The Real McCoy

Traveling along State Route 7, travelers are in for a splendid surprise. As drivers crest the hill above Blacksville, a fighter jet perches, looking as though it’s coming in for an impromptu landing along the road. Underneath its low-slung belly sits the old Clay-Batelle scoreboard.

Over the decades, the jet became worn and weather-beaten as time, graffiti taggers and the elements left their marks, but still it proudly sat over its domain. One day this summer, Robin Russell Ammons had a revelation that would jump start a big project. “How neat would it be to redo the plane and dedicate the plane to the class of 2020?”

Robin had been part of the plane’s 1993 clean up with Rhonda Owens. Rhonda spearheaded that project and talked Robin into helping her. With a group of volunteers including Ken Owens, Brenda Tennant, Kurt Henkins, Gary Steele, and the plane’s owner Carley McCoy, the group gathered and worked to breathe fresh life into the plane. Using ladders – and eventually Carley’s old crane for the tail – the crew got to work. They painted the entire jet with rollers and managed to complete the project in just one day. Once the plane was painted gray, they turned Robin loose and she climbed up to provide the jet with its signature toothy grin and other details.

The scoreboard was added in 2012 when Clay-Batelle upgraded to a newer board, and CB board member Joe Statler brought it up to Carley’s place. Carley died in October 2018, at age 89, and his son Daniel McCoy inherited the jet, as well as the rest of Carley’s land and mementos.

Once Robin thought about restoring the plane, the idea stayed with her and she reached out to some of the volunteers that had helped with the plane in ’93 to see if they’d be interested in the new project. Rhonda and Joe quickly agreed, and others followed. Robin shared the plan on Facebook in July and support for The Real McCoy Plane Project soared. Donations, words of support, and offers to help flooded in for the mission.

“We’ve had lots of community support and enthusiasm,” Robin says. “It’s a close-knit community and the plane is one connection that all the residents share. Everybody’s embraced it.” She adds, “My niece was part of the Clay-Batelle Class of 2020. I wanted to do something to honor the Class of 2020 since the last part of their school year has changed so drastically.”

Volunteers Joe Statler, Bob Brookover, James Thorn, Andrew Price, and Ron Lytle jumped right in and by mid-July, the plane had been cleaned, patched and was ready to begin priming. Robin contacted the AFROTC (Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps) program at West Virginia University and Lt. Col. John M. Arellanes quickly responded. He began researching the plane, including multiple trips to locate its serial no. for more precise information.

The decision was made to paint the plane to make it look as original as possible – with one special addition. “The community wanted the teeth to be included when it was repainted,” Robin shares. “Daniel had the final say since it’s his plane, so we let him decide. The teeth stay.”

Over a series of weekends in September, the cadets from AFROC made multiple trips to Blacksville to paint the plane, along with Lt. Col. Arellanes. During their first trip, they painted the plane and on the second trip worked on details such as the Air Force lettering. An additional weekend was needed to complete the last details, including the flying tiger grin that has become the plane’s trademark.

The McCoys’ F-84F Thunderstreak was created in 1948 and became operational in 1954. Sometime during its history, the plane was brought to Morgantown and used by West Virginia University for training purposes. Carley McCoy purchased the F-84F during a 1963 auction held at the Morgantown Airport for the price if $50. The jet was brought home to Blacksville, where Carley erected a stand and placed it at the crest of the hill. There’s some dispute about the specific date, time and how it traveled to Blacksville, but according to Daniel, Carley said that it was hauled home in two pieces before being placed on its supports. But one thing is for sure, the jet has become exactly what Carley hoped it would - a beloved, extraordinary landmark for Blacksville and the surrounding communities. The McCoy jet is one of 46 F-84s in the United States and 74 in the world on display. A Memory Medallion highlighting the plane’s history was donated to the site by Glenn Toothman.

Robin is grateful to the many volunteers that helped with the project. “Thank you to Rhonda Owens, who started it all in 1993, and to all the donors to that made this possible through your giving and trusted us to get this done. A huge thank you to Forquers Construction who loaned equipment, Sam Vinton, Air Force veteran, for his help in every area (crawling through the plane searching for data plate, raking rocks, working rings around rest of us, to just knowing what was needed); thank you to Kelli Stewart, Cassie Wilson Chisler, Bo, Mason, and Bruce Chisler. Thank you Delmar walls and Bruce Curfman for helping at a moment’s notice, Doug Owens, Ken, Ruby, and Grace Owens; thank you to Susan Rockwell (author of the tribute to Carley), to Kent Saul, Rick Kolat, Julie Tennant, and Mike Chisler. Also thanks to JDR Construction, along with Chase Ammons. It is a tough job to be my nephews.”

“Special thanks to Steve Solomon, who steered me in right direction, and lastly to Daniel McCoy to allow the community to share in Carly’s vision.”

If you’d like to see the plane for yourself, just travel State Route 7 to Blacksville and you can’t miss the fighter jet in all its glory. A dedication ceremony will be held on Wednesday, November 11 at 12pm. The AFROTC Color Guard from West Virginia University will be in attendance. The National Anthem will be sung by Holly Spears Simpson, Freddie Eddy and Monica Ohler will complete the invocation and closing prayer, and Joe Statler will be the speaker. Anyone attending the ceremony should bring their own lawn chair.

Published in November 2020 GreeneScene Magazine.