News

F-15A becomes signature aircraft at Museum of Aviation

  • Published
  • By Shellie-Anne Espinosa
  • Robins Public Affairs

About a year in the making, the F-15A aircraft that was on display in front of the Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex Headquarters building at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, has been undergoing repairs and refurbishment and having a new home prepared for it in front of the Museum of Aviation with prime visibility from Ga. Highway 247.

On June 27, that F-15A was placed at its final home.

F-15A becomes signature aircraft at Museum of Aviation

F-15A becomes signature aircraft at Museum of Aviation

ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. - The F-15 displayed in front of the Bldg. 215 was removed from its pedestal and transported by the 402nd Aircraft Maintenance Group to the Air Logistics Complex for repainting, March 24, 2018. Georgia Highway 247 was blocked to allow movement of the jet to a base painting facility. Once repainted, the aircraft is planned to be situated at the Museum of Aviation. (U.S. Air Force photo by Misuzu Allen)

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F-15A becomes signature aircraft at Museum of Aviation

F-15A becomes signature aircraft at Museum of Aviation

ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. - Master Sgt. Brandon Fitzpatrick, Tech. Sgt. Rodney Arzuaga, Tech. Sgt. David Miller and Staff Sgt. Kyle Brammer, 402nd Aircraft Maintenance Group, work on top of the F-15 to prepare it for movement. The F-15 displayed in front of the Bldg. 215 was removed from its pedestal and transported by the 402nd Aircraft Maintenance Group to the Air Logistics Complex for repainting, March 24, 2018. Georgia Highway 247 was blocked to allow movement of the jet to a base painting facility. Once repainted, the aircraft is planned to be situated at the Museum of Aviation. (U.S. Air Force photo by Misuzu Allen)

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F-15A becomes signature aircraft at Museum of Aviation

F-15A becomes signature aircraft at Museum of Aviation

ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. - The F-15 displayed in front of the Bldg. 215 was removed from its pedestal and transported by the 402nd Aircraft Maintenance Group to the Air Logistics Complex for repainting, March 24, 2018. Georgia Highway 247 was blocked to allow movement of the jet to a base painting facility. Once repainted, the aircraft is planned to be situated at the Museum of Aviation. (U.S. Air Force photo by Misuzu Allen)

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F-15A becomes signature aircraft at Museum of Aviation

F-15A becomes signature aircraft at Museum of Aviation

ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. - The F-15 displayed in front of the Bldg. 215 was removed from its pedestal and transported by the 402nd Aircraft Maintenance Group to the Air Logistics Complex for repainting, March 24, 2018. Georgia Highway 247 was blocked to allow movement of the jet to a base painting facility. Once repainted, the aircraft is planned to be situated at the Museum of Aviation. (U.S. Air Force photo by Misuzu Allen)

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F-15A becomes signature aircraft at Museum of Aviation

F-15A becomes signature aircraft at Museum of Aviation

ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. – Airmen from the 402nd Aircraft Maintenance Group prepare an F-15 aircraft that recently received new landing gear and a new coat of paint to be moved to the Museum of Aviation at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, Sept. 30, 2018. The aircraft, which has been in front of the Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex since its retirement from service in 1991, is being moved to a more prominent position in front of the museum next to Ga. Highway 247. (U.S. Air Force photo by Edward Aspera Jr.)

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F-15A becomes signature aircraft at Museum of Aviation

F-15A becomes signature aircraft at Museum of Aviation

ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. – Airmen from the 402nd Aircraft Maintenance Group move an F-15 aircraft that recently received new landing gear and a new coat of paint down Ga. Highway 247 outside Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, to the Museum of Aviation, Sept. 30, 2018. The aircraft, which has been in front of the Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex since its retirement from service in 1991, is being moved to a more prominent position in front of the museum next to the highway. (U.S. Air Force photo by Edward Aspera Jr.)

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F-15A becomes signature aircraft at Museum of Aviation

F-15A becomes signature aircraft at Museum of Aviation

ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. – Airmen from the 402nd Aircraft Maintenance Group guide an F-15 aircraft that recently received new landing gear and a new coat of paint under traffic lights and their electrical wires along Ga. Highway 247 to the Museum of Aviation, Sept. 30, 2018. The aircraft, which has been in front of the Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex since its retirement from service in 1991, is being moved to a more prominent position in front of the museum next to the highway. (U.S. Air Force photo by Edward Aspera Jr.)

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F-15A becomes signature aircraft at Museum of Aviation

F-15A becomes signature aircraft at Museum of Aviation

ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. – Personnel from the 402nd Aircraft Maintenance Group and the Museum of Aviation at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, guide an F-15 through the museum parking lot, Sept. 30, 2018, where it will wait until a new pedestal and foundation are placed for it in front of the museum. The aircraft, which was in front of the Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex headquarters building since its retirement from service in 1991, just finished receiving a new coat of paint and landing gear so that it could be moved to a more prominent position in front of the museum next to Ga. Highway 247. (U.S. Air Force photo by Edward Aspera Jr.)

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F-15A becomes signature aircraft at Museum of Aviation

F-15A becomes signature aircraft at Museum of Aviation

ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. – Personnel from the 402nd Aircraft Maintenance Group and the Museum of Aviation at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, guide an F-15 onto its final resting spot, Sept. 30, 2018, where it will wait until a new pedestal and foundation are placed for it in front of the museum. The aircraft, which was in front of the Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex headquarters building since its retirement from service in 1991, just finished receiving a new coat of paint and landing gear so that it could be moved to a more prominent position in front of the museum next to Ga. Highway 247. (U.S. Air Force photo by Edward Aspera Jr.)

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F-15A becomes signature aircraft at Museum of Aviation

F-15A becomes signature aircraft at Museum of Aviation

ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. – An F-15A aircraft is being prepared to be hoisted onto its new pedestal in front of the Museum of Aviation at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, June 27, 2019. The aircraft, which was in front of the Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex headquarters building since its retirement from service in 1991, was moved to the museum to be in a more prominent position in front of the museum next to Ga. Highway 247. (U.S. Air Force photo by Haley Janes)

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F-15A becomes signature aircraft at Museum of Aviation

F-15A becomes signature aircraft at Museum of Aviation

ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. – Crews lift an F-15A aircraft to the top of a pedestal in front of the Museum of Aviation at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, June 27, 2019. The aircraft, which was in front of the Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex headquarters building since its retirement from service in 1991, was moved to the museum to be in a more prominent position in front of the museum next to Ga. Highway 247. (U.S. Air Force photo by Haley Janes)

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F-15A becomes signature aircraft at Museum of Aviation

F-15A becomes signature aircraft at Museum of Aviation

ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. – Crews lower an F-15A to its final placement on top its new pedestal in front of the Museum of Aviation at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, June 27, 2019. The aircraft, which was in front of the Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex headquarters building since its retirement from service in 1991, was moved to the museum to be in a more prominent position in front of the museum next to Ga. Highway 247. (U.S. Air Force photo by Haley Janes)

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F-15A becomes signature aircraft at Museum of Aviation

F-15A becomes signature aircraft at Museum of Aviation

ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. – An F-15A aircraft static display sits atop its new pedestal in front of the Museum of Aviation and an early morning sunrise, June 28, 2019, at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. The aircraft, which used to be in front of the Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex Headquarters building, was moved to this more prominent position in front of the museum next to Ga. Highway 247 to give it better visibility and make it easier to periodic washing, repairs and other upkeep items. (U.S. Air Force photo by Shellie-Anne Espinosa)

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The F-15A, which had been in front of the WR-ALC Headquarters in building 215 since the early 1990s, was removed from its old pedestal and moved to the industrial area where it received an overhaul to prepare it for display at the museum. It received new landing gear to prepare it for mobility and had its old paint stripped and replaced with new primer, paint and markings.

This aircraft received some special markings during its reburbishment. The F-15A now sports an “RG” tail flash. In the 1980s, Robins had two F-15 aircraft assigned to the installation for test operations.

“While the F-15s were assigned here, their tail flashes were ‘RG’ for Robins, Georgia,” said Ken Emery, Museum of Aviation director. “So the Robins depot at one time had its own tail flash and we have elected to show that historical connection by putting it on this F-15 out front.”

After the F-15A was prepared for the museum, it was towed down Ga. Highway 247 to wait at the museum until the new pedestal and foundation were in place for it .

Since being retired from service in 1991, the aircraft was placed on the Museum of Aviation’s artifact account with the National Museum of the Air Force for accountability purposes. The move of the F-15A from building 215 to the museum gives the aircraft more prominence.

“We are moving the aircraft to the museum to make it the signature aircraft seen from Ga. Highway 247 and will give it much better visibility,” said Emery. “We will also have better access to it for upkeep, periodic washing and repairs.”

Preparing, moving, and placing the aircraft was not a simple feat. It took many moving parts to complete the task.

“The 402nd Aircraft Maintenance Group played the most crucial role in getting the aircraft down, moved painted and ready for its new location,” Emery said. “Civil Engineering from the 78th Air Base Wing helped with site development and engineering, and contracting from the Air Force Sustainment Center put the foundation and pedestal contracts in place. Of course, our own museum staff worked tirelessly to pull it all together to make it happen and our Museum of Aviation Foundation did their part with funding for the large cranes.”

With the F-15A in place now in front of the Museum of Aviation right next to Ga. Highway 247, all who visit this area of Middle Georgia will be able to enjoy the aircraft that is such a large part of the mission here at Robins, whether they stop by the museum to see the grounds or are driving by to another destination.