Unable to fly for the military due to a vision problem, Texarkana, Texas-born Lloyd P. Nolen realized his dream of flying World War II fighter planes when he and a group of like-minded individuals purchased a post-war surplus P-51 Mustang and an F8F Bearcat in 1957. These two aircraft became the nucleus of the Texas-based Confederate Air Force (CAF), a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving historic combat aircraft. Now known as the Commemorative Air Force, the CAF brings military aviation to life with a fleet of more than one hundred aircraft from the United States and other countries.