As they have for the past three years with their icon, the Mustang, Ford
is partnering with the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) to create a
special edition vehicle to be auctioned for charity. Fords special edition
vehicle for this year is especially apt- an F-22 Raptor! The Raptor itself was
actually inspired by the Lockheed F-22 Raptor, a stealth superiority fighter.
The aircrafts influence on the Ford Raptor to be auctioned is evident, as its
brazenly sporting a decorated grille and a seriously well-equipped body.
The Raptor is the first Ford-EAA collab that won’t feature
any wings. The grille is sufficiently stealth fighter-y, but the predominant
boost comes from within- in the performance and the visual effects. Upgrades
include a Whipple intercooler and a now 545 horsepower 3.5-liter V6. It also
has suspension, wheel, and brake upgrades to make the already ultra-capable
truck even hardier. New carbon-fiber bodywork, a special F-22 graphics
package, an LED roof-mounted light bar, and a grille with a fighter-jet
silhouette complete the novelty package.
The F-22 Raptor pickup will be auctioned for charity at the
Gathering of Eagles fundraising event, held on Thursday, July 27, at the EAA
Aviation Museum during the Air Venture Oshkosh convention. The auction is a
charity contribution to the EAA’s youth aviation programs.
EAA’s Gathering of Eagles is held annually at
the EAA Aviation Museum, drawing more than 1,000 aviation enthusiasts who
support the aviators, engineers, and flight professionals of the world. The
event is a hub of notoriety and has been visited by personalities like actors
Harrison Ford, John Travolta, and Morgan Freeman as well as aviation legends
like astronauts Jim Lovell and Frank Borman. According to EAA, this partnership
and vehicle program has raised $3 million since it began years ago.