Aviation Heritage Park in Bowling Green celebrates 10-year anniversary

BOWLING GREEN, Ky.-It’s been 10 years since the Aviation Heritage Park in Bowling Green first opened to the public with a single plane on display, a plane once piloted by a local Vietnam War veteran.

Since then the lonely plane has been accompanied by five more. Each aircraft honors aviators from all over South-Central Kentucky.

The plane that started it all, the F-4D Phantom was once flown by Brig. General Dan Cherry in a historic dogfight with a North Vietnamese pilot. Cherry shot down that plane.

“It was the very airplane I flew, during the Vietnam War, and shot down a North Vietnamese MiG-21 with this airplane. So, it’s been something that I’ve been proud to see on display here,” said Cherry.

It was an arduous task for Cherry and other team members to acquire the F-4D Phantom.

“We first discovered this F-4 Phantom up in Ohio in a field. Literally in a field there, and as our dream started to evolve, it just seemed like such a challenging dream,” said Cherry.

Some of the planes took over a year to restore.

“We rebuild the aircraft essentially restore it to what looks like flying conditions. Of course, these aircraft don’t have engines in them. They’re only for static display, but we restore them to where it looks like a pilot could get in, fire it up and leave. All of that takes man hours,” said Bob Pitchford, former president and board member emeritus at the Aviation Heritage Park.

There are planes at the park dating back to the 1950’s. For Pitchford it’s about preserving history.

“Keeping that history not only alive, but visual and touchable, is very important to us. We keep these aircraft in what we consider very good condition, so the story is easily told,” said Pitchford.

Two new aircrafts, a Piper Cub plane and a Sea King helicopter, will be unveiled to the public on June 15.