Historical aircraft moved to aviation park

Four historical military planes are on the move Tuesday to a new home, the future site of the Aviation and Discovery Center in Marietta.

The planes, an A-4 Skyhawk, A-6 Intruder, A-7 Corsair II and an F-14 Tomcat, are being removed from the Naval Air Station in Marietta, said Jason Luker, curator services director for the Aviation and Discovery Center.

NAS, which originally opened in Chamblee in 1941 before moving to Marietta, will close later this year as part of the U.S. government’s Base Realignment and Closure, or BRAC, process, Luker said.

The planes, considered by many as local icons, are meant to commemorate the people and work of NAS in Atlanta. The four unique planes will help teach visitors about how different airplanes perform and how they were used in naval operations, such as during the Vietnam and Korean wars, Luker said.

The planes are part of the Aviation and Discovery Center’s Aviation Park, half of which should open by September, Luker said.