The Aviation Heritage Park has been chosen by the National Museum of the United States Air Force as the new caretaker of an F-105 F Thunderchief, “one of the most significant aircrafts of the Vietnam era,” AHP Executive Director Bob Bubnis said.

The 67-foot long aircraft was “used primarily for high speed, low altitude missions to take out surface-to-air missile sites” during the Vietnam war. According to a press release from the AHP, “this version of the F-105, with additional modifications, became the F-105G. It included a second seat for the electronic warfare officer and was used to suppress enemy air defenses.”

“It’s such a significant aircraft … . There’s a lot of history there that we cover in our museum around the F-105, so having it here is just the perfect place for it,” Bubnis said.

With the Thunderchief being a widely used aircraft throughout the Vietnam War, Bubnis said he expects the aircraft to resonate with local Vietnam veterans.

“When you think of all that Vietnam veterans who come in here, they connect with an artifact that has some kind of special meaning to them,” Bubnis said. “They become tour guides when they’re in here, and they don’t know it, but as they’re telling their stories, they’re adding to the rich history that we’re collecting here… . That’s the effect the F-105 F is going to have.”

He said that people can expect the aircraft to be at the AHP in a “couple of months,” however the plane will go under a restoration at the park that will take “a year or two.” The restoration, which is expected to start in six months, will include the removal of the Shark face at the nose for the camo pattern the plane boasted when it was used in service.

Bubnis said that the AHP will be creating a fundraising campaign for the restoration that will be launched in the beginning of September. Along with the financial assistance, Bubnis said that the AHP will also be looking for volunteer help during the restoration.

“The transportation costs are significant, and it’s going to take a lot of volunteer help,” he said. “If you want to get involved in this aircraft and want to volunteer to restore it, you can work with our restorers and have a hand in this, play a part in it.”

The aircraft also holds a connection to southcentral Kentucky as two Kentuckians and former Thunderchief pilots will be honored alongside the aircraft. Lt. Billy Sparks of Hart County and Gen. Joseph Ralston of Fairview will be honored when the Thunderchief is restored.

“We’re going to them with not only the name, the signs outside the aircraft will tell their stories,” Bubnis said.

For other aircraft acquisitions through the National Museum of the United States Air Force, the AHP had to go through Warren County Fiscal Court to get authorized as they are not accredited. However, through what Bubnis said was an “amazing turn of events,” the Museum waived the accreditation requirement, a privilege that he said “says something (about) Warren County, the City of Bowling Green and the Aviation Heritage Park.”

“They decided that the reputation that we have as far as how we take care of aircraft made us a perfect choice for this,” he said. “It just shows how much trust they have in us. And this is really the next big thing for Bowling Green.”