Missing CAP Aircraft 01/13/1967

Started by Nikos, January 04, 2022, 10:39:28 PM

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Nikos

I read an article about a CAP aircraft that goes missing with 3 on board while searching for another downed/missing aircraft in Benton Harbor MI area.  One interesting part of the article says,

" Once the Civil Air Patrol realized that two planes and four people were missing, all SAR organizations in Michigan were put on full alert, and many came to help.  The United States Coast Guard sent two helicopters and the Cutter Woodbine.  The Civil Air Patrol sent 150 airplanes, 200 ground searchers and requested additional assistance."

I don't know the size of the CAP a fleet in 1967, but by today's numbers that would be approaching half of the CAP fleet?  This story is a good example of how serious this job is.  As a new CAP member I found it stunning that many aircraft were involved.  And it is good to know that extra help can be counted on.

Eclipse

Likely the majority were member-owned, and BITD, when member-owned aircraft
were encouraged, the "fleet" was published as significantly larger.

I've seen articles about the unit at Glenview NAS having 15 aircraft on its own.

"That Others May Zoom"

flyboy53

#2
The nature of the current CAP operational organization was totally different in 1967.

I can see why there would be a lot of aircraft on hand because much of the CAP fleet was member owned, and CAP squadrons had their own organized flying clubs with General Aviation aircraft that had no CAP markings at all. So, you'd show up for what was then a RED CAP and you might find a flight line full of any number and type of aircraft. My squadron after WW II had an Air Force-marked L-5 that was gone long before I joined. It was replaced by a blue and white Cessna 172 with no CAP markings, and owned by what was called the Oil City Aero Club, a CAP organized flying club.

Some where in the process, there were CAP pilots who were organized in a function called the Owner Pilot Service (OPS). They wore flight suits with red name tags and only showed up for missions. The ES dog patch was originally a patch that identified these members. Long about the 1970s, that program became General Aviation members who would show up at mission bases in civilian clothes to fly missions.

I never saw what is now called a real corporate aircraft until what was then called a PAWG SAR Test about that same year. That morning two T-28 Trojans flew in to the PA mission base in formation at what is now Franklin Regional Airport.

I was a relatively new cadet serving on the flightline, so you can imagine my amazement.

N6RVT

Quote from: flyboy53 on January 26, 2022, 09:56:09 PMSome where in the process, there were CAP pilots who were organized in a function called the Owner Pilot Service (OPS). They wore flight suits with red name tags and only showed up for missions.  The ES dog patch was originally a patch that identified these members.

Long about the 1970s, that program became General Aviation members who would show up at mission bases in civilian clothes to fly missions.

This is the kind of history I want to know more about.  I had never heard of either of these programs before.

Spam

We routinely flew member owned aircraft on practice and actual AFAMs into the 90s. I flew several missing aircraft missions in a member owned C210 (very comfy). By then they'd gotten everyone into uniform (well, at least smurf suits).

We also had a few other aircraft not really mentioned on the official CAP NHQ web page of CAP aircraft; I was flying right seat on an actual missing aircraft mission - a missing CAP aircraft actually - in FLWG in a nice C177RG (retractable gear) in 1991 when we had to declare an emergency loss of power, get the gear down, and do a dead stick one pass IFR into Vero Beach (ugh).  Other than the engineering casualty, that Titusville based C177 was a sweet plane and did a lot of CD missions (not CAP marked).

Little of this stuff gets written down. I still have a Florida Today article with a pic of me in front of that C177 though (a lot slimmer looking then, as I was still on the market). LOL.

V/r
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