Warbird Information Exchange

I just got word from one of the pilots at the YAF of the horrible news that the main museum hangar at Yankee Air Force in Willow Run has suffered a major fire as of early tonight. The word is that the B-17, B-25, and the DC-3 were rescued by crews, but it looks pretty bad for the remaining items inside... will post more as I hear more.

Horrible news happening to some of the nicest folks in warbirds... I hope it isn't as bad as it has been reported thus far.

Ryan Keough

darn

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This is terrible news, but at least some of the aircraft were saved. AP article

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Dan Johnson

Just came across this:

Sunday, October 10, 2004

Fire destroys vintage planes at Willow Run Airport

Associated Press


VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP -- A massive fire Saturday evening destroyed a hangar containing vintage aircraft at an airport built by Henry Ford to produce World War II bombers on assembly lines like those used at his automotive plants.

No injuries were reported at the Yankee Air Museum at Willow Run Airport, said Devin Parks, a dispatcher with the Van Buren Township Fire Department in western Wayne County.

The fire at the hangar used by the museum was reported at 6:28 p.m. and was burning out of control more than an hour later, Parks said. Firefighters from a half-dozen local departments were assisting the airport fire department in trying to control the blaze.

A number of Yankee Air Museum-owned aircraft parked near the hangar were not damaged.

The cause of the fire was not known.

The airport 25 miles west of Detroit is owned and operated by the Wayne County Airport Authority. Spokesman Mike Conway did not immediately return a telephone message.

The Yankee Air Museum was founded in 1981 and includes functioning historic aircraft, fixed displays and historic artifacts, according to the museum’s Web site. Its focal point was the 1941 hangar that burned Saturday night.

Construction of the Ford-owned Willow Run plant was completed in September 1941; by the end of 1944 it was producing a bomber an hour. By the end of World War II, Willow Run produced 8,685 B-24 Liberator bombers, the Web site said.

Willow Run Airport is used primarily by cargo, charter and private aircraft.

On the Net:

http://www.detnews.com/2004/metro/0410/09/metro-298585.htm

I don't know if they had them at the museum, but know enough that if you are ANYWHERE that has wood in the mix of construction, they are the cheapest (and most effective) insurance against this type of fire. I really like the crowd out there, and I really hope they can stay on their feet and get through this.

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REMEMBER THE SERGEANT PILOTS!

Very sad news for such a fine organization.

Eric

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The air resounds from the Rolls-Royce roar!
To an enemy the warning is dire: here only eagles soar,
and the last thing he'll see is a mirrored Spitfire!

I just returned from Willow Run...

First off, nobody was hurt in the fire. The B-17, B-25, C-47, AT-11 (not in the building), and V-77(offsite at the time), are safe.

The F-105, C-60, YOV-10A, L-39C, "Flying Flea" Replica, Blackbird homebuilt, and Benson Gyrocopter were all distroyed the the fire. There is NOTHING left of the hanger, the Museum, the Library and all the Artifacts are gone...

Thankfully there were members still around and they were able to remove the B-17, C-47, and B-25 from the hangar.

This is a huge blow to the Yankee Air Museum.

Is this the hangar they were raising funds to replace, because it was deemed a fire hazard ?

Dave

Saw the detroit news tonight very sickened to see the loss of the hangar and aircraft. Hopefully given time they can rebuild! Thankfully they were able to save the three jewels of the collection....

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Cheers,
Peter

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Really sorry to hear about that. I'm very glad I visited the museum and the displays when I did this past August. Very glad to hear that the heavies were saved..............

What a sad, sad loss for everyone Thank God they got out what they did and no one was seriously hurt.

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Victory By Valor (Motto of the 20th Fighter Group)

What a tragedy! I had the pleasure of working on the Grosse Ile shows with Kevin, Mike, Paul, and the rest of the Museum air show Mafia, and I'd finally gotten off my ass and started to help out with a few things at the Museum. Here's hoping that the Museum can rise like Phoenix out of its ashes and recover.

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"Retreat hell! We just got here!"
-CAPT. LLOYD WILLIAMS, USMC

First off - thank heavens no one was hurt. How sad that so many people's efforts should be lost and artefacts gone. This museum deserves special praise for not just concentrating on the higher profile armed aircraft but also on the less represented transport and support machines. It's all the more sad therefore to hear that their Waco glider and Lockheed C-60 were consumed. This is the second C-60 to come to grief in as many weeks (the CAF's latest loss). Let's hope the preservation community and public can rally round to help resurrection of the museum. Our thoughts are with you.

The YOV-10A at the Yankee Air Museum in Michigan was unique in that it was heavily modified by NASA for low-speed test flights, during which they were able to maintain controlled flight at speeds as low as 40 or so knots. They could actually get it down to around 30 kts, but with substantial loss of control.

The hanger is still smoldering as of 11am Sunday, so the museum staff can not get an exact survey of the destruction.
On a brighter note, the C-47 and B-17 were on the ramp, glowing in the morning sun and the B-25 was in the air . A beautiful sight and hopefully a bit of a morale booster!