Commemorative Air Force
Rocky Mountain Wing
The Cub was the smallest single engine plane built for the War, but it made a big contribution – nearly every WWII Pilot Wannabe started out with 4-hours of dual training in this little plane. And only 25% of the Wannabes were able to show their instructors that they had the
right stuff to move on the next phase of their training. Rides are available before and after Show hours. See if you have the right stuff!
The TBM Avenger was the largest single-engine bomber built for the War. And it took off and landed on the shortest of runways – as little as 500 feet of aircraft carrier deck! And it did it without the help of a catapult. At 9 tons fully loaded with a crew of three, 345 gallons of gas, a 2,000 lb torpedo, and ammunition for its three .50 cal machine guns, it’s powerful 14-cylinder, 1,900 HP radial engine did the heavy lifting!
Our particular TBM Bu No 53503, was delivered to the US Navy in 1945, transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy in 1950 for Anti-Submarine Warfare duty in the Atlantic on the Aircraft Carrier HMS Magnificent, led a formation flyover at Queen Elizabeth's Coronation Review of the Fleet in 1953, and retired from Military Service in 1958.
It has been maintained and flown by the CAF Rocky Mountain Wing in Grand Junction CO since 1984. It is listed on the Colorado Register of Historic Properties and the National Register of Historic Places.
