Devin Meriam's rendering portrays the chapter's planned appearance for the F-86H Sabre Jet at the west end of Holiday Park on Sandy Nininger Drive. Beyond the jet and pedestal, Gold Coast Chapter 351 wants to erect a "ring of honor" on a circular pad underneath the jet. Memorial engraved bricks will then be sold from the pad and wall to primarily raise scholarship funds for our AFJrROTC and CAP cadets as well as to provide maintenance monies for the jet. The chapter is in the talking stages now with the City of Ft. Lauderdale and its consultants.

After many, many months of delays and lack of forward progress, we now can see some solid evidence by the City of Ft. Lauderdale with this project. The pedestal is almost fully repaired after Hurricane Wilma in October, 2005 knocked the jet down, doing extensive damage to both the pedestal and the jet. What primarily have been added are three large pilings on three sides of the pedestal which will anchor the guy wire tie down hooks. These buried pilings are every bit of 5 feet square and approach a full 6 feet in height. The jet will either be securely tied with the guy wires permanently attached or secured at the time of an approaching severe storm. A decision is expected soon as to which company will be repairing the jet. It is hoped that the repair work will be completed by year end. If so, we would hope to effect a grand re-dedication of the memorial early in 2009.

Our AFA chapter still intends to place memorial bricks in a circular pad under the jet as well as incorporate a low "wall of honor" around the circle. At this point, it is most important that your chapter's leadership hear from any and all who might have connections with firms that could donate the necessary sand, bricks, concrete and labor for this undertaking. It is not anticipated that the City will subsidize any part of this chapter intention. If you can help, please step forward and contact Ran Meriam at 954-575-1069 or warhawk10@bellsouth.net.


Gold Coast Chapter 351 F-86H Sabre Jet finally back in the air!!

The chapter's long-sought ambition to repair and remount "our" rare H model of the Sabre Jet finally reached fruition September 8, 2009. Gold Coast personnel doggedly pursued the City of Fort Lauderdale since early 2006, 3 months after Hurricane Wilma knocked the jet to the ground in October, 2005, to effect the repair and re-installation of this outstanding city landmark. We finally had our way beginning April 21st of this year when the City awarded a contract to American Aero Services of New Smyrna Beach to "repair, repaint and remount" the jet. On June 9th, a crew from this firm picked up the jet's disassembled fuselage and wings and trucked them to their facilities. September 8th was an outstanding day as we saw this multi-year project finally reach its proper conclusion as the jet was returned to Ft. Lauderdale, reassembled and hoisted on to its 12 foot high pedestal. The City has sunk three massive footers around the pedestal base with hooks so three guy wires will further tether the jet to its pedestal when storm winds approach. Expectedly, this will prevent and preclude any further hurricane damage occurring.

A gala dedication ceremony is being targeted for Veteran's Day, November 11th, to formally welcome this cold war aerial warrior back to town. Chapter officers Harvey Bennett, Ran Meriam, Fran Shaw, Joe Roberts, Milt Markowitz and Virginia Montalvo, along with other chapter members, happily share the great satisfaction of seeing this long, long project reach its successful ending.
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