GRUMMAN MEMORIAL PARK TO EXPAND…
An additional three acres of land will be cleared during the upcoming winter. Trees will be cut and land filled and graded to the same level and adjacent to the existing park. The fence will be extended to encompass a four-acre tract. This will provide four square acres and allow additional exhibits for display. Slated for Grumman Memorial Park is an A-6E Intruder. More on that can be found in the next article.
INTRUDER COMING HOME…
Grumman Memorial Park will soon be adding a second aircraft for display. We were successful in raising the required amount set forth by the Navy to acquire this aircraft! Now residing in the Aerospace Maintenance And Regeneration Center (AMARC) in Arizona, the A-6E in question is BuNo. 164384, the last production Intruder to leave Calverton. A few parts compatible with Prowlers have been removed, however the Navy has assured us that whatever we need to complete the display will be placed on the truck along with the aircraft. When she arrives back home sometime in early 2004, the A-6 will be placed in a hangar at Calverton for restoration while the Park is being expanded. The A-6 will be a welcomed addition to Grumman Memorial Park and will be displayed on the ground, opposite the F-14 along Route 25. We will display all donors’ ($25.00 and above) names on the Intruder Wall of fame. In parenthesis are the number of donors we have: Platinum $1,000 and higher (8), Gold $500-$999 (10), Silver $100-$499 (227), Bronze $50-$99 (335), Patron $25-$49 (140), Friend less than $25.00 (25).
A-6E on display at near the main gate at NAS Oceana, Virginia. Our Intruder will be displayed in a similar manner. (Intruder Association photo)
AIR SHOW…
The Commemorative Air Force’s Grumman Wildcat and the American Airpower Museum’s Avenger, sit with their wings folded on ramp at Calverton Air Show last September prior to performing. (photo by WC Barto)
On September 19-22 of last year the roar of aircraft was heard once again in the skies over Calverton. For the first time since June of 1974 an air show was held at the former Grumman/Navy property in Calverton. Central Suffolk Hospital was a major beneficiary, and our friends at Northrop Grumman were a major sponsor. Aircraft ranging from World War Two Warbirds, many from our sister museum in Farmingdale the American Airpower Museum, to military jets including the Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II were among the participants at the air show at Calverton. There were food vendors, souvenir stands, fireworks, static displays, tactical military demonstrations, aerobatic performances, skydiving, and a carnival. A good time was had by all.
Thanks to the generosity of Mr. Paul Denk, the Phoenix Missile display should be in place at Grumman Memorial Park by Spring 2004. Director Ken Euring has been diligently working on preparing the missile, obtained from NAS Pt. Mugu several years ago. A sponsorship plaque describing the missile and mentioning the donor’s name will be included in the display.
One of two tributes to two of the founding fathers of the Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation has been installed at the Park. A plaque honoring Mr. Grumman has been mounted on a large boulder that rests just in front of the flagpole near the sidewalk leading to the F-14 monument. Another for Mr. Schwendler will be located this Spring near the guard shack.
To date a total of 2,969 bricks for installation in the Walk of Honor beneath the F-14 monument have been sold. There is room for 5,000 additional bricks. 33 benches are now in place around the Walk of Honor. The cost of benches will increase from $1,500.00 to $2,000.00 due to the fact we are utilizing a new engraver. Bricks, however, remain at $75.00 each.
