For as long as I can remember there has been a replica of the A4 SkyHawk that then LCDR McCain flew off the USS Oriskany (before being shot down over Hanoi and taken prisoner) located in front of the Museum Building at Great Lakes. It is visible on Google Maps off of Sheridan road, just South of the main NTC gate. In fact, the current Google photo also shows the CAP Van and MCP trailer directly NW of the plane (which we had to get out of the way for the crane today). I have no idea when the plane was installed, but there are Sat images where it is visible back to the mid-90's.
(http://galenfry.com/aug08/navy25.jpg)
(http://galenfry.com/aug08/navy27.jpg)
(http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/3551/gmapa4oct2010.jpg)
The old museum is now occupied by CAP and the Army Corps, with the new museum being located behind the visitor's center parking lot and accessible to the general public. More info on the old museum and some more pics of that general area here:
http://www.galenfrysinger.com/illinois_great_lakes_navy.htm
Today was the day they moved the aicraft to the new building.
(http://img718.imageshack.us/img718/9703/img20101014093011.jpg)
(http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/5368/img20101014093631.jpg)
(http://img713.imageshack.us/img713/3996/img20101014100448.jpg)
(http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/2663/img20101014100515.jpg)
(http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/8651/img20101014100710.jpg)
We have no idea if they waited for the cooler weather because of it, but the frame was definitely infested with a lot of bees.
Something furry was also living in the right wing.
It was nice to see her off the ground again, if only a few feet.
I haven't had a chance to get over to the new museum, but I'm going to make a point of it now.
The sixth image looks like a portal opened to another dimension. Probably just some swamp gas ;)
I think the Group Commander that resides in that office would take offense to us talking about his "Swamp" gas in public.
Now we just need to get the navy to allow a retired CAP plane on that pad to create some permanence to the posting at that particular building...
Looks more like internal lens reflections.
That would be a window
Ah, yes. The LR corner of #8 has reflections visible. Good call. I sit humbly corrected.
Didn't realize HQ was moved again. I've been by the display way back when I was only a C/SSgt, so around Winter 2003-2004.
We just moved it in March just before RST for Spring.
New Home in front of the new museum next to the main NTC gate:
(http://img831.imageshack.us/img831/9288/20101016132738.jpg)