Historic Douglas F4D Skyray Aircraft To Pass Through Stamford

Stamford CT

23 July, 2021

3:04 PM

Description

STAMFORD, CT — After 60 years apart, a Douglas F4D Skyray aircraft which served in the Cold War is going home to the Intrepid. The historic aircraft will begin its 30-hour long journey to the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York City on Sunday, July 25 between 7-8 a.m. at Charter Oak Landing in Hartford, according to a news release. The barge will travel down the Connecticut River, through the Long Island Sound and down the East River around the southern tip of Manhattan and up the Hudson River where it will arrive at the Intrepid on Tuesday, July 27. The barge is scheduled to pass through Stamford waters at 4 a.m. on Monday, July 26. After the barge goes through Greenwich, it will then pass by the east coast of Westchester and travel under the Throgs Neck, Whitestone, Triborough, 59th Street, Williamsburg, Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges, according to a news release. After the Skyray makes it to the Intrepid, it will be lifted by a crane onto the flight deck where it resided 60 years ago. According to the Intrepid museum website, a team of experts will immediately begin work on preserving the aircraft "so visitors can learn from it for decades to come." To view photos of the plane, click here. According to a news release, the aircraft was designed to be a high-altitude fleet protection interceptor, fast enough to catch and neutralize an approaching enemy bomber flying at 500 knots. Skyrays set many speed and time-to-climb records since they were able to reach supersonic speeds. The Skyray that will be at the Intrepid Museum was acquired from the New England Air Museum in Windsor Locks, Conn.. It served in VF-162 and deployed on Intrepid between June 1961 and March 1962 with Carrier Air Wing Six. Approximate times and locations for the aircraft as it makes its way to New York City are below. They are subject to change depending upon departure time and weather: West Haven: Sunday, July 25 at 11 p.m.Fairfield: Monday, July 26 at 1 a.m.Stamford: Monday, July 26 at 4 a.m.Westchester: Monday, July 26 at 1 5:30 a.m.Throgs Neck Bridge: Monday, July 26 at 6 a.m.Whitestone Bridge: Monday, July 26 at 6:30 a.m.Queensboro Bridge: Monday, July 26 at 7:30 a.m.Triborough Bridge: Monday, July 26 at 7:30 a.m.Manhattan Bridge: Monday, July 26 at 8:00-9:00 a.m.Brooklyn Bridge: Monday, July 26 at 9:00 a.m. The plane will dock overnight on Monday, July 26, and continue the last leg of its journey Tuesday morning, July 27th, where it will pass the Statue of Liberty, then make its way up the Hudson River to the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum.