Bullhunter
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318th FIS Jet Shop 1975-78
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Post by Bullhunter on Nov 10, 2008 14:18:19 GMT 9
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Post by Gene on Nov 15, 2008 10:18:52 GMT 9
yeah, im going to check it out soon...
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Bullhunter
Global Moderator
318th FIS Jet Shop 1975-78
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Posts: 7,369
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Post by Bullhunter on Jan 8, 2018 7:11:06 GMT 9
Its about time I added something in here:
Saving a piece of aviation history. This F-86D was donated to the McChord Air Museum by an individual before I assumed duty at the museum as Administrator and later Director. I had heard about it but knew very little except it was tied up in legal leans. One day a man came into the museum with documents showing his donation of the jet and his IRS deduction/donation for it. He was worried because he was being audited by the IRS and without that jet at the museum he was in big trouble with the IRS. He did say his partner had leans against it but there was no basis for them. He also stated the jet was just about in flyable condition when donated years before. I took all the documents to the base legal office and they had a reserve attorney on his 2 week duty. He was a WA State Attorney which was good. Two days later I was told the leans were not filed on time and they were worthless. I was told if the museum wanted the bird to go get it. The Museum Foundation and I talked it over and made a plan. I got two flatbed trucks, drivers, & volunteers. Got support from the U.S. Army Reserve in Marrysville, WA for a tank recovery vehicle/crane because the F-86 was at Arlington County Airport about 10 miles away. We all arrived about the same time. As we looked over all the damage including: broken cockpit glass, missing gauges, screwdriver holes, missing panels, landing light gone, etc, etc a woman came out of a nearby building and said the jet belonged to her and her husband. We debated that and the documents proved the museum now owned it. She then said we owed her years of storage fees before we could take it. I really didn't know what to do, but and idea came to me. I told her the jet was donated in flyable condition and because she claimed storage fees then she was totally responsable for all the damage and would have to pay for all the damage until it was flyable. She relented and walked away. I had our crew tow it off her property on to the county airport property. We pulled the wings and put the jet on the two flatbeds. I had a dummy dressed in flight-jacket, helmet, & oxygen mask for the drive back to the museum on interstate 5. Kids in cars were pointing and waving. The jet was restored in recorded time for a F-86 Squadron Reunion. Another historical aircraft was saved for future generations to see. Like to mention Mr. Earl Otto, who was the technical expert on the F-86D and spent years working on them. He guided us through the wing removal and all the other technical issues. He is no longer with us, went to be with the Lord.
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I'll post some restoration pictures of the F-86D and a story if there is any interest in this thread.
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Bullhunter
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318th FIS Jet Shop 1975-78
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Post by Bullhunter on Jan 9, 2018 3:15:40 GMT 9
Off the flatbed trucks and put back together. Then it was towed to the Museum's Restoration hanger.
First towed to the air park before the spots were cemented.
Dozens of volunteers worked almost everyday restoring the F-86 quickly as possible for a F-86 Squadron reunion.
My daughter worked some on it also. My 3 kids helped at the museum often. I figured it good thing to expose them to.
One of the longest and most costly repair was the replacement of the canopy that had been broken. We had to remove it, crate it, ship it, and the museum and its Foundation had to cover the cost of it all. That took a month to get back from a place in California.
First towed to the air park before the spots were cemented.
There it sits with a rack full of weapons. On its secured parking spot. img safe
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Bullhunter
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318th FIS Jet Shop 1975-78
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Post by Bullhunter on Jan 9, 2018 14:00:13 GMT 9
My younger son and I.
My three kids in the nose section.
Younger son working on removing windows. The military version did not have windows on the sides.
B-23 on its home spot.
KC-10 taking off past the tail of the B-23.
The B-23 was also at the museum when I took over. It had been converted by the University of WA for cloud seeding research. We got it sanded, treated, and painted. we then pulled the wings off so it could be towed to the airpark. Our painter said that the engine cowlings were a booger to paint. Its now on it resting place.
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Bullhunter
Global Moderator
318th FIS Jet Shop 1975-78
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Posts: 7,369
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Post by Bullhunter on Jan 10, 2018 23:58:42 GMT 9
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Post by Jim on Jan 11, 2018 0:04:28 GMT 9
Beautiful picture, nice and sharp...
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Bullhunter
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318th FIS Jet Shop 1975-78
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Post by Bullhunter on Jan 11, 2018 1:53:25 GMT 9
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Bullhunter
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318th FIS Jet Shop 1975-78
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Post by Bullhunter on Jan 13, 2018 11:39:16 GMT 9
The B-23 and C-119 parked after paint job.
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Bullhunter
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318th FIS Jet Shop 1975-78
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Post by Bullhunter on Jan 24, 2018 3:22:18 GMT 9
Before and after shots.
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Bullhunter
Global Moderator
318th FIS Jet Shop 1975-78
Currently: Offline
Posts: 7,369
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Post by Bullhunter on Jan 25, 2018 13:49:33 GMT 9
For the old older timers. here is a picture of Old Shakey C-124 in the pattern of McChord AFB, WA as flying with a C-141 and C-130 from the 62MAW.
It has a new paint job now in Artic colors.
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