F-16A that scrambled on 9/11 put on display at McChord AFB

The Olympian wrote:Published February 12, 2008

Sept. 11 plane on display at McChord

One of the fighter planes that scrambled over Washington, D.C., during the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks was mounted on permanent display at McChord Air Force Base on Monday.

The F-16 was lifted by crane onto a flatbed truck and taken two miles to Building 852 in the Western Air Defense Sector and placed on a pedestal.

Lt. Col. Brad Derrig, who flew the plane that day, originally delivered it to McChord on Dec. 26, 2006. The plane will be dedicated May 12 in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of North American Aerospace Defense Command, a Canadian and U.S. command responsible for air defense of North America.

The sector is a Washington Air National Guard unit that protects the states from the Pacific Ocean to the Mississippi River.

Source: http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/356554.html

The News Tribune wrote:MCCHORD AIR FORCE BASE: Fighter plane that scrambled on 9/11 put on display at base

The Olympian Published: February 13th, 2008 01:00 AM | Updated: February 13th, 2008 07:46 AM

One of the fighter planes that scrambled over Washington, D.C., during the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks has been mounted on permanent display at McChord Air Force Base.

The F-16 was lifted by crane onto a flatbed truck and taken two miles to Building 852 in the Western Air Defense Sector. It was placed on a pedestal Monday.

Lt. Col. Brad Derrig, who flew the plane that day, originally delivered it to McChord on Dec. 26, 2006. The plane will be dedicated May 12 in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of North American Aerospace Defense Command, a Canadian and U.S. command responsible for air defense of North America. The sector is a Washington Air National Guard unit that protects the states from the Pacific Ocean to the Mississippi River.

The Olympian

Source: http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/loca ... 81927.html

North Dakota Air National Guard wrote:Press Release 07-016 Happy Hooligans' F-16 Fighter Jet Legacy Continues

by 1st Lt. Ripperger

Posted on 12/21/2006
North Dakota National Guard
Press Release 07-016 & Media Advisory (AT BOTTOM)
CONTACT: 1st Lt. Penny Ripperger (701) 238-6944 penny.ripperger@ndfarg.ang.af.mil

Visit our web site at http://www.ndguard.com

Dec. 21, 2006
For Immediate Release

The Happy Hooligans' F-16 Fighter Jet Legacy Continues


FARGO, N.D. - Not all of the 119th Fighter Wing (Happy Hooligans), N.D. Air National Guard F-16 "Fighting Falcon" jets are destined for the aviation "bone-yard".

On Sept. 11, 2001, Lt. Col. Brad Derrig became a part of history as one of the first responders to the terrorist attacks, flying over the nation's capital in an F-16 fighter jet. His aircraft on that fateful day, better known to the Happy Hooligan airmen as tail number ‘82-929', was one of three F-16s from the N.D. Air National Guard that scrambled from their alert detachment located at Langley Air Force Base, Va.

It seems fitting now, that Derrig will fly fighter ‘82-0929' one last time to its final resting place; a museum that will honor the contributions of those who defended the United States on Sept. 11, 2001.

Fighter ‘82-929' will make its final flight on Dec. 26 to the McChord Air Force Base Museum, Tacoma, Wash., where it will be displayed as part of a Sept. 11, 2001 exhibit.

Since being built in 1982, the Happy Hooligans have flown this particular aircraft for 3,920 sorties (individual aircraft flights) resulting in a total of 5,781 flight hours.

The F-16 aircraft that was flown by Maj. Dean Eckmann on Sep. 11, 2001 (tail number ‘82-0926') will be a static display at the Heritage Park located at the N.D. Air National Guard Base (Hector IAP). The third F-16 fighter aircraft is being used by another Air National Guard unit for training.

The last of the F-16 Fighting Falcons from N.D. will be retired to the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center (AMARC) at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Ariz. by the end of Jan. 2007.
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Editor's Note - MEDIA ADVISORY INFORMATION FOLLOWS:

Lt. Col. Derrig will be available to answer media questions at the 119th Fighter Wing's hanger prior to the departure of Tail Number ‘82-929' on Tuesday, Dec. 26 from 7:15 to 7:30 a.m. Interested media please meet Lt. Ripperger (119th Fighter Wing Public Affairs) by the main gate of Hector IAP at 7:00 a.m.


WHAT: Final flight of F-16 aircraft that participated in Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attack response over the skies of Washington, D.C.

WHO: Original Sept. 11 pilot (Lt. Col Derrig) will be available for questions

WHEN: Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2006, 7:15 to 7:30 a.m.

WHERE: N.D. Air National Guard Base, Hector International Airport, Fargo, 1400 28th Ave N, Fargo, ND 58102

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS: Media meet 1st Lt. Ripperger at Credit Union Parking Lot in front of Air Base Main Gate at 7:00 a.m.

Source: http://www.ndguard.com/news/detail.asp?newsID=130

McChord Air Museum wrote:Foundation Member helps
"land" a F-16 for WADS

31 December 06

While many were out returning gifts a day after Christmas, a small crowd gathered by one of McChord's alert hangers to see the last flight of a aircraft that made its mark on history standing alert during September 11, 2001. The aircraft, F-16A S/N 82-0929, one of the 3 F-16 scrambled against hijacked airliners on 9-11-01, poked through the rain clouds and touched down for the last time after a cross country flight from it's base at Fargo, ND. The aircraft’s pilot Lt Col. Brad Derrig, Commander of the 119th Operations Group, North Dakota Air National Guard will always be linked by this journey, but the two will also be remembered as one of the U.S. initial defense against terror.

What started out as another day standing alert at Langley AFB for the pilots of the 119th FW better known as the "Happy Hooligans", quickly became anything but routine. Shortly after terrorist commandeered civil airliners from New York airports, the units F-16´s were ordered to "battle stations" and quickly given the "scramble" order by the Northeast Air Defense Sector (NEADS) to defend the airspace of the United States. F-16ADF 82-0929 piloted by the then Maj. Brad Derrig, and two other F-16´s flown by Capt. Dean Eckmann Capt. Craig Borgstrom would later perform history's first CAP over Washington DC and the Pentagon.

Since 2002 Foundation Board Member Ernest White lead the effort to bring the "9-11 first responders" to McChord for display. Over the years, White authored numerous letters and place more than a few phone calls to many individuals and organizations in the USAF, Department of Defense and Congress in a effort to gain a waver for S/N -929 because of its important history. Since the early 90’s only F-16 considered to be "non flyers" were the only aircraft available for display.

During the last months of 2006 what seemed to be a futile effort to acquire -929 became a reality. Working with the F-16 System Program Office or "SPO" White was able to secure the F-16 before it’s scheduled flight to the Davis-Monthan "Boneyard", where it was to be used for a source of spare parts for other F-16. "It was not until I saw her taxi by until I realized that we really did get her here" White said, "This is a day I though I would never see!”

Although the McChord Air Museum was not on the Air Force´s waiting list for F-16, the Western Air Defense Sector had been on since 1994. The unit had planned on displaying the aircraft with the other historic Fighter-Interceptor aircraft, but later decided to honor the aircraft by displaying it in front of the units headquarters. When asked about the location change White responded "The best ending to this story is that a very historic aircraft was saved for many generations to admire"

Source: http://www.mcchordairmuseum.org/REV%20B ... 0CHORD.htm