By Jim Chybicki
Just southwest of Chicago, in the city of Bolingbrook, sits a small but vibrant “international” airfield: Clow Airport (1C5). Opened in the 1960s by farmer and aviator Boyd Clow, the airport is now owned by the city and remains a welcoming hub for pilots, students, and aviation enthusiasts. Clow is home to JWA’s FBO and flight school, Charlie’s Restaurant, EAA Chapter 461, and the Illinois Aviation Museum, which occupies Hangar 1 and the adjoining tarmac. Visitors can explore an impressive lineup of Cold War aircraft, including a T-2 Buckeye, A-4 Skyhawk, T-33 Shooting Star, and a Beech 18. Inside the museum, highlights include a Vietnam-era UH-1 Huey, a Link Trainer, scale WWI replicas, interactive exhibits, and artifacts saved from the former Chanute AFB Museum. The museum is a favorite among families, young aviation enthusiasts, and participants in EAA 461’s monthly Young Eagles flights.
Beside the museum sits Hangar 2—home to a remarkable collection of privately owned historic aircraft and artifacts. This is where a small group of friends, bound by their passion for aviation history, gathers each weekend. Visitors often describe stepping into Hangar 2 as a memorable experience: big band music drifting through open doors, sunlight glinting off polished metal surfaces, and multiple vintage aircraft from the 1930s and 1940s greeting them at once. The group welcomes all who wander in, offering personal tours and sharing the stories and craftsmanship behind each aircraft. They proudly call this immersive, hands-on visit the “Hangar 2 Experience.”
Inside Hangar 2 rests an extraordinary lineup of historical aircraft. The oldest is a flying 1939 Howard DGA-11, one of only four ever built and the last surviving example, owned by the Howard Aircraft Association and cared for by Howard Bohl and the Hangar 2 team. Nearby, a 1942 Stinson L-5 Observer is undergoing an extensive restoration; its wings and flight controls are complete, while the fuselage is being cleaned and rebuilt under the care of Robert Coon. One of the hangar’s crown jewels is a 1943 Fairchild UC-61K Forwarder, a documented World War II RAF veteran painstakingly restored between 2001 and 2019. Now flying as N24FM, it earned recognition at EAA AirVenture 2019, taking home Best WWII Transport, a Silver Wrench, and a Judges Appreciation Award.
Two rare aircraft wait patiently for their turn in the restoration queue. The first is a 1943 Howard DGA-15, also known in Navy service as the NH-1 Nightingale. The second is a 1945 Percival Proctor Mk. 5, believed to be the last surviving example in the western hemisphere. Rescued from a pole barn in Lowell, Indiana, in 2020, it is displayed in its authentic “barn find” condition. Rounding out the flying fleet are a 1946 North American Navion, painted in Navy blue and based at Clow for more than 25 years under caretaker Howard Bohl, and a 1946 Ercoupe 415-C, an early fabric-wing version with no rudder pedals, maintained by Daniel Christine.
Beyond the aircraft, Hangar 2 contains an impressive array of historical aviation displays. Visitors can examine a World War II rotating beacon, a 1920s–30s airmail airway beacon, an assortment of early aviation propellers from the 1920s through the 1950s, and engines such as a Pratt & Whitney R-985 and a Ranger currently undergoing restoration. More than 100 detailed 1/48th-scale aircraft models fill several cases, complemented by aviation artwork, posters, and memorabilia decorating the walls.
The caretakers of Hangar 2—Robert Coon, James Chybicki, Robert McConnell, Howard Bohl, and Dan Christine—proudly maintain these aircraft and displays. Every weekend, the doors open to the public at no charge, providing a rare opportunity to explore aviation history up close. For many visitors, the experience is more than a tour; it is a step back in time, lovingly preserved by volunteers dedicated to keeping the legacy of vintage flight alive.
