Adopt a plane

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. – Splish splash, the F-4 Phantom aircraft gets a bath June 10, 2011, at the Peterson Air and Space Museum Air Park as part of the museum’s Adopt a Plane program. From left, Connor Tomlinson, Tech. Sgt. Heather Harrison (gray shirt), Mike Tomlinson (black shirt), 1st Lt. Clark Smith and Capt. Mike Phipps, all active duty or family members of Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center on Peterson Air Force Base, are the first group to wash their adopted plane. AFOTEC Detachment 4 adopted the plane two years ago, and every summer the group gives the old bird a scrub down. For the past five summers, different squadrons or mission partners on Peterson AFB have adopted a plane, which helps maintain the aircraft, said Gail Whalen, Peterson Air and Space Museum director. Some planes are adopted by several different units. The museum’s goal is to get each plane washed four times throughout the summer months. The museum provides the soap, buckets, hoses and towels. Any squadron interested in the Adopt a Plane program can call 556-8314. (U.S. Air Force photo/Craig Denton)