Wolfhounds museum aircraft

Among the collection of the Military Museum in Soesterberg there are also 32nd FS/FG aircraft. The displayed aircraft were never in use by the Wolfhounds but are provided with the colours, service marks and emblems of it. The American line is not complete; the F-4 Phantom is still a gap in the museum's collection.

The F-86 Sabre is a former Portuguese Air Force aircraft and is painted in the 32nd Fighter Day Squadron colour scheme and provided with the Wolfhounds serial: 52-5385/FU-385. The aircraft is collected by the 32nd on November 14, 1979 in a C-130 Hercules in Portugal. 48 hours later it was provided with the Wolfhounds colour scheme at the static during the squadron its silver anniversary. Later the aircraft was donated to the museum. The original serial is: 5307.

The Super Sabre flew with the French Air Force and goes nowadays through life as the 54-1871/FW-871. It was returned by the French to the USAF, repainted in USAF marks and 1976 to gate guardian at RAF Wetherfield, England. It was removed January 20, 1988 and reported at the time to be destined for AMARC, to be held in storage on behalf of USAFM. In 1990 it came to Holland. The original USAF serial is: 54-2265.

The F102 Delta Dagger is painted in the 32nd FIS colour scheme and provided with serial 56-1032/FC-032. The aircraft was part of the Hellenic Air Force. Unknown is when it was donated to the museum. The original USAF serial is: 56-1052. The original 56-032 went to MASDC as FJ0322 and was later converted to QF-102A, later converted again to PQM-102B.

The F-15 Eagle was in use at the sheet metal shop on Camp New Amsterdam. Previous to that the aircraft was in use by the Hawaii ANG. It came to Soesterberg on July 1, 1992. During the 1994 Wolfhounds farewell ceremony the aircraft was, as a goodbye present, hand over to the Royal Netherlands Air Force. The aircraft its coat was touched up and the Wolfhounds service-marks and emblems were put on. Two impressive paintings were adorned to the side of the aircraft. One is the text WOLFHOUNDS, the other a Wolfhound head. The Wolfhound its head is painted on the hub of the wheels too.

An expert's eye sees that the Eagle looks different from the F-15‘s which were in use by the Wolfhounds. The orange ribbon is to low on the tale and the commander's name (Colonel Bill "Hodge" Hodgkins) at the nameplate near the cockpit is written with non standard font. The aircraft is provided with the marking 77-0132, but its original one is the 74-0083. But the CNA paint shop did a great job, certain as you know that the 32nd was relied on Bitburg Air Base for big spray-painting. The head was designed by MSgt. Steve Owens, who put on a painting on the commander's aircraft earlier. SSgt Daniel "Boone" Mikus who was the initiator of this all received as appreciation for its effort a trip with an F-16 of the Royal Netherlands Air Force. His name and Lester "Molester" Keene his name are painted, near the cockpit.. Due transport difficulties it took several months before the aircraft was delivered to the museum ground.

In December 2009 the Eagle was loaded on low-loaders and brought to a painter for restoration/new paint coat. February 25, 2010 the aircraft is brought back to Soesterberg. It looks like new. A minus point is that the orange ribbon still is on the wrong height. The museum bewares of it, made the choice to repaint the aircraft as it was provided. The F-15 is for now not going back to the museum ground; it will be till the new museum opens stored on the base (hangar 3 on the former Dutch side).