It has been quite some time since the last update on the B-17 Alliance Foundation’s remarkable effort to restore Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress 44-85790 Lacey Lady in Salem, Oregon. HERE is our last restoration update. A recent article is in progress and should be published soon. Better known as the “gas station bomber,” this B-17 has been under slow but steady restoration for much of the past decade. Many still remember its iconic presence mounted above a gas station on U.S. Highway 99 (back when it was a U.S. highway) in Milwaukie, Oregon, a small community just south of Portland.
Like many 501(c)(3) organizations, the B-17 Alliance Foundation has worked tirelessly and creatively to raise the funds necessary to support such a demanding restoration. In the aviation world, a World War II-themed big band dance is often a reliable way to generate interest and funding. This is exactly what on Saturday, December 7 from 5:30 pm to 9:00 pm, the Salem, Oregon-based nonprofit is counting on (Click HERE).
The B-17 Lacey Lady was one of the last produced during WWII, logging only 50 flight hours with no combat history. Purchased in 1947 by Oregon entrepreneur Art Lacey for $15,000, the aircraft became a landmark attraction atop Lacey’s Milwaukie Gas Station near Portland. For decades, it drew visitors and became a cultural icon. However, years of exposure to weather and souvenir hunters caused significant damage to the airframe, prompting the Lacey family to remove it from display and initiate restoration efforts.
In 2006, the nonprofit B-17 Alliance was formed to oversee the restoration process. By 2014, the organization had raised sufficient funds to dismantle the aircraft and move it off the pylons into a hangar. Active restoration work began in 2015, with the Alliance aiming to complete the project by 2035. With fewer than a dozen airworthy B-17s remaining, the preservation of this iconic bomber is of significant historical importance. HERE you can read all our articles about this incredible story.
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To support the restoration and related educational programs, the B-17 Alliance Foundation is hosting a fundraising event featuring a live swing band. According to Terry Scott, the foundation’s executive director, the event also serves as a thank-you to volunteers. Tickets start at $150, with all proceeds benefiting the aircraft restoration and the foundation’s educational and preservation initiatives. For more information, visit www.b17alliance.com
