Arkansans are being asked to help bring an important piece of their aviation heritage back to life. The Razorback Wing of the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) has launched a fundraising effort to restore its newly acquired 1941 BT-13A Valiant, a WWII-era basic trainer that once prepared thousands of American pilots for combat.
The aircraft is featured in the CAF’s annual 12 Planes of Christmas campaign, a national initiative that supports restoration and preservation of historic military aircraft.
More than just a relic, the BT-13A carries a distinctly Arkansas story. The Razorback Wing plans to restore the aircraft to flying condition and repaint it in the original blue-and-yellow scheme used at Walnut Ridge Army Airfield, where more than 4,600 cadets trained from 1942 to 1944…