Sun, Oct 10, 2004
Historic museum at Willow Run Airport (MI) reported on
fire
A few minutes before
press time one of our news spies sent us a tip about a fire at the
Yankee Air Force Museum at Willow Run Airport, Ypsilanti (MI). The
tip was confirmed by the West Bloomfield Fire Department duty
officer as well as Lt. Evans of the Detroit Metro Airport Fire
Department. Lt. Evans also told ANN that multiple fire departments
have responsibility for that location.
We tried to locate someone at the airport who could tell us the
extent of the fire, as well as other details, but apparently the
staff was, understandably, at the scene of the fire and could not
be reached.
The Yankee Air Force Museum is focused around a historic 1941
hangar at Willow Run Airport where B-24 Liberator bombers were once
produced, and was initially formed in 1981. The museum includes
several examples of historic aircraft in flying condition, as well
as several static display aircraft and artifacts. They have over
3,000 members spread out all over the world.
The Willow Run Airport is a historic facility initially built by
Henry Ford's company to produce heavy aircraft. Construction began
in 1941 and by 1944 the plant was rolling out one new bomber every
hour of every day. A total of 8,685 B-24 Liberator bombers were
produced at the plant.
(Literally seconds before we closed the Sunday edition,
ANN received some very welcome news from news spy Dan
Johnson. It appears the museum hangar has burned down,
but the museum's B-25D, B-17G, and C-47 may have
been saved. ANN would appreciate any further updates,
confirmation of the status of the aircraft and/or pictures
from eyewitnesses -- send them to editor@aero-news.net -
JJ)
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