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My older brother was in town last week, his first visit to Denver, and asked me to show him around. Like me, he's an ORF, only he retired as an O-6 and I as an E-7, but we both like aircraft. So I took him off to see the Wings Over the Rockies air museum. We had a blast and even managed to learn a thing or two. I also stumbled into these two pieces of work in the Aviation Art Room they have.

an A-10 Ladder door with art.


And this pic of an A-10 with nose art.


I don't know which tail numbers these are from, but I can contact the museum if anyone needs to know for sure.

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The first one never seen before. I like it.
\"Fightin' Irish\" is one that i see more on internet or books.

Thanks for placing the pictures.

Is it a nice museum?

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It's not bad for being a small local air museum. It gets a lot of support from the Colorado Air National Guard, that I retired from in 2003. They also got a lot of left-overs from Lowery AFB when they shut the base down. My first tech school was here, in 1977 I went through the bomb loading school here, one of the reasons I came back when I left Active Duty in 1987. The TAC Shack, a big black hanger where the loader school for Tactical Air Craft was held, has now been converted into an Ice Hockey Arena, and the SAC Shack is now the Museum. Unfortunately, the A-10 that was at the school, the same one that had it's landing gear sucked up while it was on the ramp at DM when I was there, ('79-'80), was crated up and shiped off to either the boneyard at DM or some other base for a static display. This was her when the mishap occoured:

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Slow is Fast, Fast is Slow
Violence may not be the best option, but it IS an option

They play icehockey now in the hangar? Does the team has a name like the \"Hawgs\" or something?

Nice picture of the gears up landing.

When you started with school, i was two years old. Hope you don't feel old now when you know this.

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73-1664

Ice Pirate, I would love to have the highest rez shot of the first one you have and know the tail number it came off of...if that's possible??

Like Dutchy said luck of the Irish has been in a couple of books.

Hey Dice,

I just shot an email to the museum to see if they know where the door came from, or any other info on it or the artwork. I'll let you know via email when I hear back, and attach a full sized pic.

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Slow is Fast, Fast is Slow
Violence may not be the best option, but it IS an option

Thanks man.

Dice,

Just heard back from the museum's curator. Seems the door art above was painted by Shaun Johnson. He gave me his email and I shot a quick note off to him asking for further info. If you'd like, I can forward him your email address.

Also, here's a link to the Museum's website:
http://www.wingsmuseum.org/

_________________
Slow is Fast, Fast is Slow
Violence may not be the best option, but it IS an option

Thanks Ice Pirate, you can send him my email addy if you like. Looks like a nice museum...love the X-wing fighter.

Dice,
Just got this in from Shaun, the artist, and former LOAD TOAD.

>>Hi Frank!



Thanks for the e-mail, I’m a retired load toad myself now in Warner Robins, GA. The door was painted while I was an instructor there at Lowry AFB when we had the 462 school house there. I painted this back in 1988 for the Bob Hope Christmas Show, it was the A-10 section’s tribute to him. I’m glad you like it, I’m tickled so many have gotten enjoyment from it. I’ve talked to Matthew (the curator) a few times about the door via e-mail, I gave him a brief version of the story behind the door:



Matthew,



Glad to hear it is still being preserved. I tried to sneak out of Lowry AFB with it, but the General caught wind of it and put the cabash on that plan. I told him earlier I wanted to take it with me when I PCS'd...he had a good memory! LOL.



Just some info for you on it, Bob hope signed it during the Bob Hope Christmas Show held at Lowry in December of 1988. I did the art work, and my supervisor at the time, MSgt Don A. Orton, collaborated with me on the topic of the painting. I was unable to be there at Bob Hope's request when he signed it due to car trouble, his wife Delores also signed it. The following year, the Men's Christian Fellowship on Lowry AFB had a breakfast; the guest speaker was Tommy Lasorda. Tommy grabbed a marker and signed the door too, but I grabbed the Windex and some paper towels and cleaned it off, stating \"This is Bob's door dammit!\".



The A-10 instructors guarded it after that. Just thought you would like a little history on the door. One day I would like to come see it again. Do you have any pictures of Bob Hope Signing it?



Shaun Johnson



I’m flattered your friend is writing a book on A-10 door art, I will definitely be interested in getting a copy of it when it comes out. There is more to the story, I’ll be glad to talk to the author and give him details.



As far as the tail number, I know it was a ’75 model, it didn’t have the chaff/flare bays on it yet, it was assigned to Lowry sometime between 81-83. I know when I went through Lowry as a student in September 80 the A-10 wasn’t there yet. All we had was a MAU-40, a TER-9, and GAU-8. Needless to say it was a short course. My first assignment was England AFB, which had A-7Ds, but began transitioning to A-10s in late 81. I can look at some old photos and see if I can find the tail number of the Lowry A-10; more than likely it is still on display at what used to be Lowry or the Wings Over the Rockies Museum.



I’ll contribute to the book in any way I can. Please feel free to give my contact info to the author.



Shaun Johnson
<<

I also added your email address, and links here and to your site, The Warthog Pen.

I'm also shooting an email to you of the door, straight from the camera.

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Slow is Fast, Fast is Slow
Violence may not be the best option, but it IS an option

WOW Weasel that has to be one of the coolest stories behind a door art I've heard in a long time! Thank you so much for starting this thread, contacting the museum, Contacting the artist, and then giving me the high rez picture. h

this one is to cool for words. I'm going contact the artist and see what else I can find out about the door...thanks again man!

Happy to help Dice. I love your Door Art Collection pages on your site. It feels great to know I helped to add another door to the collection, complete with the back story.

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Slow is Fast, Fast is Slow
Violence may not be the best option, but it IS an option

I need to update my door art section because I have a ton more not posted.

I THINK THIS AIRCRAFT HAD THE NOSE GEAR FOLD UP WHILE OUT AT BICYCLE LAKE A FEW MONTHS BEFORE THIS. I DO REMEMBER SHE WAS FLOWN BACK FROM CAL. WITH THE GEAR DOWN AND WITH THE GEAR PINS STILL INSTALLED GEAR DOOR WERE ALSO REMOVED. AND HAD SEVERAL GEAR UNSAFE LIGHT OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS . THIS TIME SHE HAD LANDED AT DM WITH A GEAR UNSAFE LIGHT AND WAS TOWED BACK TO THE RAMP FROM EOR . I DE-ARMED THIS JET 5 MIN BEFORE SHE HIT THE RAMP. CANT REMEMBER WHO PULLED THE GEAR PINS OR WHY BUT RIGHT AFTER THE GEAR PINS WERE PULLED ALL THREE STRUTS RETRACTED. HARD TO SEE IN FRANKS PIC BUT THE BACKBONE WAS TWISTED AND LOOKED LIKE A SNAKE .