Page 6 - eagle010721

PAGE 6 ASSOCIATED NEWSPAPERS OF MICHIGAN January 7, 2021

PLYMOUTH
PLYMOUTH

Air borne

Renovations to historic World

War II plane nearly completed

A bit of history has been maintenance crew had been
revisited at the Yankee Air working on mechanical compo-
Museum in Belleville. nents of the plane throughout
The treasured B-25 is fully the day. They reinstalled
repainted to the original colors ailerons and other panels on the
it wore when it emerged from a plane. These parts were
North American Aviation removed and painted separately
assembly plant in Kansas City 77 during the project. The eleva-
years ago. The plane now tors, which control the planes
reflects the role the aircraft ascent and descent will be
played in American in history as weighed and balanced at the
a combat veteran flying out of Willow Run air base before
Corsica in the Mediterranean being reinstalled.
Theater of Operations. The re- “Just like in World War II, the
paint project, courtesy of Kalitta last official paint to go on the
Air, begun in December is now plane, are the '9C' squadron
complete, museum officials identification markings on the
said. tail, said Walsh. “These were
“It looks fantastic,” said applied, and the paint job is
Kevin Walsh, president and complete.”
CEO of Yankee Air Museum. “I Walsh said that over the next
am very anxious to see it out- couple of weeks museum The new paint job on the Yankee Air Museum B-25 aircraft was recently completed at the Kalitta Air
doors, in natural light. The mechanics will return with the Hangar in Oscoda, above, while below, officials and volunteers watch as the work progesses.
Kalitta Air team has delivered a balanced elevators, reinstall Run. year.” “Yankee Air Museum salutes
remarkable, authentic paint them and complete a series of “Our B-25 did not have any Walsh said the B-25 will Conrad “Connie” Kalitta with
job.” mechanical inspections. He nose art, or a name when it was honor history, and fly to air great appreciation and thanks
Walsh looked back to said the plane will need to have in the war,” said Walsh. “We will shows this summer to educate everyone at Kalitta Air for mak-
Monday, Dec. 28 when the engine runs and a test flight name it and get an artist to paint people about the gallantry of the ing this project possible,” con-
Yankee Air Museum's B-25 before it ferries home, to Willow period correct nose art later this Greatest Generation. cluded Walsh.
Volunteers are thanked

The B-25 repainting project 25 project members are recog-
could not have been accom- nized: Paul Hakala, chief of
plished without a crew of volun- maintenance; Angel Estrada, B-
teers who travelled to Oscoda, 25 crew chief; and volunteers:
spent a few overnights, and took Grant Schwartz, Darrel Bazman,
time away from their families Brian Gawronski, Rich Koski,
this holiday season, said Kevin Nick Consiglio, Tim Wedig, Eric
Walsh, president and CEO of Esckelson, Luke Noble, Bob
Yankee Air Museum. Bailey, Joe Provost, Gene
“Like many non-profit organi- Wedekemper, Justin Walsh and
zations, Yankee Air Museum Patrick Trevas. The B-25 pilots
could not fulfill its mission with- for this mission, flying without
out the time, skills and labor heat in the cockpit, were Mike
donated to it by volunteers. With Vetter and Delane Buttacavoli,”
heartfelt appreciation, these B- he added.
Lightfest

FROM PAGE 1

said, which may have accounted
for some of the problems.
Historically the event averaged
around 1,800 cars on Friday,
Saturday and Sunday nights.
This year the event averaged
around 3,800 vehicles each
night it was open.
As a result, officials said,
there has been a great deal of
traffic backing up onto
Merriman Road and there have
been backups as far south as
Ford Road and as far north as
Plymouth Road affecting
Westland, Garden City and
Livonia. The backups are not a
result of traffic getting into the
park, but the volume of cars
actually inside the event, offi-
cials said. The traffic flow inside
the event is constant and slow
moving.
Previously, the Lightfest
route took visitors down
Merriman to Hawthorn Drive,
then to Hawthorn Park Drive,
then onto eastbound Hines
Drive. In an effort to alleviate
the traffic problems, the route
was altered to send traffic onto
Hines Drive. The route will first
travel west on Hines to Nankin
Mills. Vehicles will then loop
around back onto eastbound
Hines. This will allow approxi-
mately 1 mile of traffic inside
the park rather than on
Merriman Road.
Officials said last week that
the changes had shown “a great
improvement.”
Another neighbor who lives
on Ann Arbor Trail said that
cars were parked in the center
lane waiting to enter the exhibit
which prevented residents from
turning into or out of subdivi-
sions or driveways. Nearby resi-
dent Alyson Tusek called the sit-
uation earlier this month a
“nightmare.”
More than 20 other nearby
residents posted complaints
and accounts of the traffic tie
ups on social media.
Wayne County officials did
not issue any plan for route
changes or comment on the situ-
ation by press time this week.