HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah, Dec. 25, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — Christmas came early for the Hill Aerospace Museum as an F-22 Raptor arrived earlier this month to be added to the collection of aircraft on display.
The F-22 arrived Dec. 9 on a C-5 transport aircraft, according to a news release from Hill Air Force Base. The F-22 previously was assigned to the 325th Fighter Wing at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida.
The F-22, tail No. 91-4002 and nicknamed “Old Reliable,” first flew June 29, 1998. The jet was used for flight testing and later for ground instructional training before it was retired earlier this year.
The F-22 will be displayed in the museum’s new 80,000-square-foot gallery expansion, which is scheduled to be completed in fall 2023.
Hill Aerospace Museum Director Aaron Clark said the F-22 has been on the museum’s wish list for a long time. When they heard one was available, museum officials put in a request to bring it to Hill Air Force Base, which is home to the F-22 depot and program office.
Adding the aircraft enables the museum to educate the public about a critical Air Force mission that is supported by Hill personnel, Clark said.
“It will help us tell the local and broader story of these fighter aircraft with the real thing, something most people would never have the opportunity of seeing in person,” he said.
Brandon Hedges, the museum’s restoration chief, said the planning process of transporting the Raptor from Florida to Utah began a 18 months ago.
“As with many aircraft moves, there is a multitude of moving parts that require great trust in team members’ skills and abilities to accomplish each tasking,” Hedges said.
Restoration of the aircraft will take place over the next few months, museum officials said. The restoration also will become a unique learning opportunity for those training to enter the aircraft maintenance career field, Clark said.
Updates and photos of the restoration progress will be posted on the Hill Aerospace Museum’s social media pages, museum officials said.
