Photo Provided This retired U.S. Air Force F-16 Thunderbird Jet will be transported to Ohio from Texas and installed on the front lawn of the Union Local School District campus.

Union Local Afterburners Committee members, from left, President Dirk Davis, Bernie Thompson, Becky Boughner, Vicki Loveday, Pete Busack and Taylore Frasnelly stand in front of the platform where the retired U.S. Air Force F-16 Thunderbird Jet shown on the banner will be installed on the front lawn of the high school.

BELMONT — The Union Local School District “hit the lottery of the airplane world,” according to one member of the Afterburners Committee.

Pete Busack of Bellaire is an aviation enthusiast (or, in his words, “an airplane nerd”). He joined the effort to bring a retired military jet to the campus while he was working at the Bethesda Police Department and became acquainted with many district residents and alumni. He said the committee worked hard but is still incredibly lucky to be able to announce the official acquisition of a retired U.S. Air Force F-16 Thunderbird Jet, which will be permanently displayed on campus as a tribute to American military service, aviation history and community spirit reflecting the official mascot of the school.

According to a news release, this effort began in 2018, when local community members including President Dirk Davis, Busack and the late Scott Mumper initiated the process to secure a retired military aircraft for display. Through a series of introductions and tireless coordination, including with the Navy Yard in Washington, D.C., Naval Air Station Pensacola, and ultimately Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, Union Local submitted a formal request for an F-16.

Melissa Shaw, Static Display Program coordinator, and Mark J. Wertheimer, museum curator, both with the Air Force, were instrumental in guiding the process, the release states. In August 2021, the Air Force approved Union Local’s application, setting the stage for years of preparation and fundraising.

Construction of a pedestal to support the jet began in July 2024 by Richard Pryor of Buckeye Steel. It was completed later that fall with installation by John Tressel of The Tressel Co. Following a successful presentation to Air Force officials in late 2024, Union Local moved from No. 53 on the waiting list to the No. 1 position by December, and communications with Worldwide Aircraft Recovery for transportation to Ohio began soon after.

The project reached a milestone on June 3, when Union Local was officially awarded a retired F-16 Thunderbird Jet — a celebrated aircraft once part of the Air Force’s elite demonstration squadron.

“This is more than just a plane — it’s a symbol of perseverance, patriotism, and pride for the students and the entire community,” Busack said.

Although other schools and museums have retired military jets on display, Union Local is the first school in the nation to be awarded a retired Air Force Thunderbird Jet. The release notes the aircraft will be installed in front of the high school as a permanent reminder of the power of vision, teamwork, and service. Sitting atop the pedestal, it will be visible to passersby on Interstate 70. Signs announcing it as an attraction are expected to be installed on both the east and westbound ramps at exit 208.

Busack said the appearance of the “historic plane” must be maintained in the condition in which the district receives it, so it will look exactly as it appears in the photos provided for this article.

Busack said he traveled to Texas two weeks ago to see the plane and actually was permitted to sit in the cockpit. He called the experience “kind of surreal.” While he was there, he initiated plans to have the jet moved from Texas to Nebraska and finally to its new home in Ohio.

Busack expects the jet to be installed on its pedestal and ready for an official dedication ceremony by next June.

For updates, follow Union Local Jets F-16 Thunderbird Static Display on Facebook.

Those wishing to donate to this project can send a check made payable to Union Local Afterburners, P.O. Box 416, Bethesda, OH 43719. Donors will be recognized on the plaza wall.