The Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum, Cape May, NJ, will host a training exercise involving the New Jersey Air National Guard 177th Fighter Wing Recovery Unit on May 14 at Cape May Airport in Lower Township, New Jersey. The exercise will involve the museum’s General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon, a two-seat aircraft that became part of the museum’s collection in 2012 with assistance from the 177th Fighter Wing. The aircraft previously served as a training airframe at Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas before arriving in New Jersey. The NAS Wildwood Aviation Museum is located inside historic Hangar #1, a 92,000-square-foot WWII-era hangar, at the Cape May Airport. The site includes more than 26 aircraft displays, along with military vehicles, engines, photographs, aviation artifacts, and interactive exhibits focused on aviation history and technology.
As part of the exercise, members of the Recovery Unit will conduct a simulated disabled-aircraft recovery operation using an inflatable transport system. Following a safety briefing, the F-16 is expected to be lifted by crane while the team carries out the training scenario. Personnel from the 177th Fighter Wing are expected to be on site for much of the day, with the primary drill scheduled to begin around 10 a.m. Visitors at the museum during the exercise will be able to observe parts of the operation as it takes place. According to the museum, the F-16 remains available for occasional training opportunities through its ongoing relationship with the 177th Fighter Wing. Museum officials described the partnership as an important part of preserving the aircraft while also allowing the site to support military training activities. For more information and to support the NAS Wildwood Aviation Museum, click on this link: usnasw.org.
