Maxwell AFB Display Aircraft

[Second Air Force]

We had a few spare minutes this morning and took these photos of the aircraft on display at Maxwell.

B-25J:


F-86A:



F-100:


F-105 being cleaned and repainted:


F-4D:


RF-101:


B-52D, also having paintwork done:


MH-53M:


Scott

[mustangdriver]

I know some may not agree but I think they look great.

[Ken]

They look great because they're all recent repaints and the MH-53 has only been on display 1 month. As a matter of fact, the contractor mucked up a number of the paint jobs and I assume the AF called him back to fix his work, I believe the F-105 is the last one to be re-done.

I've been associated with Maxwell almost continuously since 1987 and this is probably the 4th re-paint I can remember.

The only way to justify outdoor displays such as this is to state up front that the airplanes are expendable. An aesthetic paint job is not to be confused with preservation. Today we mourn the deep corrosion on the Barksdale B-29 (as described in another thread) and our kids will watch this F-4 follow suit - it's a matter of time and the science of corrosion.

Yeah, it looks nice but it's not aircraft preservation.

Ken

[Warbird Kid]

Hey, its my F-86! I wonder where I left it.

[Andy Marden]

I can't quite make out the serial of the MH-53 from the photo.
Can someone please put me out of my misery.
Thanks,
Andy

[mustangdriver]

They look great because they're all recent repaints and the MH-53 has only been on display 1 month. As a matter of fact, the contractor mucked up a number of the paint jobs and I assume the AF called him back to fix his work, I believe the F-105 is the last one to be re-done.

I've been associated with Maxwell almost continuously since 1987 and this is probably the 4th re-paint I can remember.

The only way to justify outdoor displays such as this is to state up front that the airplanes are expendable. An aesthetic paint job is not to be confused with preservation. Today we mourn the deep corrosion on the Barksdale B-29 (as described in another thread) and our kids will watch this F-4 follow suit - it's a matter of time and the science of corrosion.

Yeah, it looks nice but it's not aircraft preservation.

Ken

It is better than seeing them cut up which is more than likely what would have happened to them with the exception of the B-25.

[APG85]

That MH-53 is a terrible design to display outdoors...fiberglass cowlings and plenty of areas for birds to nest in. That rotor head is going to be a mess in no time...

[Second Air Force]

We hadn't been to Maxwell since '06, and it's obvious that they had been resprayed since then. The crew was working on the right side of the B-52 yesterday.


There were a couple of very thin spots of paint on the upper and leading edge of the wing, especially just above the engine nacelle. I have no idea how long each respray lasts, but I'd bet the gloss fades off rather quickly in that Alabama sun.

The '53 is 69-5785, Andy.


I don't even want to walk up close to inspect the airplanes carefully. As much dew as is on the ground every morning, and with the relative humidity around here, I'd suppose there is plenty of corrosion to go around. My two cents.

Scott

[Second Air Force]

Here is the T-38 near the Bell Street security gate:


Scott

[A2C]

Nice photos. I've heard from some people that the F-101 flew like a lead sled. Very unmaneuverable and guzzled the gas very quickly at lower altitudes..

[Andy Marden]

The '53 is 69-5785, Andy.

Thanks Scott,
Andy

[Ken]

Interestingly, the T-38 was in USAF Thunderbirds colors for many years before returning to the standard "White Rocket" scheme.

The B-25 is painted to honor longtime Montgomery resident Gen Robert Knapp who flew B-25s in the Med Theatre. Don't have a credit for this photo, but this is the wartime airplane, a C/D model. Gen Knapp's name is on the side of the airplane today but doesn't appear to be in the original photo.

[gary1954]

[quote="Second Air Force"]We had a few spare minutes this morning and took these photos of the aircraft on display at Maxwell.

B-25J:


Here is how Former Catch 22 6W Hot Pants N9452Z 44-30649 B-25J looked to me when I saw her at Wright-Patterson AFB in 1977. She was being transferred to Tuskegee for a Museum, I saw her flying over I-85 one night in the fall of 77 and she was shortly thereafter transferred to Bang Bang Maxwell.

[Ken]

Anyone recognize the serial number painted on the display B-25 since Gary makes it sound like its true serial is something else?

[Jack Cook]

I've heard from some people that the F-101 flew like a lead sled.

F-101 was a great a/c. The 123rd up in PDX flew them for years and won
the William Tell Competetion more than once has the top A2A unit in the AF