The curtain will soon come down, the ladders and paint sprayers will be put away, and the public will once again be able to view the F-14 on the flight deck of the USS Yorktown. On Saturday, April 23 at 1 p.m. volunteers with the United States Navy Flight Deck Veterans Group (FDVG), will host a brief ceremony to unveil the work they’ve done to restore the F-14 Tomcat currently displayed at Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum.
Since February, groups of FDVG volunteers have traveled to Patriots Point from across the country every weekend and during the week to work on the Tomcat. That work has included sanding, patching holes, installing new lighting, paint/primer application and replacing hardware. Tools, materials and labor for the F-14 restoration project were all donated by FDVG and have come at no cost to Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum.
Volunteers with the FDVG have all served in the Navy and worked aboard aircraft carrier flight decks. The organization took on the project so that their members could have a chance to work on an aircraft they grew to love while serving in the Navy, and as a way to reconnect and share experiences with former veterans.
The brief ceremony is open to the public and will be included in the normal admission price on Saturday, April 23, 2016.