The McChord Field Air Museum is known for displaying vintage aircraft and other planes used by the Air Force. But none will compare to the uniqueness of a nearly completely restored warplane soon to go on display.

The Vickers SA-10A Catalina, an amphibious emergency rescue plane used in World War II and for several years afterward, is expected to catch people's eyes. It will be the only land and sea aircraft on museum display at McChord Field.

The restoration project has taken more than 20 years, according to the museum's website. The Catalina arrived on McChord in 1988. The fuselage and wings were found at aircraft bone yards from other bases around the country, and other parts received major restoration work, said Staff Sgt. Garret Jacobs, an aircraft structural maintenance crewmember.  

Crews have spent the last two years repairing the wings from scratch. Members of the 62nd Maintenance Squadron began the last leg of restoring the Catalina by repainting the aircraft blue, yellow and silver to represent the 4th Air Rescue Squadron.

It will take at least a few more weeks to complete the paint job on the 104-foot wide aircraft, Jacobs said.

The Catalina was rolled out for display during the Joint Base Lewis-McChord Air Expo in July. It's tentatively scheduled for display at Heritage Hill in early November.

"I'm looking forward to the finished product," Jacobs said.

Though an F-106 and F-15 fighter jet are currently on display at Heritage Hill, Jacobs believes that the Catalina is more likely to grab people's attention.

"You might wonder how it flies," he said.

The Catalina is a versatile airplane. It's a twin-engine monoplane equipped with a flying boat hull, retractable tricycle landing gear and retractable wing-tip floats. It was used primarily for air-sea rescue work. The once serviceable plane was based at McChord in the late 1940s.

After two decades of repair, the aircraft is finally nearing completion. Maintenance crewmember Airman 1st Class Justin Lounder is excited to see what the final product looks like.

"I can't wait," Lounder said. "It's my first museum project."

It will be the first amphibious airplane at the McChord Museum and one of the most unique planes ever displayed.

"It's definitely got its foot in history," Jacobs said.

Photo: Senior Airman Kyle Reynolds, Staff Sgt. Garret Jacobs and Airman 1st Class Justin Lounder, from left, pose in front of the Vickers SA-10A Catalina airplane parked in the restoration hangar on McChord Field. The restoration project is scheduled for completion next month. The aircraft will then be displayed at Heritage Hill.