Gulf Coast Wing - "Texas Raiders" Group

"Texas Raiders" Group

The Commemorative Air Force’s Gulf Coast Wing now only encompasses the "Texas Raiders" group, which maintains and flies the B-17G Flying Fortress (former U.S. Navy PB-1W) named "Texas Raiders", which is based at David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport (KDWH) in Tomball, Texas.

The ship was built in 1944 by Douglas Aircraft Corporation at the Long Beach, California plant under license from Boeing. On July 12, 1945, she was delivered to the U.S. Army Air Corps as B-17G-95-DL 44-83872. Number 44-83872 was one of the last 20 B-17s built by Douglas. On July 21, 1945, all 20 were transferred to the U.S. Navy to serve as PB-1W Patrol Bombers. 44-83872 was assigned the U.S. Navy Bureau of Aeronautics Number 77235.

The Navy used PB-1Ws as the original Airborne Warning and Command System or AWACS aircraft, as well as for electronic countermeasures, anti-submarine warfare and hurricane hunters. The Navy sealed up the bomb bay doors, installed 300 gallon wing-mounted drop tanks and the AN/APS-20 Seasearch Radio Detection and Ranging (RADAR) equipment in a bulbous housing below the former bomb bay. Radio direction finder (RDF), instrument landing system (ILS), and long range navigation (LORAN) was also installed at this time. She was not painted, but waxed to prevent corrosion, and kept her original Browning M2 machine guns.

In January 1955, VW-1 phased out PB-1W operations for the new Lockheed PO-1W and WV-2 (Navy versions of the EC-121 Warning Star) based on the Lockheed Constellation airframe. January 1955 BuNo 77235 was placed in Flyable Storage Status until officially retired from Naval service on August 25, 1955 with 3257 hours flying time accrued. It was one of the last B-17s left in service at the time and one of only 3 PB-1Ws saved from the scrapyard or scavenging.

Aero Service Corporation bought BuNo 77235 for $17,500 and on October 1 of 1957, was registered as N7227C and then used as an aerial surveying platform. She was sold in 1961 and used as an aerial photographic aircraft by ACS Inc. until September 22, 1967.

The Confederate Air Force acquired her for $50,000 and she was issued the "Tail Number" N7227C. She was white with a large United States flag on the tail and a Confederate States of America Battle Flag was added to it after the CAF purchase. Assigned to the Gulf Coast Wing by the CAF in 1972, Texas Raiders has undergone many changes to put her back to the B-17 G model configuration that flew with the United States Army Air Corps in the European Theatre of Operations under the "Mighty" Eighth Air Force.

She was named "Texas Raiders" during her first CAF restoration in the 1960s as a memorial to Texas aviators who served. Texas Raiders also underwent a $300,000 restoration and rebuild project from 1983 to 1986, and is currently finishing a lengthy and costly main spar replacement project, started in 2001 due to FAA Airworthiness Directive # 2001-22-06 citing corrosion in the wings. The most recent refurb cost in the neighborhood $200,000 dollars to complete.

Texas Raiders took to the air once again on October 13, 2009, still painted in the combat colors commemorating the U.S. Army Air Corps 8th Air Force, 1st Air Division, 381st Bombardment Group (Heavy), 533rd Bombardment Squadron's plane "hull number" X. The 381st Bombardment Group was formed at Pyote Air Force Base and was assigned to Ridgewell Airfield in Essex, England, about six miles from Haverhill.

Since her return to flight, she has visited many airshows and fly-ins, and the Gulf Coast Wing sells warbird experience rides to help defray her operating expenses.