The students won’t be allowed to fly the decommissioned aircraft; instead, it will be mounted on a concrete display on school property.

Drivers on Interstate 70 in rural Ohio should now expect to see an F-16 Fighting Falcon on their daily commutes. The aircraft won’t be flying overhead; instead, it will be the newest retired fighter jet on a “pylon display.” What makes this one unique, however, is that it isn’t at a military base, an aviation museum, or even a VFW post. Instead, the F-16 is outside the Union Local High School in Belmont County, Ohio—which is especially fitting, considering that the school’s sports teams are “the Jets”!

How the Union Local High School “Jets” Got a Thunderbird Jet

Last summer, the United States Air Force confirmed that it would provide a decommissioned F-16 to the school. The retired fighter flew with the US Air Force’s Thunderbirds, the service’s elite demonstration team.

That may have made things easier for the school to “adopt” the retired F-16. The Thunderbirds’ demonstration jets are not configured for combat, lowering the logistical barriers to transferring one to a civilian organization.

Although the jet arrived at its new home last week, acquiring it has been a process long in the making. The school’s efforts—led by the Union Local Afterburners Committee, an alumni association—began in 2018. That included reaching out to the US Navy Yard in Washington, DC; Naval Air Station Pensacola; and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (AFB) in Dayton, Ohio.

The fact that Wright-Patterson, which is also home to the National Museum of the United States Air Force, is just 80 miles from the school and located a stone’s throw from I-70 probably helped matters.

Approval for the transfer of the jet was completed in August 2021, following a series of necessary preparations that included fundraising to cover moving costs and the construction and installation of the pedestal to hold the Fighting Falcon.

“It’s a Thunderbird, the first one that’s ever been out of the military or the United States Air Force, thanks to them, and it’s the first one that was given to us and not to a military base or a state museum, so we’re very happy, and we hit the jackpot, we hit the lottery,” Dirk Davis, president of the Afterburners Committee, told WTOV-TV last summer.

Putting the F-16 in Place Took a Lot of Work—and Cash

The retired F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft was put in place last week, an event that was likely better—and certainly rarer—than winning the lottery. It was also no small effort.

“World Wide Aircraft transported the jet from Bellevue, Nebraska, to Belmont, Ohio,” said Taylore Frasnelly, dedication chairwoman for the Afterburners Committee.

She told The National Interest in an email that the F-16 was then reassembled in just a day and placed on the pedestal. It was a mad dash to the end, saved with the aid of two local companies.

“The company that originally planned to place the jet on Saturday canceled on Friday night, so it was a frantic scramble, but two businesses stepped up in the middle of the night,” Frasnelly added. “Response has been absolutely amazing, community members of all ages have been making the trip, whether by car or foot, to view the aircraft.”

This saga also highlights how retired military hardware is loaned to various institutions, including museums and private institutions. The US taxpayer doesn’t pick up the tab for delivery or upkeep. Those need to be handled by the group or organization that receives items like the F-16.

At the same time, there can be local concerns that the community is paying for it.

“We weren’t sure what to expect, as the school has a five-year 3-mill permanent improvement levy on the ballot in just a few weeks in May,” explained Frasnelly. “There have been some misunderstandings that taxpayer dollars were used to purchase the jet, but this is not the case.”

The Union Local Afterburners Committee was formed in 2018 and set a goal of $125,000 for the project. It raised about $94,000 in private donations, but only needed $55,000 to pay World Wide Aircraft for transport of the F-16.

“The concrete base and pedestal were donated,” Frasnelly said. “This allows us to keep building on funds to maintain the jet in the future at no cost to the district.”

That point is critical, as the US military expects donated items like tanks and aircraft to be kept in good condition, even if they are not planning to be returned to service. That doesn’t always happen, and there are times when items are neglected and fall into serious disrepair.

The Union Local Afterburners Committee is already working to ensure the Fighting Falcon is given the TLC it needs to survive for decades or longer—honoring the “Jets” who will pass through the halls of Union Local High School.

“There’s always going to be negative feedback on anything you do in this day and age of social media. Some say it’s just a lawn ornament that has no benefit to student education, but I disagree,” Frasnelly told The National Interest. “Many groups of alumni have been trying to make this happen for our school since its opening in 1958. This jet is a display of how far teamwork and commitment can take you.”

About the Author: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu has contributed to dozens of newspapers, magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.

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