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Lewis Air Legends is an organization located in San Antonio, Texas focused on historic aviation.

History

Rod Lewis, the son of an air force pilot and founder of Lewis Energy, purchased his first aircraft, an Aeronca Chief, in 1981 to survey the oil and natural gas wells his company owned. In 1995, he acquired a T-28. and eventually founded Lewis Air Legends.

In 2006, the organization purchased both the F8F Rare Bear and the P-38 Glacier Girl. By 2012, it operated a team at the Reno Air Races called Lewis Air Racing.

The organization purchased a VC-121A used by General Douglas MacArthur from the Planes of Fame Air Museum in 2015 and began restoring it to airworthy condition. The aircraft debuted at EAA AirVenture in 2023.

The organization sold a de Havilland Mosquito that was being restored for it in New Zealand in 2020.

Organization

The aircraft are divided among several entities including the Air Legends Foundation, Lewis Fighter Fleet and Lewis Vintage Collection.

Collection

Air Legends Foundation

• Bell P-39Q Airacobra
• de Havilland DH.89A Dragon Rapide
• Douglas A-20 Havoc
• Goodyear FG-1D Corsair
• Grumman F3F-2
• Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat
• Grumman F6F Hellcat
• Grumman F8F-2 Bearcat
• Grumman G-73T Mallard
• Lockheed VC-121A Constellation
• Lockheed P-38F Lightning

Lewis Air Legends

• Aero L-39C Albatros
• Bell AH-1G Cobra
• CAC CA-18 Mustang Mk 22 – restored as TF-51D
• Canadair CF-5D
• Canadair Sabre Mk. 6
• Grumman F7F-3P Tigercat
• Grumman F7F-3P Tigercat
• Grumman F8F-2 Bearcat
• Grumman F8F-2 Bearcat
• North American B-25J Mitchell
• North American NA-50 – replica
• North American T-6 Texan
• Republic P-47 Thunderbolt
• Ryan PT-22 Recruit
• Supermarine Spitfire Mk. Vb

See also

• Mid America Flight Museum

References

1. Helman, Christopher (7 September 2012). "Rod Lewis: Lord Of The Warbirds". Forbes. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
2. "[Homepage]". Lewis Air Legends. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
3. "About". Lewis Air Legends. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
4. Lerner, Preston (2009). "The Bear Is Back". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
5. "Glacier Girl: The Back Story". Smithsonian Magazine. July 2007. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
6. Clifton, Guy (10 September 2012). "'The Bear' is Back with the Crowd at Air Races". Reno Gazette-Journal. p. 3A. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
7. Yerian, Loretta (29 December 2015). "Flying Into the future: Bataan to Fly from Valle to Chino, California for Full Restoration". Williams-Grand Canyon News. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
8. Tegler, Eric (30 June 2023). "General Douglas MacArthur's Personal Airplane Flies Again". Forbes. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
9. "Mosquito News". Scramble. 16 December 2023. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
10. "Air Legends Foundation". OpenCorporates. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
11. "[Homepage]". Air Legends Foundation. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
12. "Lewis Fighter Fleet, LLC". OpenCorporates. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
13. "Lewis Vintage Collection, LLC". OpenCorporates. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
14. "P-39 Airacobra". Lewis Air Legends. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
15. "Airframe Dossier - Bell P-39Q-6-BE Airacobra, s/n 42-19993 USAAF, c/n 26E-397, c/r N139RL". Aerial Visuals. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
16. "de Havilland Dragon Rapide". Lewis Air Legends. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
17. "Airframe Dossier - de Havilland-Brush Coachworks DH-89A Mk 6 Dragon Rapide, s/n HG724 RAF, c/n 6709, c/r N89DH". Aerial Visuals. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
18. "A-20 Havoc". Lewis Air Legends. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
19. "FG-1D Corsair". Lewis Air Legends. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
20. "F3F-2 Beer Barrel". Lewis Air Legends. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
21. "F4F-3 Wildcat". Lewis Air Legends. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
22. "F6F Hellcat". Lewis Air Legends. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
23. "F8F-2 Bearcat [N777L]". Lewis Air Legends. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
24. "G-73 Mallard". Lewis Air Legends. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
25. "Airframe Dossier - Grumman G-73T Mallard, c/n J-50, c/r N147MV". Aerial Visuals. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
26. "C-121A Constellation". Lewis Air Legends. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
27. "Airframe Dossier - Lockheed VC-121A Super Constellation, s/n 422 NASA, c/n 2605, c/r N422NA". Aerial Visuals. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
28. "P-38F Lightning". Lewis Air Legends. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
29. "L-39C Albatross". Lewis Air Legends. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
30. "AH-1G Cobra". Lewis Air Legends. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
31. "TF-51D Mustang". Lewis Air Legends. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
32. "Airframe Dossier - North American-Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation CA-18-Mk 22 Mustang, s/n A68-187 RAAF, c/n 1512, c/r N50FS". Aerial Visuals. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
33. "CF-5D Freedom Fighter". Lewis Air Legends. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
34. "Mk 6 F-86 Sabre". Lewis Air Legends. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
35. "F7F-3P Tigercat [N805MB]". Lewis Air Legends. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
36. "F7F-3P Tigercat [N700F]". Lewis Air Legends. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
37. "F8F-2 Bearcat [N14WB]". Lewis Air Legends. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
38. "F8F-2 Bearcat [N747NF]". Lewis Air Legends. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
39. "B-25J Mitchell". Lewis Air Legends. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
40. "NA-50". Lewis Air Legends. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
41. "Airframe Dossier - North American NA-50 (replica), c/n 050, c/r N250NA". Aerial Visuals. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
42. "T-6 Texan". Lewis Air Legends. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
43. "P-47 Balls Out". Lewis Air Legends. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
44. "PT-22 Recruit". Lewis Air Legends. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
45. "MK-VB Spitfire". Lewis Air Legends. Retrieved 26 February 2024.

External links

• Official website

• Aviation organizations based in the United States
• Non-profit organizations based in Texas