Warbird Information Exchange

Last winter volunteers began the restoration of a P-40 fighter plane in the Dakota Territory Air Museum in Minot. That work is continuing and when the project is finished, the plane will be the centerpiece of the museum's Oswin H. Elker Memorial Wing, named in honor of the late World War II fighter pilot.

As their schedules allow, Darrel Kerzmann, Minot, and 1st Lt. Justin Shetter and Tech. Sgt. Tim Lett, both of Minot Air Force Base, work on the plane.

Kerzmann said the plane is the type of aircraft that Oswin Elker flew in World War II.

"It's the type of aircraft that he flew in China," he said.

Elker, a native of Surrey, served with the 75th Fighter Squadron of the Flying Tigers in the 14th Air Force Division during World War II.

Kerzmann heads the restoration project. "But if it weren't for Tim and Justin we wouldn't be where we're at right now," said Kerzmann, a museum board member.

The plane was donated to the museum by Ron Fagen of Granite Falls, Minn. Fagen owns Warhawks Inc., an aircraft restoration business, and Fagen Inc., a construction business.

When they began the project "the fuselage was here, the wings were here, and the landing gears, as you see, were in a crate," Kerzmann said.

"So the airplane was basically disassembled and that's what we're taking on now we're putting it back together. We're putting it back together with the pieces we have and those we don't have or wouldn't be able to purchase, we're going to fabricate," Kerzmann said.

Shetter and Lett, both on active duty in the Air Force, and Kerzmann, with Civil Service at the base, work on the project on Saturday and other days when their time permits.

"It takes a dedicated effort," Kerzmann said.

Kerzmann is retired from the Air Force where he was in aircraft maintenance. He was on active duty for 25 years and for the past several years has been with Civil Service with the maintenance group at the base. He works for Air Force Engineering and Technical Services, or AFETS.

With all their experience combined Lett's training in sheet metal, Shetter's experience in aircraft maintenance and Kerzmann's experience the restoration project is coming together.

Very fitting to their project of restoring a World War II aircraft, this past Saturday when the three were working on the project four Canadian visitors who were in town stopped by the museum. Kerzmann, Shetter and Lett gave them a tour of the museum. During the visit they learned that two of the visitors, John Yeomans and Weldon Moffatt, were bomber pilots in World War II. Yeomans, a former prisoner of war, flew the Lancaster bomber for the Royal Air Force, was shot down over Germany and became a prisoner of war 66 years ago that day. Weldon Moffatt flew a Halifax bomber for the Canadian Air Force. All are from Regina, Sask.

The P-40 will not be restored for flying, Kerzmann said. "The aircraft will be put back together only for static display," he said.

When they will finish the project is not definite.