Tube, we sit down with bestselling military historian and author John R. Bruning to discuss his gripping book, Fifty-Three Days on Starvation Island: The World War II Battle That Sav...

The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt was one of the most powerful fighters of World War II—but keeping one flying today is a mission of passion, skill, and persistence. In this episode of CAF Warbird Tube, we go behind the scenes of the  Commemorative Air Force’s P-47 restoration project at Airbase Georgia. CAF member Philip Beegle III and warbird pilot Doug Jeanes share what it really takes to bring thi...

The Avro Lancaster is one of the most iconic bombers of the Second World War, but keeping one alive today is no small task. In this episode of CAF Warbird Tube, host Steve Buss sits down with Don Christopher to take you inside the remarkable Lancaster restoration project underway at the Canadian Aviation Museum.  From tracking down rare original parts to solving major structural challenges, this i...

In this episode of CAF Warbird Tube, filmmaker Zoë Lewin and writer-director Martin Hemingway-Moseley take us inside their award-winning short film A Memory Owed (2025), a deeply personal story that bridges two worlds. Set between a perilous 1944 RAF Bomber Command night mission and a present-day meeting between a 91-year-old veteran and his young caregiver, the film explores how the past continue...

Country music star Aaron Tippin is widely known for patriotic hits like “You’ve Got to Stand for Something” and “Where the Stars and Stripes and the Eagle Fly.” But beyond the stage, Tippin is also a passionate aviator with a deep appreciation for historic aircraft and the stories they represent.  In this episode of CAF Warbird Tube, Tippin joins the conversation to talk about his lifelong connect...

The CAF AirPower History Tour is gearing up for another unforgettable season—and the big bombers are leading the way. In this episode of CAF Warbird Tube, we share the latest updates on the tour’s anchor aircraft, including the B-24 Liberator Diamond Lil and the B-29 Superfortress FIFI . Get the inside scoop on aircraft status, upcoming tour stops, and how to experience history firsthand with ride...