An effort to protect historic military aircraft has brought heat on a local congressman from angry warbird enthusiasts who fear the proposal could stop them from flying.

The Dayton Development Coalition wants a Defense Department policy to be made into a federal law to protect both the regulations and the historic aircraft collection at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, said Michael Gessel, the Coalition’s vice president of government relations in Washington, D.C.

The DoD’s policy bans nonprofit and private groups from flying Defense Department military aircraft handed over to outside groups. However, some planes remain in civilian hands after being grandfathered in or allowed by Congress.

“We have a very strong interest in ensuring the integrity of the collection and (ensuring) that the Air Force can maintain the best examples of aircraft that are preserved,” he said. “It’s a very strong generator of economic development and we would like to see it preserved.”

The Air Force museum, he said, ranks as the state’s largest free tourist attraction.

For its part, the Air Force museum said it did not seek any proposed legislation on the issue, and its aircraft loan agreements have long-standing restrictions on flying.

The coalition contacted U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, R-Centerville, about the issue, which brought a swift response from a Republican congressman and angry warbird aviators last week.

Turner would not confirm or comment on any proposed language that may have been drafted. He did provide a signed letter from the chairmen of both the House Armed Services Committee and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee indicating he has no amendment nor pending amendment but said the issue is under review.

U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, R-Mo., leader of the House general aviation caucus, said warbird supporters contacted his office with concerns and complaints, which he shared.

“I know how completely misguided this proposal is and how ridiculous it is,” said Graves, himself a warbird pilot. “It’s a heritage issue letting people know some of the great contributions aviation has made. This proposal is to end all of that ... There’s no basis whatsoever in why they would want to do this. ... It’s obviously got a lot of people very, very upset in the airshow community.”

Turner dismissed Graves concerns as unfounded.

“This is a phantom issue that really Mr. Graves is misrepresenting,” Turner said. “I will always fight for the interests of my district.”

Graves’ staff indicated draft language of a proposal was presented between congressional offices, but his office staff declined to release the language.

“But based on our interpretation, the proposal would have effectively codified DoD’s policy and was drafted so broadly it could have potentially impacted the existing Warbird fleet on loan or transfer from DoD to a civilian entity,” Graves spokeswoman Melissa Roe said in an email.

Turner made a distinction between propeller-driven and jet aircraft. In his website statement, the congressman said the World War II-era propeller-powered airplanes were “ambassadors of freedom’s price and I do not support grounding any of them” while he outlined concerns with civilian use of military jets.

“My concern lies in the potential for military jet aircraft to be transferred to civilians for flight without the same rigorous training and maintenance schedules that pilots and aircraft underwent when they were in service,” he said in the statement, citing a Department of Defense study on post-1947 military aircraft. The August 2011 report, among numerous concerns, called into question civilian pilot training and aircraft maintenance, and public safety issues, such as the potential use for terrorism.

Tom Crosson, Turner’s spokesman, noted news coverage of the deadly crash of a highly modified World War II-era P-51 Mustang at the Reno Air Races last year that killed 11.

“In short, the (defense) department both in the report and through their policies does not support these aircraft from being transferred to civilians for flight,” Turner said in the statement.

“I look forward to working with the Warbird community to see that they continue to stay in the air,” Turner wrote.

Graves said the original proposal included propeller-driven aircraft. But he said it makes no sense to make a distinction between the two, noting a propeller-powered P-51 could carry the same armaments as a Korean War-era F-86 Sabre fighter jet.

Stephen C. Brown, president and chief executive officer of the Midland, Texas-based Commemorative Air Force, said the CAF opposes any attempt to ground or stop the transfer of military aircraft to civilians. He remained concerned about the possibility of future congressional action and the flying status of the B-29.

“We will continue our efforts to ensure NO language appears that limits the ability of the CAF and other patriotic organizations to educate Americans to a source of their freedoms through flight operations of historical military aircraft,” he said in an email. “I find this statement of Rep. Turner’s to be weak with too much room for interpretation.”

The military has regulations to sell some old aircraft, such as cargo planes, for commercial use.

The Collings Foundation acquired an Air Force-transferred F-4 Phantom fighter jet through an act of Congress. Rob Collings, who represents the Stow, Mass.-headquartered foundation, said it was no end run, but advice from a high-ranking Air Force officer which led the group to ask Congress for help.

Collings dismissed the idea civilians can’t handle the demand of military aircraft. His group will offer a rebuttal to the Defense Department report, which Graves and others faulted for not interviewing civilian military plane operators.

“It’s proven that civilians can operate them,” Collings said. “Civilians built them, civilians can operate them.”

The foundation’s F-4 pilots are former military aviators who have experience in the jet and thousands of hours in the cockpit of a variety of aircraft, he said.

“The assumption that once the airplane leaves (the military) it’s gone to the wild, wild west where anyone can do whatever they want is false,” he said.

Every tactical jet has an agreement with the military on its use, and the Federal Aviation Administration has strict guidelines, he said.

The aircraft have no way to shoot weapons, are restricted to subsonic speeds and have no more capability than a corporate jet, he said.

The foundation flew its World War II-era B-25 to the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders anniversary gathering this month at the Air Force museum. The plane was one of 20 to fly in for the event. “By having these aircraft flying, it probably helps their attendance,” he said.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2363 or bbarber@DaytonDailyNews.com.