The Cellar - Phantom 550

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This is Phantom 550, a McDonnell-Douglas F-4D Phantom, that was flown by (then Major) Brig. Gen. Dan Cherry (USAF ret.) from Bowling Green, KY. On April 16, 1972, Maj. Cherry, on his second tour, took off from a base in Udorn, Thailand on the flight that would see him down a North Vietnamese Mig-21. The Mig pilot, Nguyen Hong My, ejected after having his right wing blown off by an AIM-7 Sparrow missile. The encounter was even featured on an episode of the History Channel show "Dogfights" titled "Hell Over Hanoi". The most memorable part of the dogfight, says Maj. Cherry, was making a very close fly-by of the Mig pilot dangling underneath his parachute. Later in life, the two pilots met on Vietnamese television in Ho Chi Minh City in 2008, and actually became good friends. In April 2009, Nguyen came to the U.S. The two lectured at the National Air and Space Museum, and Nguyen even made history. He became the first combat pilot in history to sit in the cockpit of the very plane that shot him down! Nguyen Hong My also met and befriended the Weapons System Officer of an RF-4C he shot down in January 1972.

Dan Cherry retired a Brigadier General after a long and successful USAF career. In his first tour of duty in 1967, Gen. Cherry flew 100 combat missions in an F-105 Thunderchief. He was assigned to 13th TFS Udorn, Thailand during his second tour. He even led the Thunderbirds for a while.

Phantom 550 has been totally restored, and is on permanent display at Aviation Heritage Park in Bowling Green, KY. The park is dedicated to the restoration and display of historically significant combat aircraft flown by Kentuckians.

More info

Even more info

Dogfights: Hell Over Hanoi (this episode of Dogfights is divided into 5 parts, Brig. Gen. Cherry's experience is detailed in parts 1-3, I believe.)

"My Enemy, My Friend" by Brig. Gen. Dan Cherry

Aviation Heritage Park

Moar pics. (The rear end of the plane look familiar?)

Grav, have you been to the AF Museum in Dayton? If not, I think you'd enjoy it.

On a related note...

Aviation Heritage Park in Bowling Green, KY displays historic military aircraft that have a tie/relation to Kentucky, such as Bowling Green native Gen. Dan Cherry's F-4D Phantom shown above.

The organization that acquires and restores these planes has recently acquired one of the F-111 Aardvarks that Ronald Reagan sent to Libya to tear Gaddafi a new one, by blowing up his house. The plane they have was the lead plane on that mission, but, the pilot wasn't from KY. However, his wingman, in another F-111, was from KY.

IIRC, I think they took this particular plane because of availability, and this is the plane that actually fired the missiles that hit Gaddafi's house, homeboy was a back-up.

Below, an F-111 for reference:

Attachment 41664

And for giggles, Operation El Dorado Canyon

Aviation Heritage Park also has on display:

A Grumman F9F-5 Panther, in Blue Angels livery;

And a Lockheed T-33A-5 Shooting Star, trainer version of the F-80.

http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_1_5/100..._aircraft.html

Serial #: 44-85790
Construction #: 8699 (-VE) (built by Vega Aircraft, a subsidiary of the Lockheed Aircraft Company)
Model: B-17G
Name: Lacey Lady
Status: Restoration
Last info: 2002

History:
Art Lacey, Portland, OR, Mar. 5, 1947-1995
- Last Flight from Altus AFB, OK, Mar. 8-10, 1947
- Displayed at Lacey's Bomber gas station, Milwaukie, OR, Mar. 1947-1990.
- Displayed at Lacey's Bomber Restaurant, Milwaukie, OR, 1990-1995.
- Displayed on pylons as 485790/Lacey Lady, 1947-1995.
- Upper turret donated to CAF's Sentimental Journey

The Bomber Foundation, Milwaukie, OR, 1995-2002.
- Static restoration on site.
- Forward fuselage removed and under restoration, Aurora, OR, 1996-2000.

http://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/en...rant_catering/

It still stands in Milwaukie, OR, but the former gas station is now a restaurant...

Quote:

When Art Lacey, a young pilot and gasoline station owner,
envisioned combining his two passions into a business, people questioned his sanity.
The Bomber, located in Milwaukie, Oregon, was once a gas station and is now
a restaurant with a vintage World War II B-17 G bomber—known as the “Flying Fortress”
—prominently exhibited in its parking lot. It is quintessential Americana and an Oregon landmark.

Art Lacey purchased the retired war bird at an Air Force base in Oklahoma
and flew it to Oregon in 1947. His first attempt resulted in a crash,
but that didn't stop him. He finally got it home and hoisted the plane up over
the family-owned forty-pump gas station
—the largest single-volume gas station in the United States in the 1960s—
and it now sits off to the side of the home-style restaurant that serves up
Bomber Burgers, chicken-fried steaks, and thick shakes.
On most mornings, customers can find World War II veterans and their families
dining in the restaurant, a ritual some have followed since the restaurant opened.

The property also has a children's playground and a museum,
which is dedicated to World War II and houses an extensive collection of war memorabilia.
Veterans meet here regularly to share stories.
The Bomber is a one-of-a-kind establishment, a place for classic American food
and a reminder of times past and the men and women who served in World War II.

Attachment 41665

I'd seen that photo before, but, didn't know the how/why.

As of Aug. 16, 2012, still there, more or less:

Attachment 41667

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shawnee123 (Post 661225)

Grav, have you been to the AF Museum in Dayton? If not, I think you'd enjoy it.

I got to spend about two hours there on our recent whirlwind tour to the East. It was completely awesome.