DENISON, TX-- The Perrin Air Force Base museum has been closed for a month as members pack up memorabilia and prepare to open the expanded new facility just across the street.

Friday, a giant piece of aviation history was placed at the entryway of the airport, as the original pilot of the aircraft looked on.

Lieutenant Colonel B.J. Long watched as the F-86 Saberjet that he once flew, was hoisted into its new permanent position.

"It was quite an airplane,” Long said, “We were a little bit afraid of it at first because it was an electronic nightmare as far as pilots were concerned."

As a pilot in the United States Air Force, Long flew the F-86 in Okinawa and Thailand in the 1950's and 60's.

When the plane was taken out of commission, it sat outside the Sherman American Legion until 2007, until the museum asked if they could have it.

"This thing had been on that pedestal since 1954, half a century. Exposed to the weather and what have you," museum curator, John Elkins, said.

The museum wanted the plane to use in a display of the kinds of aircraft that flew over Perrin Air Field during the 30 years it was used as an active training base.

It took thousands of dollars worth of steel pipe, simply to hold the plane in place.

"We had different stress points in that aircraft that we had to attach that pipe to, so that it would be stabilized, from the tail connection, all the way up to the nose," Elkins, said.

With the help of several grants and generous donations of several former airmen, Terry Rogers and his restoration team spent more than a year repairing and repainting the plane, in preparation for the new museum's grand opening.

In September, members of the Air Force Museum hope to welcome guests passed the old plane and into their newly expanded 6,800 sq. ft facility.