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23h ago

Union Local High School Begins Final Preparations for F-16 Thunderbird Display

Engine removals at Sheppard Air Force Base are under way on the privately funded retired Thunderbird F-16 ahead of its spring 2026 installation atop an 18-foot pedestal.

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Overview

  • On June 3, 2025, the U.S. Air Force officially transferred a retired F-16 Thunderbird to Union Local High School, marking the first permanent display of an authentic demonstration jet at a U.S. public school.
  • Sheppard Air Force Base crews have begun removing the jet’s engine and seats to ready it for safe, long-term exhibition.
  • An 18-foot steel pedestal fabricated by Buckeye Steel and installed by The Tressel Company in fall 2024 stands ready on the Belmont County campus.
  • Logistics teams from Naval Air Station Pensacola, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and commercial contractors are coordinating transport and placement for spring 2026.
  • Community fundraising since 2018 has fully financed the project with donations from alumni, local businesses and residents, reflecting the school’s Jets identity and aviation heritage.