Recently, I saw a Mike Downey post that included a photo image of a Las Vegas $5 Hard Rock Casino commemorative chip that featured the world premier of the action-thriller movie "Con Air." It's a very nice chip.
Well, when I was in Wendover, NV several years ago doing a feature story on the "Best Kept Secret Of World War II," I came across the Con Air airplane that was isolated off the tarmac with a huge chain link fence around it.
Asking, I was told it was the Con Air plane used in the movie, but was being impounded by local officials for unpaid movie fees for using Wendover Field -- which by the way the airfield was abandoned by the federal government, and given to both Utah and Nevada residents since the historic airfield spans two state borders, divided in Wendover.
Efforts have been underway for sometime to restore the old airbase because of its connection with the Enola Gay B-29 bomber and Col. Paul Tibbits who dropped the atomic bomb over Japan, and the fact that all 10 bombers -- including Bocks Car, which also played a historical role, was assigned to that very secret mission -- spent almost 10 months in the salt flats and dessert around Wendover practicing to drop the massive bomb, and developing the sighting device used to guide the munition to its target. Very top secret. Although somewhat weathered by time and elements, the Con Air airplane still looks good inside.
The airbase restoration is ongoing to preserve the World War II field that contributed so much to helping end the war. Below, is a photo.