Once the paperwork is complete, Hendricks said it could be anywhere from two weeks or six months before a call comes about whether Boyle County will receive one of the planes.
The request will be added to a list. Hendricks said once a plane becomes available, there will be a limited window of time in which to decide if bringing it to the memorial is feasible.
"They will call us and let us know they have a plane and then we will have 30 days to say yes or no," Hendricks said. "We will have to go take a look at it and evaluate the condition and see if we can afford everything that goes into the cost of moving it here."
The cost of relocating a plane that no longer flies could be steep. Hendricks anticipates that disassembly and reassembly in addition to transporting the plane and painting it could cost well over $25,000.
"With the tank, it did not really cost us anything," Hendricks said. "It just took one truck to transport and then GO Chevrolet donated the paint job. If we could get a $25 donation for every name on the wall and maybe some help from a corporate sponsor, we could do it with no problem."
More names on the Wall
The names on the wall of honor continue to multiply, with 52 more being added in the last month. After watching the popularity of the wall grow over the past two years, Hendricks is confident that the will exists to get the project completed.
"I have no doubt we can get it done," Hendricks said. "We have so many people from every branch of the military, including the Air Force, and the general public who care about this memorial. It is a mainstay in Boyle County now. All you have to do is be there for 30 minutes and someone will show up."
Hendricks said friends often kid him about the possibility of bringing even grander pieces of equipment, even an aircraft carrier, to the fairgrounds. He said his response is that he would if he could dock it at Herrington Lake.
Hendricks said giving veterans respect for their sacrifices has driven him to continue enhancing the wall.
"My motivation has stayed the same," Hendricks said.
"A lot of times we don't give those who served the respect and thanks they deserve for allowing us to live the way we do when they come home. Many of them would never come out and ask for it, but you can see from the people who visit the wall and the people I talk to that they appreciate it."
