Langley F-15 trucked cross country to enshrinement

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Jason J. Brown
  • 633rd Air Base Wing Public Affairs
LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. (AFNS) --  For nearly 40 years, the 1st Fighter Wing here flew the venerable F-15 Eagle, helping to cement its place as one of the most successful fighters in aviation history.

On July 22, however, one of the 1st FW's last F-15s began its final journey, leaving Virginia for northern California -- but not in the skies.

A crew from the 1st Maintenance Group here demilitarized and disassembled the Eagle, and loaded it on trucks bound for its permanent display at the Chico Air Museum in Chico, Calif., more than 3,000 miles west of Langley. While Langley's flightline no longer hosts the fourth-generation jet, the museum opened its doors for one of the wing's Eagles to find a new home.

Airmen removed fuel, oil, weapons and select components to ensure the safe transport and display of the aircraft. Afterward, the crew removed the outer wing panels, horizontal tail assembly, radar dome and engine components from the fuselage in order to secure the segmented aircraft on two flatbeds.

"Maintainers from five different (Air Force specialty codes) started at the front of the aircraft and went through each panel, according to DOD regulations, to remove all items listed, which took approximately 30 days to complete," said Senior Master Sgt. Sherry Callahan, the 1st MXG lead production superintendent. "Once the aircraft was demilitarized, we requested a radiation survey from bio-environmental to ensure the aircraft does not impose any health risk while on display at the museum."

According to Norm Rosene, the museum's founder and special operations coordinator, he found the F-15 while scouring the government's aircraft surplus inventory. He began building a proposal to house the fighter in a display at the museum to pay tribute to military veterans, titled the "Freedom Eagle Project."

"We were fortunate to be awarded the F-15 in December 2010 based on our application and plans," he said. "Since January, I worked with Langley to coordinate the final acquisition of the aircraft, including the disassembly and logistics of transporting it."

The Eagle's transcontinental journey will cross nine states and is expected to last six to 10 days, depending on traffic and local regulations governing oversized-load transports. Along the way, banners featuring the name of the project will be affixed to the cargo, and signs saluting military mermbers will be displayed on the rear of the vehicles.

Once the aircraft arrives in Chico, the museum will assemble a team of maintenance professionals to reassemble the jet and begin restoration efforts. Rosene expects the F-15 to be reassembled and on display by the end of September, with restorations taking place throughout the next two years.

Langley AFB is ingrained in the history of American airpower, as it was the first installation dedicated solely to airpower when it was commissioned in 1916 by the Army Air Corps, the predecessor of the Air Force. Rosene said the F-15 will retain its Langley livery, including its signature "FF" tail flash markings, as a show of respect to Langley's rich history and its Airmen, who he said were "instrumental" in making the project a reality.

"The team at Langley went above and beyond to help us get this F-15, from breaking down the parts to loading it on the trucks and allowing us onto the base," he said. "Keeping the Langley markings is the least we can do to honor their efforts."

"It means a lot to us, as most of the maintainers were members of the last F-15 unit to be stationed here at Langley," Sergeant Callahan said. "It's a sign that the 71st Fighter Squadron Ironmen legacy will always be on display. I'm glad that one of the last F-15s assigned to Langley will have a good home."

Rosene said the ultimate goal of the Freedom Eagle Project is to honor the men and women of the armed forces and showcase aviation technology to young people in hopes of inspiring the next generation of American Airmen.

"It's nearly impossible for kids to get onto an airfield and touch an airfield these days," he said. "If you don't touch it, you may never imagine you can fly. The young people that will get the opportunity to see this F-15 may get inspired thinking about the possibility that one day they could be part of the military and fly these great machines."