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Vintage Fighter Plane Lands at Intrepid Museum

By DNAinfo Staff on May 21, 2011 4:49pm  | Updated on May 22, 2011 10:02am

By Dave Goldiner

DNAinfo News Editor

HELL'S KITCHEN - There's a new plane on the flight deck at the Intrepid.

After a 5,000-hour refurbishment project, a 1955 Grumman F9 Cougar fighter jet was unveiled for permanent display Saturday at the popular Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum on Manhattan's far West Side.

Onlookers oohed and aahed as the meticulously restored vintage jet - painted in the colors of the Intrepid's old fighter squadron - was towed into view at the floating museum on the Hudson River.

"This is the largest and longest project I've worked on," said Eric Boehm, 51, curator of the Aviation & Aircraft Restoration Team.

"From beginning to end the whole restoration of the aircraft took 19 months. The work took 5,000 man hours and the hard work and dedication over 300 volunteers."

The vintage fighter plane leaves the hangar at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum this Saturday in New York City.
The vintage fighter plane leaves the hangar at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum this Saturday in New York City.
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Paul Lomax

Boehm paid tribute to aircraft restoration specialist Kevin Banat and executive director Susan Marenoff.

"I'm so proud of the entire crew that worked on this project," he said.

The Cougar was originally built at the Grumman factory on Long Island and delivered to the Navy in 1955. It served for a decade before being retired.

It served with two squadrons in California before being moved to a training base in Texas. After being mothballed, the Cougar was placed on display at the Airplane Park in Wall, N.J.

Starting in 2009, a dedicated team of curators and volunteers spent months refurbishing every inch of the 55-year-old plane.

The plane is on loan from the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola, Fla.

The refurbished Cougar fighter plane lands on the deck of the Intrepid and graces the NYC skyline Saturday.
The refurbished Cougar fighter plane lands on the deck of the Intrepid and graces the NYC skyline Saturday.
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Paul Lomax
Crowds gather on the deck of the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum to get a closer look at the refurbished vintage Cougar fighter.
Crowds gather on the deck of the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum to get a closer look at the refurbished vintage Cougar fighter.
View Full Caption
Paul Lomax