BISHOPVILLE, S.C. — In 2014, members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3096 and the American Legion Post 29 in Bishopville identified a model U.S. Air Force T-33 Shooting Star in need of restoration. The aircraft, weathered by years of exposure to the Carolina elements, showed rusted surfaces, faded decals and structural wear. Determined to preserve its historical significance, the veterans worked with the National Museum of the Air Force to adopt the aircraft and transport it to the South Carolina Cotton Museum/Lee County Veterans Museum.
Little did they know, the easy part was already over.
“I think when we took on this project we thought, ‘This is a piece of cake. How hard could this be,’ but we faced a few bumps in...
