The aircraft has been on loan from the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola, Fla. since the 1970s. In prime condition, it perched on Martin Luther King Boulevard as a symbol of the city’s close relationship with the military.
Restoring the F-11 back to its flashy Blue Angel form took a combined effort of members from Fleet Readiness Center-East and Marine Aircraft Group 14, explained Lt. Col. Michael J. Perez, MAG-14 operations officer.
The aircraft is slated to be placed back in New Bern in the near future on a new pedestal at Lawson Creek Park.