The idea first surfaced in 2024, when local leaders began asking what would become of the aircraft once the Air National Guard squadron closed. Rather than let the Thunderstreak fade into obscurity, Webster County proposed giving it a new home near the Fort Dodge Regional Airport. After months of coordination, paperwork and patient waiting, the National Museum of the United States Air Force — the aircraft’s official owner — agreed to the transfer.

“I’m really grateful that all of our hard work is paying off and allowing us to be able to hold on to this piece of local history,” said Webster County Engineer Jamie Johll, who has led the local effort to keep the F-84F Thunderstreak in Fort Dodge.

Built in 1954, the Thunderstreak began its service at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma. Over the years it moved through Texas, Ohio, New Mexico and even France, before eventually settling in Fort Dodge. Generations have driven past it, pointed it out to their kids and used it as a landmark when giving directions. It has quietly become part of the town’s identity.

When the 133rd Test Squadron closed on March 2, 2025, responsibility for the relocation shifted to the 185th Air Refueling Wing in Sioux City. The Air Force Museum proposed the aircraft be repainted in its authentic in‒service colors, a task beyond Webster County’s resources. The 185th stepped forward, offering to restore the jet at its Sioux City facility.

To get it there, the Iowa Army National Guard volunteered to transport the aircraft and bring it back home once the restoration is complete. It’s a rare collaboration: county officials, airport staff, contractors, the Air Guard, the Army Guard and the U.S. Air Force all working together to preserve a piece of local history.

Weather permitting, the Thunderstreak will take to the skies, not under its own power but lifted by two CH‒47 Chinook helicopters from Davenport. One Chinook will carry the aircraft using a specialized rigging system, while the second will provide support. Technicians will install equipment on the wings to prevent lift during the flight. Departure is expected between noon and 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

“The scheduled transport will be a sight Fort Dodge may never see again: a Cold War‒era fighter jet rising slowly above the runway, carried by the rhythmic thump of Chinook rotors, beginning its journey toward restoration and its future place of honor,” said Johll.