War bird given new life by an old friend
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April 27, 2010
Jay Hillery
“Dad, they have one of your old birds…..no, it’s one from your squadron,” Ben Kovesci, son of technology director and Hoban sports management teacher Kim Kovesci, said. “It’s down at the pancake place that we used to go to. MAPS.”
But for those who don’t know Kovesci, he isn’t the average teacher. A decorated Navy sailor, Kovesci served in the U.S. Navy for four years. He started his career in the Navy right out of high school at age 18 and he turned 19 on a Navy aircraft carrier, USS Saratoga, that was heading to Vietnam.
During his time in Vietnam, he was responsible for the repairing and maintenance of the combat systems on the A7E Corsair II, a light attack bomber for the Navy. After four years, he completed his service and became a manager in a multitude of manufacturing organizations. It wouldn’t be the last time he worked on a war bird, though. In 2008 Kovesci’s son, Ben, who is a Navy Flight Officer (flies in a F-18 Superhornet), called and told him that there was a plane at their favorite museum, MAPS, and that it was from his squadron.
“I went down and there it was, lying on the ground in pieces,” Kovesci said. “I knew I would have to repair it.”
Kovesci’s emotional ties to the war led him back to this project.
“I lost two pilots from my squadron over there. It just wouldn’t be respectful to their memory to leave it there to corrode away,” he said.
The plane was in such disrepair that it was hardly recognizable.
“It was in bad shape… it’s flaps were on the ground broken, the cockpit’s dome was off and on the ground, it’s wing tips were off and on a pallet outside,” Kovesci said. “Oh and don’t even get me started on the paint, you could strip the paint off just by running your thumb down the side.”
So he started working on the plane in 2008 by attaching the flaps and cockpit dome. After an artist volunteered to come out and professionally stencil the head of a horse on the tail of the plane, it was time for the finishing touches. Kovesci dedicated the plane to the VA-105′s pilots that died in Vietnam, Lt. John J, Cabral and Lt. Larry R. Kilpatrick.
With that done, it was ready for it’s unveiling at the Pancake Breakfast on April 25. This isn’t the end of his project though, but just the beginning because next he plans to restore the cockpit.
“When I’m done with that I might help some of the other guys repair a F-11 Navy fighter,” he said.
A journey that started at age 18, continues as Kovesci enters his 50s…all in tribute to those whose lives were lost defending the country.
One Response to “War bird given new life by an old friend”
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April 30th, 2010 at 8:10 am
I would highly recommend to anyone if they are by the Akron/Canton Airport to go to MAPS and see Kim’s work. I have been fortunate to see the plane transform to what it is today. Kim and his team put many days and hours into the restoration. It is well worth the visit.
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