Mounted F-16 jet to be displayed at Falcon Field

A dedicated group of volunteers, led by retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Ted Mallory, are putting together a new veteran’s memorial park in Peachtree City.

The new memorial, to be located at Falcon Field, will be hard to miss. A full-size F-16 fighter jet is the centerpiece of the Veterans Memorial Park at Falcon Field, as the project is officially dubbed.

In addition to the volunteers, a variety of companies are performing free labor and donating materials on the creation and construction end, ranging from landscaper David Hollingsworth, Brent Scarbrough and Company and airport consulting engineers PBS&J.

The value of the donations has soared above the $200,000 mark, according to Falcon Field Airport Manager John Crosby.

The aircraft, which was donated by the military to Falcon Field more than 10 years ago for just such a display, is being painted by Clayton International, a Peachtree City company that retrofits and repairs aircraft. Even the paint was donated by Duron.

This coming week will begin a fund-raising drive for engraved pavers at the park that will be used to honor current and former military veterans. The pavers can be purchased online at www.falconmemorial.org or in person at the Falcon Field terminal.

The F-16 will be suspended about 17 feet off the ground in a special cradle manufactured by C.J. Faulk in Montgomery, Ala. The aircraft will also be outfitted with dummy bombs and missiles to give it an authentic wartime look.

A formal dedication for the memorial park is slated for Saturday, Sept. 26.

“General Mallory put his heart and soul in this project and I can’t say enough about his dedication,” Crosby said. “It ought to be a great improvement to the field here and to honor the veterans is going to be a great thing.”

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