Air Force planes in Myrtle Beach getting a few touch ups

Planes that serve as a testament to Myrtle Beach’s military roots are getting a little TLC.

Crews are freshening up the trio of planes on display at Warbird Park in Myrtle Beach, work that started over the weekend and will continue for about a month. The park will be closed while crews are working.

The silver F-100 Super Sabre is being repainted, while the other two aircraft – an A-7 and an A-10 Warthog – will get a few touch ups. The last touch ups were done about a decade ago, city spokesman Mark Kruea said.

The planes – which sit in a park near what used to be the front gate of the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base – are on loan from the U.S. Air Force and must be maintained to those standards, Kruea said.

The city is spending $48,365 for the work, he said.

“This is a specialty paint job using specialty paint. You can’t go get the paint at one of those home stores,” Kruea said.

The Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, which closed in 1993, was home to the 354th Fighter Day Wing/Tactical Fighter Wing. The base deployed squadrons to Europe, Southeast Asia and the Middle East, with major service in Germany, Cuba, Lebanon, Vietnam and the Persian Gulf.

This story was originally published April 20, 2016 at 6:51 PM with the headline "Air Force planes in Myrtle Beach getting a few touch ups."