Hull says, “Another company offered the F-111 hatch window modules for the price of shipping and another company volunteered to strip the paint and remove corrosion and a paint company is donating paints and primers.”
When it came time to re-assemble, Hull put together an email list of those who volunteered and gave the time and location to meet. “We’d get a dozen or so really capable volunteers,” says Hull. “In all, it took about three weekends to get the major parts on the airplane back together, including wings, vertical tail and the horizontal stabilizer and another few weeks to remove corrosion and paint the plane. Everything was done outside, so spring weather was a factor.”
READY TO INSPIRE
The F-111 was on display and part of the Memorial Plaza dedication ceremony that was held during the annual Northern Illinois Airshow Sept. 10, 2016. The aircraft is mounted on a stand in a nose-up position with its wings tucked back.
While the plaza was not completed at that time, construction is underway. At the same time, volunteers continue to raise funds to complete the ¼ acre plaza and develop ways to provide school programs that encourage discussion of veterans and their service to the nation.
Grant Farrell, Chairman of the Board for the Waukegan Port District, says, “Anchored by the F-111, the memorial plaza is a way to remember an amazing part of aviation history. This airplane incorporates a number of engineering firsts. And, beyond the important tribute to veterans, we think, as our centerpiece, will help re-establish a lost connection between our community and aviation.”
Necessarily, airports have become very restrictive to the community; individuals can’t just walk in and talk to a pilot or a mechanic anymore. He concludes, “The plaza with its memorial to veterans, records of aviation history and the F-111 will capture the interest of aviation buffs and hopefully help inspire the next generation of aviation engineers and mechanics.”
Author Bio: Colorado-based Vicki Speed is a contributing writer with over 25 years of experience, specializing in the AEC industry.
When complete, the Lake County Memorial Plaza will include a brick-paved plaza in the shape of a military star, a flagpole and monuments to every military branch.
About the F-111
The F-111 was the first aircraft to have moveable swept wings, the first to incorporate turbofan engines so it could fly supersonically at low altitude and the long-range capability to fly across oceans without refueling. The aircraft was used in Vietnam, during the Cold War, in the raid on Gaddafi’s Libyan headquarters and in Desert Storm. The plane was retired in 1996, although Australia continued to use it until 2010.
About Waukegan National Airport
The airport has been operated by the Waukegan Port District, a government entity, since 1956.
The Waukegan National Airport is a general aviation facility categorized by the FAA as a “Reliever Airport” for Chicago’s O’Hare International. It is situated on 535 acres approximately 3.5 miles north and slightly west of the City of Waukegan (35 miles north of Chicago) and includes two runways, one that is 6,000 feet long and 150 feet wide and another that is 3,750 feet long and 75 feet wide.
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