Exhibits Honoring Tuskegee Airmen To Visit The Children’s Museum And Indy Air Show

South St., Paul, MN (June 4, 2012) - The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis and the Capitol City Ford Indianapolis Air Show will be hosting the free CAF Red Tail Squadron RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit and the Indianapolis Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. over a five day period spanning June 20-24, 2012. The Squadron’s mission as well as that of the Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. organization is to preserve and share the inspiring history and legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen - America’s first black military pilots and their support personnel.

The RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit is presented at The Children’s Museum and the air show by Rolls Royce with additional support from Mays Chemical, Bowen Engineering, and WESTREYNA. The Traveling Exhibit is a customized 53-foot trailer with expandable sides that houses a 40-foot long, curved panoramic movie screen and seating for 30 in climate-controlled comfort. A short original movie called "RISE ABOVE" focuses on what the Tuskegee Airmen had to overcome to be allowed to fly and fight for their country during World War II. It also features some great flying footage that is enhanced by the long curved screen.

Visitors are spellbound as they hear how, after training at the segregated base in Tuskegee, Ala. the black pilots and their crews were deployed first to Africa and then to Italy where they distinguished themselves as American military aviators. With determination and skill, they proved that black men had the courage and intelligence to fly and fight effectively against the Axis powers, particularly the Germans. As a special addition to this wonderful learning experience, the Indianapolis Chapter will present the Indiana Leadership Legacy aspect of the Tuskegee Airmen Experience.

The CAF Red Tail Squadron’s rare red-tailed P-51C Mustang fighter will also be at the Capitol City Ford Indianapolis Air Show. The Tuskegee Airmen painted the tails of their fighters red and bomber pilots began requesting the "red tail angels" as escorts to protect their "big heavies" from the German fighters sent to disrupt their missions. The Tuskegee Airmen flew more than 15,000 combat sorties and earned hundreds of medals and designations, including the Congressional Gold Medal in 2007 in honor of their war service to the United States.

The CAF Red Tail Squadron, a volunteer-driven non-profit organization that is part of the Commemorative Air Force (CAF), completed a $1 million restoration of the Mustang - named Tuskegee Airmen - in 2009 and the airplane has been on the air show circuit ever since. [The Mustang had been restored once before and toured the air show circuit for three years starting in July 2001 before it crashed due to catastrophic engine failure at a Minnesota air show in 2004.] At each stop, its pilots and crew take every opportunity to tell audiences the story of the Tuskegee Airmen, the first black fighter pilots to serve in the U.S. Army Air Corps (now U.S. Air Force) and the thousands of other black men and women who supported them.
 
 The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis will host the CAF Red Tail Squadron RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit and the Indianapolis Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen on June 20-21 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission to the Traveling Exhibit is free and open to the public. The exhibit will be located outside of the museum in the Carousel Parking Lot, north of the museum’s Welcome Center.

The Traveling Exhibit will then move to the Capitol City Ford Indianapolis Air Show at the Indianapolis Regional Airport (a.k.a. Mt. Comfort Airport) where it will be joined by the P-51C Mustang and members of the Indianapolis Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen. Both will be available to all air show visitors at no additional charge on June 23-24 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Mustang is scheduled to fly during the aircraft performance segments on both days. Documented Original Tuskegee Airmen are hoped to be in attendance on both days.

About the CAF:
Collecting, restoring and flying vintage historical aircraft for more than half a century, the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) ranks as one of the largest private air forces in the world. The CAF, based in Midland, Texas, is dedicated to Honoring American Military Aviation through flight, exhibition and remembrance. A non-profit educational association, the CAF has more than 8,000 members and a fleet of 156 airplanes distributed throughout the country to 74 units located in 27 states for care and operation. For more information, visit www.commemorativeairforce.org or call (432) 563-1000. For more information about the CAF Red Tail Squadron, visit www.redtail.org.

About Tuskegee Airmen Inc.:
The national mission of the Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. organization is: Honoring the accomplishments and perpetuating the history of African-Americans who participated in air crew, ground crew and operations support training in the Army Air Corps during WWII; Introducing young people across the nation to the world of aviation and science through local and national programs such as Young Eagles and TAI youth programs and activities; and Providing educational assistance to students and awards to deserving individuals, groups and corporations whose deeds lend support to TAI's goals. TAI also supports the Tuskegee Airmen Award presented to deserving cadets in the Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps Program. For more information about the Indianapolis Chapter please visit http://indytuskegee.org/ . For more information about the national Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. organization please visit http://www.tuskegeeairmen.org/

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CAF Red Tail Squadron
Contact: Marvona Welsh
Phone: 812-240-2560
Email: info@redtail.org
Address:
310 Airport Road - Hangar 3,
South St. Paul, Minn. 55075
Web site: www.redtail.org