The VA 12 Reunion Association
has accepted the opportunity to resurrect the
Flying UBANGI on an aircraft in a museum. The
Valiant Air Command in
Titusville, Florida has acquired an A-7-A for its Vietnam Era Collection.
Thanks to Retired Chief Bud White, the Command has agreed to let us restore
the A/C to museum display quality and for us to paint it in the VA12 markings including the infamous
Kiss of Death. We will need to raise the funds to pay for the paint and
materials. We will need to provide manpower to clean, prepare and paint some areas of the bird as well as help
to create the display with the history of VA12. The current estimate
is $3000. Although the plane is in pretty good shape, it is not
intended to be made airworthy. Museum quality only. Pictures will be
posted on this page to show progress. Capt. Austin (OBie) O'Brien has
volunteered to supervise the workers to keep them on task. If you live
in or near central Florida and would like to help with the restoration, you can contact me at
webmaster@va12.com
for days and times that we will be working and where. Currently we are
scheduled to work on Tuesdays and Thursdays 9 - 3.
If you are unable to assist with the physical work effort, please consider
contributing to this effort financially, please send your
tax deductible donations to:
Terry Nies
2741 Michigan Ave. New address as of 10/23/12
West Melbourne, Fl. 32904
News Alert! 3/18/2013
The Plane is ready for display and the Ubangi is flying high proudly once
again. Thank you to all that contributed to the effort and especially to
Capt. (Ret) Austin OBie O'Brien for his generous support and encouragement
for the project. The plane goes on public display at the Annual Valiant Air
Command Warbird Air Show Friday March 22, 2013. I have to say it turned out
4.0 and I am damn proud to be a Ubangi. What a rush it was to watch the last
decal go on tonight.
Checks should be made out to:
Valiant Air Command and
annotated to be for the VA12 A7 Project.
I will deposit them at the Museum in our account.
Thank you in advance shipmates!
Terry (Stubby) Nies
A7A first look
Tail section to sand and repaint both sides
Horizontal Stabilizer is probably the worst area. Needs total strip and
repaint.
Port side wing tip underside paint is cracked and some corrosion to
clean and repaint.
Starboard wing tip underside paint is cracked and will need to strip and
repaint.
Underside of port wing
Day
1 Bud White 
Stubby 
What
we found under the paint.
Day 2 Starboard tail cleaned off.
VA12 Titusville DET.
Terry, OBie, Bud
A little over 13 months of working on it and the UBANGI Flies high and proud once again!