1. In January 1980 I encountered this F-86A hulk a few hundred yards down the road from the Wilbur Wright Birthplace Museum near Millville, IN.
2. All the parts to the airplane appeared to be there. Note the jet exhaust pipe visible here. I did not see the vert and hori stabs, but it's a safe bet they were there.
3. Serial number of the aircraft was also on the canopy. This F-86 was purchased and restored by a fellow in Washington state if memory serves.
4. This F-86D was photographed at the Air Force Museum, Dayton, OH, September 1975.
5. On June 10, 1995, Mike Keenum flew his F-86F to a fly-in lunch hosted by Mike George, Springfield, IL.
6. The registration on Keenum's 86.
7. I was privileged to fly in the back seat of Mike George's Soko Galeb for a photo shoot. Here is the 86 approaching the runup area at the start of runway 22 at Capitol Airport.
8. Approaching from 7:00.
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12. The Soko landed in time for me to exit and photograph Mike as he returned to the ramp.
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15. The Sabre-meister himself, Mike Keenum.
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17. The attention to authenticity is amazing!
18. An Illinois-based PT-17 taxis out near the end of the event.
19. F-86H at Pima Air Museum, Tuscon, AZ, May 1983 -- photo by Don Truax
20. F-86H(53-1304) at March AFB Museum, CA June 12, 1982 -- photo by Malcolm Gougon
21. Chanute AFB, Rantoul, September 1976. The base was still operational at the time and was home to many "lawn guards" like this 86.
22. The painted over canopy, light gray paint over what should have been natural metal exemplify how museum decision makers fart into the face of history with these kinds of lamentable antics.
23. This F-86 photographed by a roadside outside Chanute in September 1976 was subsequently removed from the pedistal and delivered to a new home.
24. Nature's way of decorating the nose gear. Notice the bird nest in the wheel.
25.The plaque on the pedistal.
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27. This photo was not color retouched. It shows how badly faded the colors of the Air Training Command insignia have become.
This restored F-86A is a gate guardian at the entrance to the home of the 183d Fighter Wing, Illinois Air National Guard, Springfield, Illinois. It was meticulously restored by members of the 183d and finished in the colors of an example which flew for its 170th Tactical Fighter
Squadron in the 50s. Contrary to popular belief, the opaque canopies on this and other gate guardians at SPI were NOT used for IFR proficiency training. They are opaque FICTIONS, engineered by well-meaning people who don't believe the public can tell the differnce between clear Plexiglass canopies and blue blobs.
