Man Spends 40 Years Rebuilding a B-17 'Flying Fortress'
- Editor OGN Daily
- Jun 5
- 2 min read
This restoration isn't just for show. Mike Kellner wants to fly the 'Desert Rat.'
A man in Illinois is on a mission to fully restore a World War II-era B-17 bomber - a project he’s been diligently working on in a roadside barn for the past 40 years. A lifelong aviation enthusiast, Mike Kellner began his journey in high school after hearing that a junkyard in Maine was looking to offload the abandoned remains of the historic bomber. The asking price was “$7,000 or best offer” for a collection of disassembled parts. Kellner loaded the 75-foot aluminum behemoth onto a house trailer and hauled it halfway across the country. It’s lived in his barn ever since.
Kellner has spent countless hours working to restore the plane to its former glory, performing his own repairs, adding finishing touches, and tracking down an array of rare and hard-to-find parts. Unsurprisingly, thanks to his Facebook page, word of his efforts spread, attracting other aviation enthusiasts who have volunteered their time over the years to assist with the restoration.
“It is a piece of history, and I would like the opportunity to fly it,” Kellner told local news outlet WGN.
The B-17 was the most iconic bomber used by the US military during the second World War. Early versions of the B-17 entered production in 1937, but manufacturing ramped up significantly after the U.S. officially entered World War II in 1941, reports Popular Science. The bomber that eventually flew missions behind enemy lines featured four engines - a major upgrade from the then-standard two - and was equipped with a smattering of gun turrets. This cornucopia of munitions, combined with the aircraft’s mammoth size, earned it the nickname 'Flying Fortress.'
It’s unclear how much longer Kellner will need to make his dream of flying the Desert Rat a reality. The task seems like a daunting one for someone working part-time on a shoestring budget but then again, few would have likely predicted he would have made it this far to begin with.
