On Wednesday, the Spirit of Texas—a restored 1943 Boeing Stearman—will take flight once more, kicking off a nine-city statewide tour dedicated to the veterans who served the United States across three major global conflicts.
The Spirit of Texas is the eighth vintage biplane added to the fleet of Dream Flights, a non-profit organization that has made it its mission to provide senior veterans with the experience of open-cockpit flight. For the next month, this aircraft will serve as a flying monument, carrying nearly 100 World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War veterans into the clouds.
A Legacy Restored
The Spirit of Texas is far more than a museum piece; it is an artifact of military history. Built in 1943 during the height of World War II, the aircraft was stationed at Cabaniss Field near Corpus Christi, where it served as a primary trainer for military pilots. After the war, the plane transitioned to the civilian sector, serving as a crop duster before falling into disrepair.
The aircraft’s path to the hangar was secured when Texas resident and U.S. Coast Guard veteran Shelly Tumbleson acquired the plane and donated it to Dream Flights. Dream Flights volunteers, including dedicated certified Airframe and Powerplant mechanics, labored in Dayton, Nevada, to return the biplane to airworthy condition.
Every rivet, wire, and fabric panel now meets 1940s standards, yet the internal mechanics have been updated to meet modern safety specifications. The aircraft is now housed at the Dream Flights University in Castroville, a facility where volunteer pilots—many of whom are retired military or commercial aviators—undergo rigorous training to maintain the fleet’s operational excellence.
The Freedom of Flight
For many of the participants, who are selected from local senior living communities and the Texas State Veterans Home, this is a profound reconnection with the history they helped shape.
"Our veterans take off at 90 and land feeling 30 years younger," says Darryl Fisher, founder of Dream Flights.
Since its inception in 2011, Dream Flights has provided these experiences to more than 8,000 veterans across the United States, including nearly 500 in Texas alone. The flights are provided at no cost to the participants or their families, a gesture intended to express national gratitude for their service.
For the veterans, the experience offers a unique vantage point. The roar of the engine, the feel of the wind, and the bird’s-eye view of the Texas landscape evoke memories of a time when these individuals were the iron backbone of the nation’s defense.
The Nine-City Tour
The Spirit of Texas tour begins officially this Wednesday, May 6, in Georgetown. From the rolling hills of Central Texas to the vast plains of the Panhandle and the historic military corridors of San Antonio, the plane will make the following stops:
- Wednesday, May 6: Georgetown – Cutter Aviation (9:00 a.m.)
- Thursday, May 7: Pflugerville – Henriksen Jet Center (9:00 a.m.) (Not open to public)
- Friday, May 8: Brookshire – Henriksen Jet Center (9:00 a.m.) (Not open to public)
- Tuesday, May 12: Fort Worth – Texas Jet (9:00 a.m.)
- Wednesday, May 13: Lubbock – Millionaire Lubbock (9:00 a.m.)
- Friday, May 15: Big Spring – Big Spring McMahon-Wrinkle Airport (9:00 .a.m.)
- Thursday, May 21: San Antonio – Gate1 FBO at Stinson Municipal (12:00 p.m.)
- Friday, May 22: San Antonio – Gate1 FBO at Stinson Municipal (10:00 a.m.)
- Monday, May 25: Castroville – Dream Flights University Hangar (9:00 a.m.)
- Tuesday, June 9: Horseshoe Bay – Horseshoe Bay Resort Jet Center (9:00 a.m.)
Historical Significance and Modern Impact
The choice of the Boeing Stearman for this project is deliberate. For many World War II-era veterans, the Stearman was the first aircraft they ever touched. During the war, the U.S. military used the Stearman as the primary trainer because of its durability and ease of handling—it was a forgiving platform that taught thousands how to fly.
For those planning to attend the public stops, officials encourage arriving early, as seeing a vintage Stearman take to the morning air is a rare opportunity.
