'Every little bit helps': WMU donates vintage aircraft to Hooligans Flight Team
A group of aviation enthusiasts committed to honoring military veterans with high-flying tributes now have additional parts at their disposal, courtesy of Western Michigan University.
On Friday, Western donated two Beechcraft T-34 military training aircraft to the Hooligans Flight Team, helping the group bolster its parts inventory and continue its mission of honoring veterans and their families.
"We know that Western Michigan University is a strong supporter of our military and our veterans and this is just another example of their commitment to our community," Ret. U.S. Air Force Col. Frank Walker, a veteran advocate and member of the Hooligans, said Friday.
"Our military veterans and their families and the community are the true beneficiaries of this generous donation."
Beechcraft T-34s were first produced in the 1950s and were used by the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy for decades. WMU acquired two deconstructed T-34s in the early 2000s and originally planned to assemble the aircraft and have students use them for training, according to Raymond Thompson, dean of the College of Aviation.
"We eventually went in a different direction and didn’t use the T-34s, so they’ve been sitting, gathering a little dust down in the hangar," Thompson said. "It seemed appropriate for us to move those along to entities who really use those (like the) the Hooligans team.
"For us, it’s a great opportunity," Thompson continued. "It helps us make this group’s job better and at the same time, seeing a historical piece of aviation continue to have life."
Formed in the late 1990s, the Hooligans now participate in more than 50 events each year, including flyovers at senior living facilities, military funerals and annual flyovers during Memorial Day and Veterans Day observances at Fort Custer National Cemetery.
"I’m a big advocate of making sure that our senior veterans that are shut in, that can’t go to events (are recognized)," Walker said. "So we go to them."
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Hooligans pilots Tom Hibiske and Chuck Stauffer, both of Battle Creek, joined Walker in accepting WMU's donation Friday. Hibiske acknowledged the deconstructed T-34s may not look like much, but just the smallest part from those aircraft "could be a lifesaver" for the group, which performs the majority of its own maintenance.
"It’s extremely helpful to us," Hibiske said of the donation. "Even though some parts can be made, they’re very high-cost, and some parts are almost just unobtainable, so having that is a real benefit.
"Every little bit helps."
Contact reporter Greyson Steele at gsteele@battlecreekenquirer.com
This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: Western Michigan donates vintage aircraft to Hooligans Flight Team
