A F-86L fighter aircraft
once flown by the 116th Fighter Interceptor Wing, Georgia Air National
Guard is now at Robins AFB for restoration. Air National Guard Col. Ed
Wexler, Georgia National Guard Human Resources Officer, volunteered to
lead the recovery portion of the project in late April. He was joined in
the effort by members of the Army National Guard’s 277th Maintenance Co.,
and the Air National Guard’s 165th Maintenance Group, 116th Maintenance
Group and the 202nd Engineering Installation Squadron
The nearly three days
the group took to disassemble the aircraft -- which had been displayed
for nearly 30 years in a grassy field in Calhoun, Ga -- was, said
Wexler, not an easy task The F-86, along with various other aircraft was
part of the World Aircraft Museum which not been functional for several
years. The “Saber Jet.” was first flown by the Wing in the late 1950’s
and into the 1960’s.
Deterioration was, the
Colonel said, due to “corrosion of virtually every bolt and fastener the
team had to remove” Once the aircraft reached Robins, Wexler continued,
the 116th maintenance group would handle the restoration
phase,.
Team members provided
the expertise and equipment to disassemble and move the F-86L “Saber Jet”
as well as a TM-76 Mace missile, a 44-foot surface-to-surface missile
capable of carrying 1.1 megaton warhead. The missile will be restored and
on display in Savannah..
After
restoration the “Saber Jet” will become the property of the Historical
Society of the Georgia National Guard and will be displayed at Joint
Forces State Headquarters at Dobbins ARB.
Mace Missile being hoisted
