Douglas F4D Skyray aircraft making its way to the Intrepid through East River, Hudson River

NEW YORK (WABC) -- A plane that served aboard the Intrepid during the Cold War made its way down the East River Monday morning.

The Douglas F4D Skyray aircraft was transported via barge from Connecticut to the Intrepid, where it will return to the Intrepid for display.
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The aircraft's journey to the Intrepid will take 30 hours. The barge traveled down the Connecticut River, through the Long Island Sound and down the East River, around the southern tip of Manhattan, and up the Hudson River.

Finally, on Tuesday, July 27, after three days and 177 miles, the Skyray will be lifted by a crane onto Intrepid's flight deck where it last resided 60 years ago.

Once back aboard Intrepid, the Museum's team of experts will begin working to preserve the aircraft so visitors can learn from it for decades to come.

The Skyray, named for the unique shape of its wing (which resembles a manta ray), went into operation with the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps in 1956.


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It was designed to be a high-altitude fleet protection interceptor, fast enough to catch and neutralize an approaching enemy bomber flying at 500 knots.

Skyrays set many speed and time-to-climb records in their day as they were able to reach supersonic speeds.



The specific Skyray acquired by the Intrepid Museum from the New England Air Museum in Windsor Locks, Conn., served in VF-162 and deployed on Intrepid between June 1961 and March 1962 with Carrier Air Wing Six.

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