Bulldog 09 Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 (edited) I just wanted to share with you all the new addition to the Veterans Memorial Air Park / OV-10 Association Museum in Ft. Worth. This RF-8 is a true combat veteran. It started life with Navy Photo-Reconnaissance Squadron VFP-63. It, along with others, flew dangerous missions over Laos and Southeast Asia before the Vietnam War began. In fact, an RF-8, like this one, was the first casualty of that conflict. Later, this airplane was transferred to the Marine Air Reserve Training Detachment at NAS Dallas. Most recently, it was part of a display in Mobile, Alabama but was damaged by hurricane Katrina and returned to the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola. The airplane was slated to be a target on a bombing range in Florida until we said we wanted it, and now here it is. The wings and the rest of the aircraft will arrive next week, and work should start soon after. I will post more photos as work on it begins. Dave Fassett Edited January 8, 2009 by Bulldog 09 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cobrahistorian Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Fantastic Dave! I'll have to stop by the next time we come in to visit my in-laws! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bulldog 09 Posted January 8, 2009 Author Share Posted January 8, 2009 Hey Jon, Let me know when you are coming and we can meet up over there. Dave Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Phantomologist Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Huey Gunner Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Do that Lady justice please. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chorse6 Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Very cool. I went up there with my 4 yr old last weekend and walked around outside. Snuck my nose in the hanger. Saw the A-7 as well. I'll have to swing by and see the Crusader as well. Thanks for the pics. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jozef Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Congratulations Even though it is probable that I will not set my eyes on it in my life, it is great that you could save this part of airplane history. Good luck Jozef from Slovakia Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bulldog 09 Posted January 8, 2009 Author Share Posted January 8, 2009 (edited) Hey Bill, Man you should have told me you were going to take my picture, I would have fixed my hair :D . Thanks for adding these shots as alway they are excellent. Very cool. I went up there with my 4 yr old last weekend and walked around outside. Snuck my nose in the hanger. Saw the A-7 as well. I'll have to swing by and see the Crusader as well. Thanks for the pics. Hello George, Give me a shout this weekend and I'll meet you there and show you around. I'll send you a PM with my info. Dave Fassett Edited January 8, 2009 by Bulldog 09 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ADCGrey Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 (edited) Don't forget the RF-8's arguably most important missions: the low-level recon flights over Cuba during the missile crisis. The movie Thirteen Days is a dramatization of a memoir, not a documentary, but there is some cool airplane ********* therein. One of those crashed across the street from my father's office in San Diego in the early 80s. The plane lost power climbing out of Miramar, and the pilot managed to line it up on a postage-stamp parking lot in the middle of an industrial park and punch out about a second before impact. To this day I have standing orders to buy a drink for then-LCDR David Strong if I ever happen to run into him. Nice pics. Definitely the top of my 1/48 wish list. Edited January 8, 2009 by ADCGrey Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Julien (UK) Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Cool! an RF-8, please do it justice. Actually does not look to bad. Must add this to my list of places I now need to go in the US Julien Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Phantomologist Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 Hey Bill,Man you should have told me you were going to take my picture, I would have fixed my hair :P . Thanks for adding these shots as alway they are excellent. Candid cuts down on the cheezy grins and posed look, don't cha know! ;) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Phantomologist Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 Cool! an RF-8, please do it justice. Actually does not look to bad.Must add this to my list of places I now need to go in the US Julien Julien the fuselage is the bright spot of the whole project. The UHTs are both damaged and the right one is nearly destroyed. Right outboard wing is split along the spar from the hurricane and then the salt water bath did none of the jet any good. The vertical and rudder are damaged, but not too bad. All in all for a discounted kit it was worth picking up. ;) I do have to put my 1:1 scale F-105 back together first, before I can get serious on this. On a forum somewhere either here or warbirds I will start a thread about the project. bill Here she is while still in service Here she is in 2002 at USS Alabama Memorial Here she is prior to Hurricane Katrina Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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