It’s classified as an F-86L Sabre Jet, and it landed in this small Orange County town in 1963. The plane, which had flown missions during the Korean War, was transported from a U.S. Air Force base in Rome, NY, by residents of the town to serve as a monument to those who fought and died in the war. The jet was reassembled by Air Force volunteers stationed at Newburgh’s Stewart Air Force Base, and for the next few decades, children played on it — a slide was even installed to add to the fun.
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Over the years, the aircraft fell into disrepair; suffered from heavy weather, graffiti, and vandalism; and was almost removed. But local volunteers, including a group of Marines from Stewart’s Air National Guard Base, attempted to restore it several times. Two years ago, the Cornerstone Masonic Historical Society and other members of the community renovated it. It now resides behind a protective fence near a more suitable playground, a symbol to both war heroes and the families who remember it fondly from days gone by.
Can you identify the location of this aerial warrior? Submit your answer below. The first reader with the correct response wins a prize. Good luck!
