As of Wednesday afternoon, there are a handful of slots left aboard the SBD Dauntless from CAF Airbase Georgia: Two on the morning of Thursday, April 3rd, at 09:00 and 11:00; one on Friday April 4th at 09:00; and one on Saturday, April 5th at 09:00. Their North American LT-6 Mosquito is already sold out, but that’s just how things go at Sun ‘n Fun!
The Commemorative Air Force Tampa Bay Wing might have a few more options, but you’d have to touch base with them to make sure. They’re most known for their blue and yellow Fairchild PT-19, but this year has a new addition to their lineup in the form of Dwight Eisenhower’s presidential aircraft of choice, his 1955 L-26 Aero Commander. Today, it seems a little quaint to be called “Air Force One”, but back in the day this was his preferred short-haul aircraft. The Aero Commander is now “Ike’s Bird” thanks to its association with the late General-cum-President.
The Aero Commander was accompanied by a Lockheed Constellation when Eisenhower took office, replacing previous President Harry Truman’s Douglas DC-6 “The Independence”. Eisenhower knew what he was doing, tackling the mission of presidential flight in a short/long fleet. For longer journeys and international voyages, he’d use the Constellation. For short hops to the ranch and jaunts around D.C., he’d use the Aero Commander. Today, the Tampa Bay Wing offers rides in the Co-Pilot station and the Presidential seat itself. As far as warbird rides go, these aren’t too pricey, at $285 for the copilot experience and $195 for the rear, and who else can say they’ve been given a private flight aboard an Air Force One?
The last opportunities for riders come from the Indiana Wing of the Commemorative Air Force. Their C-45/SNB “BOB” (Big Oily Beast) is a military version of the classic Beech 18 twin, used across a range of roles from the late thirties to early seventies. Its conventional landing gear and brawny radial twin engines gave it a long life in service as a trainer, transport, and recon bird. Today, the Commemorative Air Force offers seats as Co-Pilot or aft in the VIP seats. As of Wednesday, the 2nd, it appears there are a few chances left: On Thursday, April 3rd, flights from 09:00 to 11:00 and 05:00 pm and 07:00 pm seem to be available, across both the Co-Pilot and VIP seats. On Friday the 4th, both seats are open for the morning flight, with a VIP slot in the evening flight. Finally, on Saturday the 5th, both morning and evening have space available in Co-Pilot and VIP seats. (Availability is, of course, subject to change by the minute, and this is only indicative of what remains available to purchase on 04/02.)
Last up is the P-51 Gunfighter, offering rides in one of the few extant tandem seat P-51s left. That rarity belies a price: $3,000 for a 20-minute flight, and $4,500 for a 40-minute one. Gunfighter is booked early and often, but their schedule has a few more stops on their tour this year throughout the summer. Check their site for details and you’ll probably find a stop in your state, and get a premium chance to experience history few ever will.
FMI: Dauntless Rides: www.airbasegeorgia.org, Ike’s Bird Aero Commander flights: www.caftampabaywing.org, C-45 Flights: www.sunnfun-snb.com, P-51 Gunfighter Booking: www.p51gunfighter.com
