Phantom Jet at St. Louis Regional Airport Getting New Paint Job During Restoration Project

By Carmelo Turdo

The Phantom jet on display at St. Louis Regional Airport received most of its new paint job during a fair weather spell over the weekend. Following the application of the primer coat on Friday, the three-color Southeast Asia camouflage paint scheme was clearly in evidence by Sunday afternoon. The aircraft, F-4C Phantom II serial number 63-7491, has been on display near the airport tower and restaurant since 1993. It is shown here receiving its second paint treatment since then by Joe Steimann, a USAF veteran airframe specialist who has restored this and other display aircraft in the region. Further work on the nose radome, trim and pedestal will continue for several more weeks.  

Restoration of McDonnell Voodoo Display in Florissant Completed

By Carmelo Turdo

The McDonnell Aircraft F-101F Voodoo on display near the James J. Eagan Civic Center in Florissant, MO has been restored by a team of volunteer craftsmen and aviation historians.  The aircraft, s/n 58-0269, was produced as a combat-capable, operational dual-control trainer and retrofitted with the infrared sensor and fire-control system under Project Bold Journey.  The aircraft was retired from the 11th FIS, Ellington AFB, Texas in 1979 due to wing root corrosion, and was brought to Florissant in 2004 still in Texas ANG colors.  It was later painted in overall light gray with the names of McDonnell test pilots Joe Dobronski and Bill Ross on the canopy frame. Recently, a spate of vandalism left graffiti and fire damage mainly on the left fuselage and intake, necessitating another round of restoration. The aircraft is again in beautiful condition, with a new paved walkway around the display site atop a hill on the grounds, and a marker dedicating the aircraft to those in military service. Special thanks to the volunteers and Florissant maintenance staff who contributed months of work on the project, some of which are members of the Missouri Aviation Historical Society.

Here are some views of the aircraft at various times at the Florissant, MO location before, during and after the current restoration: