Clear Skies, Old Friends

Classic Air Force has closed its doors. It's time for us to look back on some magical memories and to reflect on the years of hard work, pain, frustration and terrifying expense and ask, "Was it worth it?" And the answer comes back instantly: of course it was. It was worth every sleepless night, skinned knuckle and beleagured bank account. For more than three decades, a disparate bunch of volunteers, donors, supporters and assorted people with a limited grasp of the possible held together one of the world's most unique and best-loved collections of aviation history. Sure, we had our squabbles, but every time we stood together and watched these wonderful old beasts make their sky patterns we were a team.

The aircraft will go on, of course. They're moving to new homes where they'll continue to fly and delight spectators. We'll miss them almost as much as we'll miss the people who made it all possible. But let's borrow some words from our friends at Vulcan to the Sky, when we hosted their wonderful Farewell to the Sky event in September 2015. The axiom of the day fits perfectly as an epitaph for a truly Classic Air Force.

Don't be sad that it's over. Be glad that it happened.

Thank you, all of you.

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Classic Air Force can be contacted on [email protected]