HOMESTEAD AIR RESERVE BASE, Fla. -- Members of the 482nd Maintenance Group along with ground transportation personnel, reinstalled a retired F-16C Fighting Falcon on its “perch” after giving it a full corrosion control update and a shiny new paint job on February 10, 2021.
According to Senior Master Sgt. Michael Minick, maintenance flight chief, the job required:
- An average of 10 personnel over nine months to complete because of COVID-19 restrictions
- Approximately 13 gallons in paint, including clear coat
- Over 500 manual hours of labor, including sanding, repairs and painting
For moving the jet back to its pedestal, it took two weeks of planning and coordination between 14 on and off base entities.
Besides the 482nd Maintenance Group members, four maintenance personnel from the 910th Maintenance Squadron, Youngstown Air Reserve Station, Ohio also participated.
According to Minick, the next plane to receive a paint job will be the F-4 Phantom II which sits across from the F-16.