The Lobo Wing of the Commemorative Air Force has been recognized with an Albuquerque History Accolade for preserving a piece of Albuquerque history. They are in the process of restoring a 1941 Army Air Force AT-11 twin engine trainer that was used to train Bombardiers in Albuquerque during WWII. The plane being restored was the 15th off the Beechcraft assembly line in Wichita, Kan. and was delivered to Albuquerque in January 1942. About 50 of the planes were in operation at the peak of training and an estimated 5,200 trainees went through the program at the Albuquerque Army Air Base, which later became Kirtland Army Air Field.
As used for training in Albuquerque, the airplane carried a pilot and navigator in the two front seats, and two bombardier trainees behind. It was loaded with ten 100-pound dummy bombs that were dropped on various West Mesa targets.
Read about the AT-11 restoration efforts in the Albuquerque Journal article A labor of love
View other Albuquerque History Accolades.
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