F-106A 59-0069 Painted as 57-2492
Lions Park, Great Falls, MT
F-106A 59-0069, a 'vertically instrumented' bird, was once on display at Griffiss AFB NY, painted as a 49th FIS aircraft with its actual serial number 59-0069. In the Fall of 1986, following a Trim Pad accident in the 49th FIS that broke its Main Landing Gears, 59-0069 was placed on static display at Griffiss AFB. On 22 Aug 1994 it was removed from display and sent to Great Falls, MT where 59-0069 was repainted as a 'round-eye' F-106A 57-2463, an 186th FIS Great Falls tail number and placed on display at Lions Park in Great Falls MT. Sometime between 2004 and 2005 it was again repainted another 186th jet 57-2492. On 24 Jun 2005 Mark Williams took photos of it painted as 57-2492. It was noted at that time that the previously missing Main Landing Gear doors had been added since his visit in June 1999. 2004 January 14 from Ronald F. LeJeune MSgt, USAF (Ret.): I was operating 59-0069 on the trim pad when an unusual occurrence happened. Just as we stabilized at 100% and were ready to go into afterburner the right main landing gear pulled off from under it. It seems the aft drag brace connecting area on the strut itself had inter-galvanic corrosion in it and when the drag brace came off, when a chunk of strut, the landing gear unfolded in the trunnion area. The reason for the grounding was the trunnion pin area of the wing was damaged. Since the aircraft was scheduled to go to MASDC (DM) it was decided it was cheaper to plant it than to fix it.

Why It Ended Up On a Pole: Trim Pad accident - Broke its Main Landing Gears
From Scott Smith, Crew Chief an on-site witness: The aircraft and the trim pad cables were not properly lined up. When the jet slid, the gear snapped, and twisted the entire frame. The keel snapped where the tailhook bolted. When we went to removed the engine the twist was so bad, cargo straps were passed thru the intakes and attached to a Coleman at the front, and more straps were hooked to the engine. Then both Colemans pulled. I was on the Coleman at the front of the jet. MSgt Hess was directing the whole thing. MSgt Swantek (sp) was directing the engine removal.