ReccePhreak Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 This was just posted on the USMILAV Yahoo Group: One of the fighter jets dispatched on Sept. 11, 2001, to be saved October 4, 2006 FALMOUTH, Mass. --One of the fighter jets based at Otis Air National Guard Base that first responded to the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks in New York City has been saved from the scrap heap. The aging fleet of F-15As of the 102nd Fighter Wing was destined to be retired and possibly dismantled for parts or scrap metal until Keith Middleton, a former member of the unit, began an effort to preserve at least one of the aircraft. Middleton reached out to another airplane junkie, Wallace Van Winkle, and the two started a petition drive, which they said has been signed by nearly 300 people. "I started somewhat of a movement. When Wally saw what I was trying to do, he kind of ran with it," Middleton, who runs a Web site focused on Otis called http://www.102ndfig hterwing. com., told The Cape Cod Times. This week, they got word that a jet would be preserved. But officials of the National Museum of the United States Air Force aren't certain what they will do with the aircraft. The museum, home to more than 300 planes and missiles, already has an F-15 display. Museum officials said the plane will be available to whatever group can come up with the money to decommission it and ship it to a new site. Preference will be given to military organizations. Possible homes for the jet are the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum in New York or the New England Air Museum in Connecticut. The F-15s that were based at Otis currently are at the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center in Tucson, Ariz., where they were flown last July. Link to post Share on other sites
Ken Middleton Posted October 5, 2006 Author Share Posted October 5, 2006 Larry, I found that "bogus" article on Boston.com (Boston Globe). They got my name wrong (I can deal with that) and said I was a former member of the unit, and left out Brian Carberry's name as well. I requested they fix it. http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachus...e_saved?mode=PF Link to post Share on other sites
ReccePhreak Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 Larry,I found that "bogus" article on Boston.com (Boston Globe). They got my name wrong (I can deal with that) and said I was a former member of the unit, and left out Brian Carberry's name as well. I requested they fix it. http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachus...e_saved?mode=PF Ken, Thanks for the update, I wasn't aware that the article was bogus, except for misspelling your name. Larry Link to post Share on other sites
Ken Middleton Posted October 5, 2006 Author Share Posted October 5, 2006 Larry, maybe bogus is too strong of a word, and Boston.com told me the AP is responsible, but they took a portion of the original article from the Cape Cod Times, and got some key facts wrong, and left some out. I knew the media was well known for this, but I personally had not been part of an article involved. I was looking to see if it appeared in the New York Times Link to post Share on other sites
AnthonyWan Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 Signed Any aircraft that served this country in that special of a way deserves to be preserved. AW out Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts