Road Runners Internationale Reunion

Today was one heck of a great day! The Road Runners Internationale had their reunion out here in Las Vegas this week and we were given a wonderful presentation by Joe Ventolo Jr. about Archangel #122. Unfortunately, Jeannette Remak was unable to attend due to medical difficulties, but she was definitely there in spirit!

Mr. Ventolo is the former curator for the USAF museum at Wright Patterson AFB and co-wrote a couple of books with Jeannette Remak including A-12 Declassified about the very type of aircraft we're trying to save from the USS Intrepid. Joe spoke about the reasons for Archangel #122 winding up on the Intrepid, along with the various difficulties in enforcing the loan agreement with the USAF museum which governs how the aircraft is to be cared for. More on that later...

Joe's presentation included pictures which you've seen on this blog which drew gasps from the assembled Road Runners. Actually, he didn't even need the pictures. Joe was recounting the very beginnings of the effort to save #122. Jeannette Remak had contacted him to advise the USAF museum of the plight of the aircraft. There were problems with water entering the aircraft through the open refuelling door, pooling in the engine spaces (no engines back there now), the pitot had been broken off, and a maintenance stand which was placed to allow the public to view the cockpit was impacting the airframe as it bounced under the weight of the visitors. At every detail you could hear the assembled Road Runners, the very men who had designed, built, flew, and maintained this aircraft, groan with emotion at the tragic state that it had fallen into.

Efforts were made to bring #122 back to her former glory and plans were made for periodic maintenance. Things were looking up until a change of management on Intrepid, but more on that later as well...

I have to apologize for neglecting this blog and this cause for as long as I have. To those who have visited and signed the guestbook or emailed the SaveArchangel122 Team, I apologize to you especially. I had thought that I had made the appropriate arrangements to forward the emails from that account to my normal account which I check at least daily. I have corrected those problems now and I will make sure to reply much more promptly in the future!

Make no mistake, Archangel #122 WILL BE SAVED!!! We will not tire, we will not falter, we will succeed. Archangel #122 is too important of a piece of history to be left to rot in salty air. She defended us during the cold war and it is now our turn to preserve, protect, and defend her and her legacy. If her current home cannot or will not do this, then it is our duty to do it for them!

Please send your thoughts on the subject to us at savearchangel122@gmail.com, or use the links on the front page of this blog to contact the Intrepid Museum and the USAF museum. Let's save Archangel #122!