Q: I was driving on South Cobb Drive near Lockheed Martin (Marietta Plant) and noticed severalold planes parked inside a fenced lot. Can you tell me what they are doing there?
A: Started by former Lockheed and community leaders, and once a part of the Marietta Museum of History, the Aviation History & Technology Center is home to 13 aircraft manufactured between 1950-70.
The aircraft range from a Grumman F-14A Tomcat (think the movie Top Gun), to a Lockheed JetStar L-1329 (owned by musicians Kenny Rogers and Wayne Newton), to a Lockheed C-141B StarLifter cargo plane.
The nonprofit has been at its current location about 12-13 years, according to the volunteers, who provide guided tours.
When asked why volunteer, the answer was simple. “We have aviation in our blood and enjoy talking about these planes,” said Bob Higgins, one of the volunteers, retired from Lockheed Martin and an Air Force veteran.
On a recent Sunday afternoon, a guide with a baseball hat with the words “Top Gun” on the front provided a history lesson.
The volunteer would not give his name, but did say his call sign was “Merlin,” from the legendary magician from King Arthur and the Middle Ages. His name was on his ID badge, but Merlin seemed to fit.
When talking about the F-14A Tomcat, you could see his eyes light up behind his sunglasses.
“So did you see that movie Top Gun?” he asked. “There was so much technically wrong in that movie. I guess that’s Hollywood,” Merlin said. “My daughter wanted to see that movie (in 1986) and asked me to take her because she knew I flew those planes.”
He drove his golf cart to each plane, with the temperature in the low 90s, and rattled off facts.
The Douglas A-4A Skyhawk was often used to simulate a “furball” (Navy slang) or “dog fight” due to its small size, he said. “John McCain was on this kind of unit when he was shot down” during the Vietnam War.
Guided tours are available Friday and Saturday at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., and Sundays at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. If you go, plan on spending at least an hour.
Address: 555 Perrin Road, Marietta, 30060 (770-919-5700)
For more information, visit: www.ahtc360.org.
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