CAF Warbird Tube
The Commemorative Air Force (CAF) is proud to produce CAF Warbird Tube. A weekly video podcast that features the people, places, and planes that shaped American history. Each week we host a different guest and different topic to explore as part of the CAF's mission to Educate, Inspire, and Honor. You can learn more about the Commemorative Air Force at www.CommemorativeAirForce.org.
Episodes
88 episodes
The Texas Town That Trained Britain’s WWII Pilots
During World War II, thousands of young British airmen crossed the Atlantic to learn to fly in the United States. The first and largest of their American training schools was in an unlikely place: Terrell, Texas. Beginning in 1941, ...
The People’s Mosquito: Rebuilding Britain’s Wooden Wonder
The de Havilland Mosquito was one of the most remarkable aircraft of World War II, yet today, not a single UK-built example remains airworthy. In this episode of Warbird Tube, we sit down with John Lilley, Chairman of The People’s Mosquito, to ...
She Was Flying When Pearl Harbor Was Attacked | The Cornelia Fort Story.
This is the remarkable story of one of America's pioneering women aviators. We sat down with Judith Stanford Miller, M.Ed., M.A., writer and producer of the documentary "Crosswinds: The Courageous Life of Cornelia Fort," to explore the life and...
Inside the Life of General Robin Olds
General Robin Olds wasn't just a fighter ace—he became a legend. A triple ace with victories in both World War II and Vietnam, Olds flew the P-38 Lightning, P-51 Mustang, and F-4 Phantom while earning a reputation as one of the U.S. Air Force's...
Inaugural DC-3 Society Operator Conference & Showcase
Get an inside look at the inaugural DC-3 Society Fly-In & Showcase coming to historic Flabob Airport in Southern California this August! On this episode of CAF Warbird Tube, we sit down with Lyndse F. Costabile, Interim Executive Director a...
Meet the Woman Leading the Next Chapter of the National WASP WWII Museum
The Women Airforce Service Pilots changed aviation history. Now, the National WASP WWII Museum is looking toward the future.In this episode of CAF Warbird Tube, Dr. Rachael McClain shares her plans to build on the legacy established by W...
OH-23 Raven: The Forgotten Korean & Vietnam War Helicopter
The Hiller UH-12, known to the U.S. military as the OH-23 Raven, played a vital role during the Korean and Vietnam Wars. Used for observation, liaison, training, and medical evacuation missions, this versatile helicopter helped pioneer military...
Inside the AC-47 Spooky
The AC-47 “Spooky” was more than a gunship during the Vietnam War—it became a symbol of protection, survival, and hope for troops on the ground in some of the war’s darkest moments. In this episode of CAF Warbird Tube, we explore th...
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Behind the Scenes of Oshkosh 2026 | Exclusive AirVenture Preview
Get a behind-the-scenes look at the world’s greatest aviation celebration—EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2026! Join us on this special episode of CAF Warbird Tube as we welcome Rick Larsen, EAA’s Vice President of Communities and Member Programming, to...
From Normandy to the Bulge | Restoring a Historic WWII C-47 Skytrain
Before dawn on D-Day, C-47 Skytrains filled the skies over Normandy carrying paratroopers of the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions into occupied Europe. Months later, during the Battle of the Bulge, those same aircraft flew desperately needed s...
B-17 Tail Gunner to POW: The Story of Tailspin
For decades, Gene Moran rarely spoke about what happened in the skies over Germany. In Tailspin, author John Armbruster brings that story to life—from a catastrophic fall from a shattered B-17 to the harsh realities of life as a pri...
Saving the Halifax: A Race Against Time
More than 6,000 Handley Page Halifax bombers were built during World War II. Today, only a handful remain. At the Bomber Command Museum of Canada, an extraordinary team of volunteers, historians, and restoration experts is working t...
53 Days Without Rescue – The Untold Story of Starvation Island
For 53 brutal days during World War II, a small group of American servicemen fought to survive on a remote Pacific island with almost no food, constant danger, and little hope of rescue.In this episode of CAF Warbird Tube, we sit down wi...
Bringing a Thunderbolt Back to Life | Inside the CAF’s P-47 Restoration
The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt was one of the most powerful fighters of World War II—but keeping one flying today is a mission of passion, skill, and persistence. In this episode of CAF Warbird Tube, we go behind the scenes of the Co...
Inside the Massive Effort to Restore a Lancaster Bomber
The Avro Lancaster is one of the most iconic bombers of the Second World War, but keeping one alive today is no small task. In this episode of CAF Warbird Tube, host Steve Buss sits down with Don Christopher to take you inside the remarkable La...
A Memory Owed: Telling the Untold Stories of Bomber Command
In this episode of CAF Warbird Tube, filmmaker Zoë Lewin and writer-director Martin Hemingway-Moseley take us inside their award-winning short film A Memory Owed (2025), a deeply personal story that bridges two worlds. Set between a pe...
Country Music Star & Warbird Pilot Aaron Tippin
Country music star Aaron Tippin is widely known for patriotic hits like “You’ve Got to Stand for Something” and “Where the Stars and Stripes and the Eagle Fly.” But beyond the stage, Tippin is also a passionate aviator with a deep appreciation ...
CAF AirPower History Tour Preview 2026
The CAF AirPower History Tour is gearing up for another unforgettable season—and the big bombers are leading the way.In this episode of CAF Warbird Tube, we share the latest updates on the ...
SUN ’n FUN 2026 Preview | CEO Gene Conrad
One of aviation’s biggest events of the year is almost here. In this episode of CAF Warbird Tube, we sit down with Gene Conrad, CEO of the SUN ’n FUN Aerospace Expo, to preview what visitors can exp...
The Garage-Built B-36 Cockpit
In this episode of CAF Warbird Tube, we dive into the story of Brian Pierson, a self-taught aviation enthusiast who has spent thousands of hours hand-building a full-scale flight deck for a Convair B-36H Peacemaker — right in his West Virginia ...
1946 – From War to Peace in the Skies
In 1946, aviation stood at a crossroads, as the world shifted from global conflict to peacetime skies. Join CAF host Steve Buss as he explores how war-built aircraft, pilots, and technology helped shape the postwar aviation boom—transforming to...
The Deadliest Hellcats: Inside USS Intrepid’s VF-18
USS Intrepid’s Fighting Squadron 18 was one of the highest-scoring U.S. Navy fighter units of World War II—and its story is packed with skill, leadership, and raw combat power. Join Warbird Tube host Steve Buss as he sits down with author Mike ...
What It Takes to Fly the Biggest Warbirds Ever Built
What does it take to command bombers separated by half a century of technology? In this episode of CAF Warbird Tube, host Steve Buss sits down with Mark Novak—one of the rare pilots to have flown both the supersonic B-1 "the Bone" and the legen...
CAF Warbird Tube - Indiana Wing’s Stearman Story
Before they became aces, bomber pilots, or instructors, thousands of World War II aviators took their very first flights in a Boeing PT-17 Stearman. In this episode of CAF Warbird Tube, we visit the Commemorative Air Force’s
CAF Warbird Tube – SNJ, The Navy’s Pilot Maker
Built in 1943, the SNJ-5 Texan N7300C trained generations of Navy pilots at Pensacola Naval Air Station. Nicknamed “The Pilot Maker,” the Texan earned its reputation for being both challenging and deeply rewarding to fly. Its powerful Pratt &am...
