Vintage jet fighter lands at military museum

The Museum of Missouri Military History will serve as the new home of Rose's Gang, a 1968 F-4 fighter jet, after
accepting delivery Friday afternoon. The company, Aero-Relo, is out of California, Missouri, and is one of only two
companies that relocates airplanes that can no longer fly.
The Museum of Missouri Military History will serve as the new home of Rose's Gang, a 1968 F-4 fighter jet, after accepting delivery Friday afternoon. The company, Aero-Relo, is out of California, Missouri, and is one of only two companies that relocates airplanes that can no longer fly.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Museum of Missouri Military History got a surprise Friday.

Two flatbed trailers delivered both the fuselage and the wing of the camouflage-painted F-4 Phantom II Rose's Gang.

For more than a year, the museum has been working to bring the jet fighter from Jefferson Barracks in St. Louis to include in the museum's macro-artifacts collection at its new location near the entrance of the Ike Skelton Training Site.

Museum organizers expected only the fuselage to arrive Friday. But the California, Missouri-based business Aero-Relo was able to disassemble and transport both pieces at once, said owner Mark Wells.

The business will reassemble the craft next week, where it will then be part of the free museum's displays.

Rose's Gang was built at the St. Louis McDonnell-Douglas plant and entered into service in 1968. It saw action in Vietnam, where the F-4 was a tactical fighter-bomber, meaning it could bomb targets on the ground or engage in air-to-air combat with enemy planes, said Capt. John Quinn, Missouri National Guard director of public affairs.

The aircraft, which belongs to the Missouri Air National Guard's 131st Bomber Wing, had been on display at the St. Louis/Lambert Field before being moved by helicopters to Jefferson Barracks in 2003.

The 131st mustered in 1923 as the 110th observation squadron in St. Louis. When the U.S. Air Force was created following World War II, it became the 131st composite wing, said Senior Master Sgt. Mary-Dale Amison with the unit's public affairs. Today, the unit flies B-52 Stratofortress out of Whiteman Air Force Base, Knob Noster.

"Books are one thing, but to see it up close is a great opportunity for someone to understand the history," Amison said.

The jet is a "great addition" to the museum, which has only a small Air Guard collection, said Museum Director Charles Machon. Unlike its previous location on a secure base and distanced from visitors by a fence, the museum's location will allow guests to get up-close to the piece of military history, he said.

"The Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. Steve Danner, wants the museum to reflect the service of all the state's soldiers and airmen throughout our history," Quinn said. "The F-4 was flown by Missouri airmen, including Gen. Charles DuBois whose uniform is on display in the museum.

"We hope by moving the aircraft to the museum, more Missouri military veterans and enthusiasts will have the opportunity to see it up close."

The F-4 Phantom joins an F-15, also flown by the 131st, a Bell AH-1 Cobra helicopter, M-4 Sherman tank, M-551 Sheridan tanks and an M-901 ITV at the museum.

Later this year, the museum hopes to acquire an OH-58 Kiowa helicopter. And, it will still have room remaining for several future macro-artifacts, Machon said.

Since opening at its new location in December, the museum has seen more than 5,000 visitors, compared with an average of 3,000 visitors annually at the former location. A Missouri Military History Day is planned for October.

"We don't have as many pieces (from the Air Guard), so this definitely helps filling in the puzzle," Machon said. "It's a great piece of Missouri military history, used in Vietnam, flown by Missouri pilots. It's a great addition for visitors to see; visitors like to see "big' items at military museums."

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