Cirrus Owners open their hearts, and wallets, to support CAF Red Tail Project
June 5, 2006

Members of the Cirrus Owners and Pilots Association raised more than $105,000 in a single evening to benefit the CAF Red Tail Project, giving the project a significant boost toward their goal of bringing the story of the famed Tuskegee Airmen to every classroom in America.

The Cirrus owners were attending M4, the fourth annual migration of Cirrus pilots to the Cirrus Design Corp. headquarters in Duluth, MN.

The CAF Red Tail Project is raising money to repair and fly a rare P-51C Mustang in honor of the Tuskegee Airmen and other African-American veterans of World War II and to create an educational program that will preserve the story of the Airmen for generations.

At the annual banquet, COPA member and aviation enthusiast Bendrix Bailey came forward and issued a challenge: He would commit $50,000 if the COPA members present would match his gift that evening.

ãThis story of the Red Tail is both inspiration and proof that impossible dreams may be achieved. This airplane will carry that story to young men and women of all backgrounds all across America,ä Bailey said.

COPA members responded and raised more than $105,000 to support the project.

During World War II, 450 African-American pilots and thousands of support personnel served overseas and became accomplished pilots and technicians against great odds. Because of segregation in place at the start of World War II no opportunities were available for African-Americans to become military pilots. The Airmen persevered, first in the formation of a segregated fighter group then by compiling an outstanding combat record.

The Tuskegee Airmen flew more than 15,000 individual sorties during the war, never losing a bomber to enemy fighters. Sixty-six pilots were killed in action and another 32 taken prisoner.

Addressing the crowd at the COPA banquet Saturday, June 4, Cirrus co-founder Dale Klapmeier spoke about how he was personally inspired by the accomplishments of the Tuskegee Airmen.

In early May, Klapmeier took several Airmen, including Col. Charles McGee, for rides in a Cirrus SR22 at the McDonalds Air & Sea Show in Ft. Lauderdale. Fourteen Airmen were attending the show courtesy of Cirrus to be honored for their role as America's first African-American fighter pilots.

Over a career that spanned three wars, McGee flew more combat hours than any other Air Force pilot.

ãItâs beyond my comprehension that these very same people were told that they were not intelligent enough or courageous enough to fly airplanes in combat,ä Klapmeier said.

Klapmeier, along with his brother and Cirrus co-founder Alan Klapmeier, helped get the fundraising action started by offering four ãJ is for Jetä T-shirts to COPA to auction off to support the charity of their choice.

COPA president and master of ceremonies Mike Radomsky announced he was going to make an executive decision for the first time in COPA history and make the CAF Red Tail Project the beneficiary of this years charitable giving. Radomsky said he ãhad no doubt that the board would join him in directing these funds to help the CAF Red Tail Project tell this valuable story to our youth.ä ÊThe auction of the shirts off the backs of the Cirrus management team raised $7,000.

By seeking significant corporate and individual sponsorship the project hopes to accelerate the restoration process and to both record the stories of the surviving Tuskegee Airmen for history and to honor them. Virtually all of the approximately 200 surviving Tuskegee Airmen are in their 80s and time is of the essence.

If the CAF Red Tail Project can raise the remaining $700,000 within the next 30 days required to finish the P-51C the project is committed to flying the airplane to the next COPA Migration in Duluth and throughout the 2007 air show season.

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