(Image Credit: Champaign Aviation Museum)
The Champaign Aviation Museum of Grimes Field in Urbana, Ohio’s restoration to flying condition of a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress they’ve christened “Champaign Lady” has been an ongoing restoration project that began in 2005 when Tom Reilly (a name our our regular readers will be familiar with) made a visit to Grimes Airfield with the then-recently completed B-17 “Liberty Belle,” made a stop at Grimes Field. Crowds flocked to the airport, and the appearance brought in $18,000 to the plane’s owners, the Liberty Belle Foundation.
Based on the crowd size and donations received, Reilly sensed that the area could support for the restoration of a B-17 of their own and approached Carol Hall, the assistant manager of Grimes Field. As Hall recalls it: “He said, ‘I have a B-17 project that’s ready to start. Do you know anyone who might be interested (in financing it)?” Carol did indeed, a local businessman, philanthropist and aviation enthusiast, Jerry Shiffer, who had turned out and gone for a ride in “Liberty Belle” with his family. Within two weeks a deal was worked out, a hangar procured and the project began to take shape.
(Image Credit: Champaign Aviation Museum)
Shiffer died in a plane crash in November, 2005, just as parts of the plane began appearing onsite, however his family remained committed to seeing his vision through to completion. The project, now nearing a decade in length, passed a significant milestone recently, when the vertical stabilizer was fitted to the airframe. The B-17’s large tail bears the markings of the 401st Bomb Group, whose tail symbol consisted of a triangle with an “S”, chosen by the museum’s volunteers to honor the late Jerry Shiffer. In honor of the choosing of the 401st’s Livery, the 401st Bomb Group Association will visit “Champaign Lady” next month when it holds its national reunion at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in nearby Dayton, Ohio.
(Image Credit: Champaign Aviation Museum)
Over the course of the project, parts have been fabricated from scratch or located from scrapped and salvaged B-17s all across the country. One of the more notable parts finds was a complete and intact top turret dome, never installed on a plane, that was found under a porch of a home in the area. The turret dome was apparently taken home by an employee of Steel Products Company of Springfield, Ohio, a company that had a contract to build 350 turret domes. Whether it was a prototype, end of production piece or an article deemed scrap is unknown, but in any case, this employee saw fit to put the dome under his porch, and it remained there for over 65 years and through several homeowners, until being re-discovered in 2010 as a result of a renovation project. A bit of cleaning and polishing and “Champaign Lady” gained a new-condition top turret.
The Champaign Aviation also has a Douglas C-47 Skytrain under restoration as well as a Douglas A-26 Invader and an airworthy B-25 Mitchell named “Champaign Gal.”
(Image Credit: Champaign Aviation Museum)
Born in Milan, Italy, Moreno moved to the U.S. in 1999 to pursue a career as a commercial pilot. His aviation passion began early, inspired by his uncle, an F-104 Starfighter Crew Chief, and his father, a military traffic controller. Childhood adventures included camping outside military bases and watching planes at Aeroporto Linate. In 1999, he relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, to obtain his commercial pilot license, a move that became permanent. With 24 years in the U.S., he now flies full-time for a Part 91 business aviation company in Atlanta. He is actively involved with the Commemorative Air Force, the D-Day Squadron, and other aviation organizations. He enjoys life with his supportive wife and three wonderful children.
I have flown in to Urbana Airport for lunch numerous times and we always walk over to the Champaign restoration hangar to see how they are doing. I only wish is that Mr. Shiffer could be here when it makes it’s first take-off.
Hi,
My name is Mr. Lindsay Rice. Monday April 17th. I went to look at the B-25-s at the Doolittle Reunion. I was looking at the B-25 from Urbana and one of the men told me about the B-17 restoration and was looking for Volunteers. I currently work for U.D. as a aircraft coatings technician at WPAFB. But my background is Aviation Structures/Corrosion & Painting. I have over 24 years Aviation Structures/Corrosion & paint exp. Retired from Springfield ANG worked on F-16 C & D models from 1998-2010, before that-C-141 at March AFB in Ca. Stripped,Painted, stenciled F-14,F-18, C-2,E-2 H-46 etc..at NAS North Island Paint Depot 1987-1998. I have an current FAA Airframe Lic. and am interested in volunteering some time & exp on your B-17 and any other aircraft. Please contact me if you are interested in me. Thank You..
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