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On
May 7, 2004, Colonel Mike Moeller, 2d Bomb Wing commander kicked
off the Adopt-a-Plane program at Barksdale AFB, La. Managed by
Mr. Harold D. "Buck" Rigg, Eighth Air Force Museum director,
base units adopted an aircraft or vehicle from the Eighth Air
Force Museum and have to maintain it. Completion of Phase 1 and
2 took place on September 30, 2004. The units inspect their asset
monthly and peform cleaning/maintenance as required.
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Now! |
FB-111A 68-0284 has been under the care of MSgt Mike Kaplan, through the 2nd Communications Squadron, who adopted the plane. After more than 300 hours spent on the aircraft, 68-0284 was ready for the Acceptance Ceremony. Markings on the jet are still left to be applied. An exhaustive search of photographs allowed Mike to accurately duplicate the paint scheme worn by the jet in 1979. In fact, his discovery of a key photograph resulted in the repainting of the vertical stab, after he had already painted it! |
And then! |
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Mike spent 14 yrs maintaining the Flight Control and Instrument
systems on the F-111 series of aircraft, and has been the "crew
chief" of 284 since his first arrival at Barksdale in 1996.
He is currently the Base Multimedia Manager at Barksdale, professionalizing
his photography hobby that has greatly benefited the FB-111A.net
and F-111.net websites.
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As the secretary/treasurer of the Eighth Air Force Museum Association, Mike welcomes memorabilia for the museum that has it's origins in the history of aerial bombardment, the B-52, the Strategic Air Command, Barksdale AFB, and of course, the FB-111A. Long range plans include the construction of a new $25 million dollar museum to house all the aircraft and historic memorabilia. Donations are accepted! "Invest in the future... by investing in the past". |
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(Click on the thumbnails to see a larger photo. Photos courtesy USAF and Mike Kaplan.)
