The Commemorative Air Force Red Tail Squadron Traveling Exhibit made a five-day stop at the Mid-Coast Air and Land Family Festival in Wiscasset Sat., Oct. 1.
The museum, travels around the country recounting the powerful story of the Tuskegee Airmen, a squadron of black fighter pilots during World War II. The squadron, nicknamed the “Red Tails” for the markings on their aircraft, saw intense combat over the skies of Europe as bomber escorts.
The exhibit was first opened to the public in July 2011 as an educational initiative from the Commemorative Air Force’s volunteer-based Red Tail Squadron. The CAF is a Texas-based nonprofit dedicated to displaying and preserving historical aircraft.
The Tuskegee Airmen, part of the 332 Fighter Group and 477 Bombardment Group in the Army Air Corps, flew over 1500 missions, earning the respect of their white peers. So effective were the Red Tails, that bomber groups sent on missions over Europe would request them specifically. The words “By Request” would ultimately be painted on the sides of the group’s aircraft.
The exhibit featured a 45-minute film entitled “Rise Above,” detailing the group’s battle with racial discrimination in America’s segregated Armed Forces and their emergence as one of the most respected fighter groups in the European theater.
“Rise Above” was created by filmmaker Adam White, who won a regional Emmy Award for another Tuskegee-Airmen-themed documentary called “Red Tail Reborn.”
The museum held multiple showings for area schools from Sept. 28 through Sept. 31, including Wiscasset Middle School.
“We have a lot of success. The kid’s absolutely love it,” said Tour Manager Jeanette Hollis, who operates the traveling museum with her husband Terry Hollis.
Jeanette Hollis said that some 400 children visited the exhibit over the four-day period.
The CAF Red Tail exhibit was open to the public during the Fourth Annual Mid-Coast Air and Land Family Festival Oct. 1 at the Wiscasset Municipal Airport.
The film was shown in the exhibit’s custom-built 53-foot climate-controlled trailer with a 180-degree curved movie screen and surround sound.
“It was amazing,” Lorna Ryan, of Woolwich, said. “It was very motivating and emotional.”
Ryan was attending the Air Festival with her husband Mike Ryan and their two children Nina and Michael
Both Nina, 6, and Michael, 4, were seeing the show for the second time.
“It was so good I saw it twice,” Nina said, who had previously seen the show during a Chop Point class trip.
Michael agreed with his sister, adding that he particularly liked the sounds and rumbles of the flying airplanes.
The Red Tail exhibit’s next stop will be Oct. 8-9 at the Midland International Airport in Midland, Texas.
