Tearing Down An F100 Super Sabre In The Mojave Desert [Full Documentary]

F-100 SUPER SABRE RECOVERY - Full Teardown & Donation Journey! PART 1

In 2025, Airworks Compressors Corporation undertook an extraordinary mission: recovering a historic F-100 Super Sabre (N418FS) from the desert storage at Mojave Air and Space Port and donating it to the Fort Worth Aviation Museum (FWAM) in Texas. This jet, once the first U.S. Air Force fighter capable of supersonic flight in level flight, now becomes a living museum piece, honouring military aviation heritage and the veterans who served. This recovery also marks the first chapter of a larger effort, with a second F-100, aircraft 417, scheduled for recovery in 2026 to further preserve this important legacy.

What makes this more than just a relocation? - This aircraft is dedicated to Col. Mike McElhanon, a Fort Worth native and Misty Forward Air Controller who was lost in combat on August 16, 1968. His name will be placed on the canopy rail, and the jet will be restored and painted exactly as it appeared on the day he was lost. At the time, his children were five years old and younger. Today, his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren — and all who visit — will have a place to remember his courage, sacrifice, and life of service.

Join us as we document every step of the process - from careful disassembly in the Mojave heat, to logistical planning, to final transport - featuring the people and tools behind the mission. From compact and heavy-duty compressors to specialized air-tools, our crew shows what it takes to preserve a piece of aviation history.

This film captures not just metal and machinery, but legacy, letting future generations walk around and learn from a jet that once shattered speed records and served in the skies over Cold War and Vietnam-era operations.

If this aircraft stirred a memory or means something personal to you, we invite you to share it in the comments. Please SUBSCRIBE to follow the next recovery and help keep the legacy alive.