A VINTAGE F-80 FIGHTER JET FROM THE 1950’S IS ON ITS WAY BACK FROM SIOUX CITY TO CAMP DODGE FOLLOWING A COMPLETE PAINT RESTORATION BY MEMBERS OF THE 185TH AIR NATIONAL GUARD.
THE JET HAS WAS BROUGHT TO THE 185TH LAST SEPTEMBER AND HAS THE MARKINGS OF THE 174TH FIGHTER INTERCEPTER SQUADRON THAT WAS THE PREDECESSOR TO THE 185TH AIR REFUELING WING IN SIOUX CITY.
LT. COLONEL BRANDON EAST IS THE COMMANDER OF THE 185TH’S MAINTENANCE GROUP THAT RESTORED THE PLANE:
JET1 OC……..UNTIL NOW. :12
AN IOWA ARMY NATIONAL GUARD CH-47 HELICOPTER DELIVERED THE PLANE TO SIOUX CITY FROM CAMP DODGE, WERE IT HAS BEEN ON STATIC DISPLAY.
A HELICOPTER ARRIVED THIS (TUESDAY) MORNING TO TAKE THE JET BACK TO DES MOINES.
COLONEL EAST SAYS IT TOOK SOME GEOMETRIC CALCULATIONS TO RIG THE PLANE TO THE HELICOPTER.
JET2 OC……..TO THE HELICOPTER. :30
COLONEL EAST SAYS THE PLANE LOOKS BRAND NEW AS IT RETURNS TO CAMP DODGE:
JET3 OC……..ENGAGE AND FIX. :19.
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.
Photos by S.Sgt. Vince DeGroot
