Yankee Air Museum Hangar Destroyed, Some Warbirds Saved
The good news is that the Yankee Air Museum's B-17G, B-25D and
C-47 -- its most prized possessions -- were saved from a fire that
raced through the organizations hanger near Ypsilanti (MI). The bad
news: the hangar and the aircraft that were in it, were totally
destroyed.
Smoke from the fire could reportedly be seen from 10 miles away,
as evidenced by ANN news spies who were lightning-quick in getting
to us details of the tragedy. Seven different fire departments
responded to the Saturday night fire, but could do little more than
watch the hangar burn, according to authorities on the scene at the
Willow Run Airport.
Lost in the blaze were an OV-10 which was just days from coming
out of the restoration process; an L-60 Lodestar; a CG-4 troop
transport glider; an HM-293 "Flying Flea;" a homebuilt biplane and
a Benson gyroplane. Also lost to the fire was an F-105 which, at
one time, flew with the USAF Thunderbirds.
Some 20 other aircraft on static ramp display were untouched by
the flames and smoke. But the museum's hangar displays, featuring
uniforms and photographs, as well as its library, were burned to
the ground.
"Oh my God," gasped museum president Jon Stevens, who told the
Ann Arbor Daily News that he got word of the fire while attending a
social gathering.
His marketing director, Brian Higgins, was celebrating his
birthday when he got the call. "I've aged a little bit more
tonight," he told the Daily News after rushing to the Willow Grove
Airport. "The reaction of the (museum) members out here is that
we're sad but we'll come back, better than ever."
The Heroes
Stevens said the fire was discovered by a B-25 crew returning
from a tour of the autumn foliage. He said they smelled smoke and
very quickly got the B-17G, B-25D and C-47 out of the hangar before
it was engulfed in flames.
"God bless the people who helped get those air crafts out," said
Higgins. "They are heroes."
The hangar was built by Henry Ford in 1941 to produce B-24
Liberators. It was taken over by the museum in 1981. The 50,000
square-foot facility was to be the subject of a $55 million fund
drive for renovation and restoration.
"In some ways we'll start over, but starting over with a lot
more than the original founders," Stevens told the Daily News. "I
have too much sweat equity in that place, as do a lot of other good
people. We'll figure a way to rebuild it."
(ANN is EXTREMELY grateful to the
many news spies who provided us with details and, in some cases,
running commentaries on the fire and its aftermath. You are the
backbone of our publication and you have our sincere admiration for
the way you've kept us up to date on this story.
--ed.)