Museum Hours 

Sunday  1 pm - 4 pm 

Wednesday  1 pm - 4 pm

Saturday 10 am - 4 pm

Located on the airport in Burnet, Texas on Highway 281 South

2402 S. Water Street

Admission: Free! (Donations are accepted and deeply appreciated to help us Educate, Honor, and Inspire the next generation of aviators and mechanics while supporting our local veterans.)

Unmanned office phone:  512-756-2226 Please leave voicemail

Media/Press inquiries email: caf@tstar.net

The Highland Lakes Squadron was founded in 1992 and is a branch of the Commemorative Air Force.  We are a working museum, dedicated to preserving vintage World War II aircraft and other precious artifacts.  We are open to the public 3 days a week, and can arrange field trips and special events in our hangar. Donations are accepted and very appreciated to cover the costs of the HLS CAF efforts to Educate, Honer and Inspire the next generation of pilots and mechanics while preserving the precious history of the Greatest Generation to today's Veterans. 

Museum History

The Highland Lakes Squadron of the Commemorative Air Force was chartered 5 April 1992. If a single individual can be credited as the founder, it would be Col Harold Smith. Col Smith was chosen as the first Squadron Leader but sadly passed on February 17, 2019.

The Squadron's first organized events were held in April 1992, a fly-in, held two days after the Charter was received from CAF Headquarters, and a hangar dance. The fly-in was repeated in March of 1993. From 1994 to the present the Unit has sponsored the annual Bluebonnet Air Show held each March on the third Saturday. 

Aircraft

Initially the Squadron had no aircraft assigned although the B-25 "Yellow Rose" was in the hangar for the first hangar dance. The first aircraft based in the hangar was a red PT-17 Stearman owned by Larry Lorenzo. This plane was restored and flown by Lefty Gardner. The second was the CAF's P-40. The P-40 is the aircraft that appeared on the first Squadron logo until the current logo featuring the C-47 was adopted. An L-5, later sold, was the next aircraft. Then came a P-51 owned by Lefty Gardner and the CAF's founder, Lloyd Nolan.

The famous P-38 "White Lightning" owned by Lefty Gardner, and now in the hands of the Red Bull organization, arrived in 1993. This aircraft was based here until a 2002 accident resulted in significant damage to the aircraft. In 2003 the P-38 was removed from our hangar. Other privately owned aircraft that were based here were Stearmans and a PT-19. 

The aircraft currently in our hangar include the L-17 Navion, the AT-6/SNJ-4, a PT-19 'Cornell', and the C-47 "Texas Zephyr". All are owned by the Commemorative Air Force. The L-17 was the first Squadron airplane, obtained from another CAF Squadron in 1996. The C-47 was donated by a private owner, Mr. Karl Ritter of Brady, Texas in December 2020 and was moved to Burnet in late 2022. The restoration is on-going. The PT-19 was on static display at the then CAF Headquarters in Midland, Texas until moved to Burnet for restoration in 2005. This aircraft is nearing the end of a twenty-year restoration process, and it is hoped to be in the air in mid to late 2025. The AT-6/SNJ-4, while owned by the CAF, was operated by a sponsor group. It was restored, primarily by a Squadron member, and moved here in 2005. More information on the planes currently in our hangar is available under the Aircraft tab.

Museum Artifacts & Living History

The artifacts on display in our museum reflect a rich local community heritage, generously donated by Veterans and families from Burnet, Marble Falls, and the surrounding areas.

Personal Veteran Collections: Displays honor a Pacific Theater P-38 pilot, a B-17 Top Turret Gunner/Engineer who flew 35 missions over occupied Europe, a B-17 Navigator who spent 18 months as a German POW, a B-17 Co-Pilot with 30 European missions, a B-24 gunner (brother of our founder) who volunteered for a final mission, and even a German test pilot.

WWII Weaponry & Knife Collection: Assembled by Col Bill Pair, this extensive collection was preserved after his passing through the HLS Pilot's Auxiliary and donated to the museum.

Authentic WWII Dog Tag Machine: Procured by Col George Taylor from an Austin department store where it sat for a decade, this vintage machine underwent a full restoration in 2006 and operates just as it did during the war years. Visit our PX to get your own custom dog tags made!

Volunteer-Powered & Community Funded

The Highland Lakes Squadron has no paid staff. Every flight, restoration project, maintenance check, and museum tour is performed 100% by dedicated volunteers.

We are funded entirely through public donations, museum admissions, flight appearance fees, the annual Bluebonnet Air Show (held every third Saturday in March since 1994), and sales from our PX Gift Shop—featuring official Squadron shirts, hats, challenge coins, calendars, models, and military mementos.

Become a Member

Squadron membership is just $25.00 per year (requires active membership in the national Commemorative Air Force organization). Join us and help keep history flying!

Squadron History & Founding Members

The Highland Lakes Squadron owes special thanks to the Centex Wing (San Marcos, TX). Of our 26 original charter members, 20 were Centex Wing members, including our founder and first Squadron Leader, Col Harold Smith (1992–2019).

Our earliest events in April 1992 included a fly-in hosted just two days after receiving our official CAF Charter, alongside our very first hangar dance.

Our Charter Founders (April 5, 1992):

Col Harold Smith • Bob Ayres • Lil Ayres • Jack Bass • James Boyd • Robert Brakey, Sr. • Doug Compton • Laird Ferguson • Gary Garrett • Bob Hillstrom • Joe Hooten • John Hoover • Robert Jones • Jack King • Fran King • C.Y. Norman • Jan Parker • Billie Pratt • Leroy Riser • Johnny Sartain • Marilyn Smith • Buck Weaver • Lonie Wilkerson