(DALLAS, June 30, 2015)—The Commemorative Air Force (CAF) has announced a new stretch fundraising goal of $310,000 for the last five days of its successful Kickstarter campaign to save and restore That’s All, Brother, the plane that led the D-Day invasion of Normandy. This historic airplane was recently rediscovered in an aircraft boneyard in Wisconsin and was slated for destruction.
“It has been an extraordinary journey. We are humbled and grateful for the overwhelming support,” said CAF President and CEO Stephan C. Brown. “In supporting this campaign, more than 1,600 people have done more than preserve a priceless piece of history. Through social media they have helped the inspirational story of That’s All, Brother reach millions of people all around the world.”
Last week the aircraft was taken into the shop at Basler Turbo Conversions in Oshkosh, Wis., where the initial restoration work has begun. A new-old-stock original two-piece windshield is being installed, along with the correct WWII era clamshell nosecone.
Earlier this month, CAF started a Kickstarter campaign with a goal of $75,000 to simply save the plane from destruction. Once that goal was met in just two days, CAF increased its goal to $250,000 to help restore the aircraft to flying condition. The new “super-stretch” goal of $310,000 is designed to help the CAF purchase a collection of rare original parts that would provide nearly everything needed for an authentic interior restoration.
In addition to crowdsourced funding, CAF has crowdsourced history from around the globe in the form of new letters, photos and rediscovered clips of film, including footage of the invasion stripes being painted on That’s All, Brother. Supporters have helped identify more of the crew and paratroops aboard, as well, painting a fuller picture of the plane’s historical significance.
When complete, the airplane will be a “flying classroom,” allowing school children and other visitors to board the aircraft and sit in the original paratrooper seats, taking people back in time to the night of June 5-6, 1944.
That’s All, Brother, named as a victory message to the defeated Adolf Hitler, will be on public display at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wis. from July 20 - 26. Vietnam veteran and Hollywood legend Dale Dye, who starred in HBO’s Band of Brothers, as well as James “Pee Wee” Martin, a paratrooper who jumped into Normandy on D-Day in 1944 and again on the 70th anniversary of D-Day, will be on-site with CAF at EAA AirVenture on Wednesday, July 22.
For more information on That’s All, Brother and a direct link to the Kickstarter fundraising page, please visit www.ThatsAllBrother.org.
The Commemorative Air Force (CAF) was founded in 1957, a time when the U.S. military was scrapping the fleet of aircraft that had played a decisive part in winning World War II. With the rallying cry “Keep ‘Em Flying”, the initial goal of the CAF was to preserve, in flying condition, at least one example of each aircraft flown by the American Forces from 1939-45.
Over the decades that followed, CAF became the world’s largest owner and operator of vintage military aircraft. Today, the organization owns 162 historic aircraft, of which 144 are in airworthy condition.
The CAF is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization based in Dallas, TX. Aided by a huge volunteer effort from more than 12,000 members, the CAF’s aircraft and educational programs reach millions of Americans each year. The organization’s mission is “Education, such that generations of Americans will value and support the contributions of military aviation in assuring our nation’s freedom.”
For more information, visit www.commemorativeairforce.org
