Aviation Unmanned Vehicle Museum Caddo Mills Texas Visit
I recently had the opportunity to schedule a visit to the AUVM (Aviation Unmanned Vehicle Museum) located at the Caddo Mills Texas airport . The AUVM was founded by Retired Lt Col Harold "Red" Smith who had extensive experience with the unmanned aircraft program while serving in the USAF during the Vietnam War in 1968. You can read about UAV operations later in the Vietnam War in a report "Buffalo Hunter 1970 - 1972" in Project CHECO Report K717.0414-39 Unfortunately, I did not get to meet Red, he was killed a few years ago by a drunk driver. The aviation world lost a great volume of UAV knowledge and a driving spirit with his death. Caddo Mills is approximately an hour east of Dallas. Arriving at the airport using the directions Red's grandson gave me I was able to locate the white hangar building with no problems. Doug Smith gave me a warm welcome and what can only be described as the ultimate chef's tour of their facility!