Chino, CA — A decommissioned Republic of China (Taiwan) Air Force F-5 jet fighter equipped with wingtip missile launchers went on display at the Yanks Air Museum in California Sunday, Taiwan’s “Air Force Day”.
The AF fighter, serial number 5243, was given to the Yanks Air Museum in Chino City by the Taiwan government in 2010 as a symbol of joint efforts by Taiwan and the United States to maintain peace and security in the Asia-Pacific region.
When former President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) visited the museum last year, members of his delegation discovered that the fighter was missing a key component — missile launchers on its wingtips — said Steve C.C. Hsia (夏季昌), director-general of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles.
Hsia said it took about a year before Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense could finally gift the missile launchers to the museum, as they are considered to be sensitive components and gifting of them to the museum required approval from the U.S. government.
A ceremony was held Sunday to install the launchers onto the plane.
Christen Wright, director of the museum, which exhibits and preserves American aircraft and artifacts, said her museum had spent years trying to obtain the jet fighter, and she expressed hope that more aviation fans will visit the museum to see the rare collection.
Read more: http://focustaiwan.tw/