AN IOWA ARMY NATIONAL GUARD HELICOPTER FROM DAVENPORT HAS DELIVERED A HISTORIC F-80 FIGHTER JET TO THE AIR NATIONAL GUARD PAINT FACILITY IN SIOUX CITY FOR REPAINTING.
THE 1950’S JET HAS BEEN ON DISPLAY AT CAMP DODGE AND HAS THE MARKINGS OF THE 174TH FIGHTER INTERCEPTER SQUADRON THAT WAS THE PREDECESSOR TO THE 185TH AIR REFUELING WING IN SIOUX CITY.
THE IOWA GUARD SOLDIERS PILOTING THE ARMY CH-47 CHINOOK DELIVERED THE JET TO SIOUX CITY, LANDING IN FRONT OF THE AIR NATIONAL GUARD PAINT FACILITY AT THE 185TH BASE.
FLIGHT ENGINEER STAFF SGT. JESSE AYALA SAYS SLING LOADING THE AIRCRAFT TO SIOUX CITY ALLOWS THEM TO PRACTICE IMPORTANT AIRCRAFT RECOVERY METHODS:
SLING1 OC………..SAVE EQUIPMENT. ;09
HAVING A HELICOPTER FLY WITH A FIGHTER JET HANGING BELOW IT ON A SLING PROVIDED SOME CHALLENGES:
SLING2 OC……….GET AROUND IT. :25
THE 1ST GENERATION F-80 FIGHTER JET WAS ASSIGNED TO THE IOWA AIR GUARD AFTER THE 174TH RETURNED TO SIOUX CITY FOLLOWING THEIR ACTIVATION IN 1951.
AFTER BEING PAINTED, THE AIRCRAFT WILL BE PLACED BACK ON STATIC DISPLAY AT CAMP DODGE.
Photo by SSgt Vince DeGroot
