C-131 in GA

[Andy]

I was driving from Florida to Tennessee yesterday and on the side of Interstate 75 N, I saw a small grass strip with a C-131 and about 3 or 4 jets around it. As best as I can tell it was near Pine Log, Georgia.Does anybody know anything about these and why are they there? Thank you.

[RareBear]

Andy,

These planes have been sitting at that strip for many years (20 or more). The fellow that owns them bought them intending to set up a museum, but the money never materialized, and the planes are just being left there to rot. I took my son there to see them close-up one time, and discovered the jets are full of wasps.

There was a C-47 there at one time, but it's been gone some time. The jets are just hulks.

Walt

[Andy]

Thank you for the info. It is a shame to see them rotting away though.

[shoki]

What jets are there?

[RareBear]

The only one I can recall for sure is an F8U Crusader. Seems like one is an F-86 variant, but I haven't been there in a number of years, and my memory is fading.

I do know that there was a C-47, the C-131 mentioned, and several GA-type aircraft, in addition to the three jets.

The field is Mercer, a private strip just SE of Calhoun, GA. The runway is N-S, and is supposed to be 3500 ft. It lies along the east side of I-75, and parallel to it.

Walt

[RareBear]

Did a little more digging, and found that the C-131 is actually a T-29D navigation trainer. The interior is relatively complete, with navigator stations, sextant domes, etc.

The three jets are an F8U in Marine markings, an F-86D in GA ANG markings, and a camo-painted F-84F.

Walt

[tom d. friedman]

this thread brought back an old memory of a junk yard chock full of warbirds & old military goodies!! it was late july / early august 1992, i was going back home to ohio from the osh kosh fly in wisconsin, & while driving through the traffic nightmare of western ( ) chicago i saw a junk yard from the freeway full of the above described stuff. an f- 8 crusader or nam vintage corsair jet was most prominently seen. traffic of course was a bottleneck, my buddy & i wasted enough time on the way home, & didn't want to stop to investigate. any clue to what this place was??, who owns it?? is it still their?? & what of the goodies?? regards, tom

[CorsairFreak]

Check this out http://www.grabbingsand.com/i75mercer/index.htm

Do any of you know how good the F-84F is? I'm guessing the instrument panel is mostly gone. Any noticable parts missing? How big of a job would it be to make it look nice?

[AirJimL2]

More:

http://www.ronbarrett.com/T-29D.htm

CorsairFreak...I think we will find out about the F-84...that is the plane coming to the Museum. Wish we could bring that Crusader along too.

Jim

[Broken-Wrench]

The only one I can recall for sure is an F8U Crusader. Seems like one is an F-86 variant, but I haven't been there in a number of years, and my memory is fading.

I do know that there was a C-47, the C-131 mentioned, and several GA-type aircraft, in addition to the three jets.

The field is Mercer, a private strip just SE of Calhoun, GA. The runway is N-S, and is supposed to be 3500 ft. It lies along the east side of I-75, and parallel to it.

Walt

I was an A-7. That guy has a private museum and gets stuff off the goverment. He had some H-3s and sold the engines and transmissions out of them to make money. He got the A-7 from Great lakes Navy base as he did 1 huey.

[RareBear]

I have never seen an A7 Corsair at Mercer Field. The only similar aircraft was definitely an F8U Crusader. There is an A7 along side I-75 in Florida, around the Gainesville area, I believe. It's painted in faux Blue Angels colors.

Photos taken in 2002 show only the F8U among the others at Mercer.

I have seen several S-55 / S-58 type helos there on occasion.