ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --
The language of flight has always been the language of dreams. An aircraft's very form speaks of our longing for dreams and hopes and progress to take flight. Preserving these aircraft is a solid reminder that, though we might have to fight hard to defend them, our dreams can take flight if we keep our eyes lifted to the horizon.
As with any equipment, innovation usually paves the way for newer and sleeker models, with many aircraft being relegated to the annals of history. But within each frame, engine and fuselage, there is the history of the men and women, from pilots, navigators, flight engineers and loadmasters to those who turned the wrenches, kicked the tires and maintained them, often in a race against the clock and in austere and challenging environments.
To that end, restoration specialists with 78th Air Base Wing Museum of Aviation at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, are dedicated to acquiring, preserving, and restoring historic aircraft, enshrining the legacy of those who built the world we live in while simultaneously encouraging future generations to embrace the challenge of building the world our posterity will inherit.
The museum obtains aircraft while working in conjunction with the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force and Air Force Materiel Command History Office. Once a full safety inspection of navigation and weapons system is conducted and given an all clear, restoration specialists disassemble them down to the smallest components.
"Our primary mission is then the restoration of those aircraft,” said Arthur Sullivan, 78th ABW supervisory MoA curator. “We bring in aircraft, sometimes in very rough condition, and our team meticulously restores them to their former glory for the museum."
The museum restoration specialists are tasked with meeting all safety and training requirements for their work, while also aligning their technical skills with period-appropriate restoration, providing an end product as close to historically accurate as possible.
Historical accuracy is ensured through in-depth research, utilizing original technical orders whenever possible, and collaborating with other museums and experts.
Before being displayed, aircraft are made safe for public viewing by removing classified systems, deactivating weapon systems, and implementing safety measures.
"We try to keep the aircraft as complete as we can,” said Sullivan. “We're not interested in classified items staying in there, and we're not interested in anything that needs to keep an actual combat asset in service. The mission always comes first."
Sullivan continued on to say the museum’s restoration specialist are “the best innovators around. They're great problem-solvers."
The restoration process involves a comprehensive inspection to identify and address corrosion, damage, and missing parts through repair, fabrication and sourcing replacements.
"Having a degree in military history gives me a little more appreciation of what these aircraft have been through,” said Cameron Smith, 78th ABW MoA restoration specialist. “Having these planes on display gets the public thinking, 'Hey, the Air Force was part of this battle as well.'"
The team also collaborates closely with various shops within Robins AFB, such as paint and sheet metal, additive manufacturing and external organizations to leverage expertise and resources as mission requirements dictate. This Team Robin cooperation, uniformed and civilian alike, generates a more efficient and faster turnaround.
"Robins AFB and the local community have been incredibly supportive of our mission. Their assistance is invaluable," said Sullivan.
“Most of the guys that work on these aircraft came from the Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex (here),” said Sullivan. “They came from the paint shop. They came from sheet metal. They came from all these different specialties. So, they bring that expertise with them.”
This ingrained technical and professional knowledge comes in handy when detailed instructions for the aircraft operation and maintenance from the technical orders are not available.
"My previous work in depot and functional testing sheet metal was invaluable. It helped perfect what I'm doing now," said Smith.
"Working on the F-117, especially with the leading edges, was a challenge," Smith continued. "There was no tech data to go by, just vague blueprints. A lot of the restoration came from pictures and educated guesswork."
Examples of past restorations include the C-47 and B-17, aircraft from the 1940s and later, to more modern designs like the F-117 Blackhawk stealth attack aircraft and the Sikorsky HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter.
“Our team has a diverse skill set. They're able to work on everything from drones to fighters and cargo planes to bombers," said Sullivan.
"I feel like I'm doing something special," Smith explained. "We're a small team and doing something so niche makes me feel pretty important and privileged to work on something like this."
Thanks to the efforts of these restoration specialists, these carefully revived aircraft stand silently, their surfaces reflecting the dedication of those who brought them back to life. They are tangible links to the past, whispering stories of innovation, sacrifice and the unwavering pursuit of flight, inviting all who see them to consider the legacy held within each rivet, bolt and frame.