Commemorative Air Force Night Shoot at Mesa Gateway
March 2, 2013

A small fleet of World War II warbirds flown by the Commemorative Air Force arrived at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport on Thursday, February 28. On Saturday, March 2, I had the opportunity to photograph the warbirds during and after sunset.

Beech D-18S N70GA is restored as RAF Expeditor KJ508 Bucket of Bolts.

North American SNJ-5 Texan N3246G was ordered by the Army Air Force as AT-6D 43-86092, but it was delivered to the US Navy as SNJ-5 BuNo 90725.

Beech model D18S N145AZ is owned by the Commemorative Air Force. Its construction number is A235. It is powered by a pair of Pratt & Whitney R-985 Wasp Junior nine-cylinder radial engines. It is restored as a US Army Air Corps C-45 Expediter.

North American SNJ-5 Texan N3246G

Cessna T210L N2038S

Beech D-18S N70GA

McDonnell-Douglas VC-9C 73-1683

North American SNJ-5 Texan N3246G

Beech D-18S N70GA

Native American Air Ambulance Pilatus PC-12/45 N562NA

Extra EA 300L N466MD Red Rocket

Beech D-18S N70GA

Twin Beech Bucket Of Bolts Mesa Gateway March 2 2013: Beech D-18S N70GA at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport on the evening of March 2 2103. It is restored as RAF Expeditor KJ508 Bucket of Bolts.

Beech D-18S N70GA

North American B-25J Mitchell N125AZ Maid in the Shade flew for the Army Air Corps as 43-35972. It was stored at Davis Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona in 1959. National Metals Company of Phoenix, Arizona registered it as N9552Z in January 1960 and sold it to Dothan Aviation of Dothan, Alabama in September 1960. It was fitted with an agricultural tank and spray bars in December 1960. John L. Stokes and Cen-Tex Aviation of San Marcos, Texas acquired it in August 1975 and sold it to Henry W. Fisher, Donald W. Ericson. and Robert E. Thompson of Bloomington, Mississippi in August 1979. It was bought by the Confederate Air Force of Harlingen, Texas in October 1981 and registered as N125AZ on September 6, 1991. It has been assigned to the Arizona Wing of the CAF at Mesa, Arizona in December 1999. It flies as 43-35972 Maid in the Shade It has had its nose art removed.

Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress N9323Z Sentimental Journey carries its original Army Air Force serial number, 44-83514. Its construction number is 32155. It was retired from the Air Force at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base on January 27,1959. Acme Aircraft Parts of Compton, California registered it as N9323Z on July 31, 1959. Western Air Industries of Anderson, California acquired it in November 1960 and converted it to a fire tanker. It flew as tanker #E17. Aero Union Corp of Chico, California bought it on June 6, 1962 and flew it first as tanker #C17 and then as tanker #17. It was restored to stock military configuration as USAAF 44-83514 Class of 44 in 1977 by the Confederate Air Force. Soon after it was renamed Sentimental Journey. It is currently registered to the American Airpower Heritage Flying Museum of Midland, Texas. It is operated by the Arizona Wing of the Commemorative Air Force.

North American B-25J Mitchell N125AZ Maid in the Shade

Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress N9323Z Sentimental Journey

Boeing B-29 Superfortress N529B Fifi was delivered to the US Army Air Force as 44-62070. Its construction number is 11547. Following retirement in 1958 it was placed on the bombing range at China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station. The Confederate Air Force acquired it on March 23, 1971 and registered it as N4249. It was flown to CAF headquarters at Harlingen, Texas on August 3, 1971. It was reigstered N529B in August 1981.

Boeing B-29 Superfortress N529B Fifi

Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress N9323Z Sentimental Journey

Boeing B-29 Superfortress N529B Fifi

Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress N9323Z Sentimental Journey

North American P-51D Mustang NL44727 Man-O'-War originally carried Army Air Force serial 44-72739. Its North American construction number is 122-39198. For a number of years it sat in open storage on the Universal Studios lot until Ascher Ward of Van Nuys, California recovered it in August 1970 and registered it as N44727 in 1971. For a while it was named Poontang. Elmer Ward acquired it in 1975 and restored it to the appearance of his original WW-II mount, 44-14292.

North American P-51D Mustang NL44727 Man-O'-War

North American B-25J Mitchell N125AZ Maid in the Shade

Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress N9323Z Sentimental Journey

North American B-25J Mitchell N125AZ Maid in the Shade

Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress N9323Z Sentimental Journey

North American B-25J Mitchell N125AZ Maid in the Shade

Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress N9323Z Sentimental Journey

Boeing B-29 Superfortress N529B Fifi

North American P-51D Mustang NL44727 Man-O'-War

Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress N9323Z Sentimental Journey

Sentimental Journey Sunset March 2 2013: Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress N9323Z Sentimental Journey at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport on the evening of March 2, 2013. This photo is available as prints as large as 16 inches by 24 inches.

Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress N9323Z Sentimental Journey

Boeing B-29 Superfortress N529B Fifi

Caf B-29 Fifi Sunset March 2 2013: Commemorative Air Force Boeing B-29 Superfortress N529B Fifi at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport on the evening of March 2 2013. This photo is available as prints as large as 16 inches by 24 inches.

Boeing B-29 Superfortress N529B Fifi

Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress N9323Z Sentimental Journey

Sentimental Journey Night March 2 2013: Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress N9323Z Sentimental Journey at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport on the evening of March 2, 2013. This photo is available as prints as large as 16 inches by 24 inches.

Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress N9323Z Sentimental Journey

Boeing B-29 Superfortress N529B Fifi

North American SNJ-5 Texan N3246G

Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress N9323Z Sentimental Journey

North American P-51D Mustang NL44727 Man-O'-War

Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress N9323Z Sentimental Journey

Sentimental Journey Grayscale Night March 2 2013: Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress N9323Z Sentimental Journey at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport on the evening of March 2, 2013. This black and white photo is available as prints as large as 16 inches by 24 inches.

Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress N9323Z Sentimental Journey

North American B-25J Mitchell N125AZ Maid in the Shade

Caf B-25 Maid In The Shade Night Grayscale March 2 2013: Commemorative Air Force North American B-25J Mitchell N125AZ Maid in the Shade at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport on the evening of March 2 2013. This black and white photo is available as prints as large as 16 inches by 24 inches.

North American B-25J Mitchell N125AZ Maid in the Shade

North American P-51D Mustang NL44727 Man-O'-War

P-51D Mustang Man O War Mesa Gateway March 2 2013: North American P-51D Mustang NL44727 Man-O'-War at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport on the evening of March 2 2103.

North American P-51D Mustang NL44727 Man-O'-War

Boeing B-29 Superfortress N529B Fifi

Caf B-29 Fifi Night March 2 2013: Commemorative Air Force Boeing B-29 Superfortress N529B Fifi at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport on the evening of March 2 2013. This photo is available as prints as large as 16 inches by 24 inches.

Boeing B-29 Superfortress N529B Fifi

Caf B-29 Fifi Night Grayscale March 2 2013: Commemorative Air Force Boeing B-29 Superfortress N529B Fifi at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport on the evening of March 2 2013. This black and white photo is available as prints as large as 16 inches by 24 inches.

Boeing B-29 Superfortress N529B Fifi

Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress N9323Z Sentimental Journey

Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress N9323Z Sentimental Journey amd Boeing B-29 Superfortress N529B Fifi

Sentimental Journey Fifi And Maid In The Shade Panorama Grayscale Night March 2 2013: Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress N9323Z Sentimental Journey, Boeing B-29 Superfortress N529B Fifi, and North American B-25J Mitchell N125AZ Maid in the Shade at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport on the evening of March 2, 2013. This black and white panoramic photo is available as prints as large as 8 inches by 24 inches.

Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress N9323Z Sentimental Journey

More Mesa Gateway Airport displays

The former Williams Air Force Base is now known as Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. In addition to serving as a civil airport, it is frequently visited by military aircraft taking advantage of its limited traffic. Several pilot training schools operate at the airport. Allegiant Air provides passenger service to airports around the country on a fleet of McDonnell Douglas MD-83s. An air tanker base occasionally hosts fire fighting tankers. Boeing has a test facility for hot weather tests and Advanced Training Systems Incorporated refurbushes Douglas A-4 Skyhawks.

Boeing B-29 Superforresss

2020 Calendar

You can buy a 2020 calendar featuring my photographs of Boeing B-29 Superforresses.

A dozen photos of airworthy Boeing B-29 Superforresses at Phoenix Deer Valley Airport. B-29A N529B Fifi and B-29 N69972 Doc.

Put a copy of the Boeing B-29 Superforress: 2020 Calendar in your Lulu.com shopping cart for $14.95.

Send a message to Brian.

Commemorative Air Force Night Shoot at Mesa Gateway March 2, 2013

More Mesa Gateway Airport displays

Boeing B-29 Superforresss

2020 Calendar

Commemorative Air Force Night Shoot at Mesa Gateway
March 2, 2013