Museum of the Air Zoo
The planes' recovery from the bottom of Lake Michigan was only the beginning of a lengthy procedure. The restoration period is just as long, if not longer. A number of the salvaged blueprints have found new homes at the Air Zoo Museum. In Kalamazoo, Michigan, this aviation museum and indoor amusement park has been refurbishing and showcasing antique and uncommon aircraft. The restoration process was exhibited on the exhibit floor rather than in a black box. “We want our community to not only see it and see it evolve, but we also want them to participate in it,” said Air Zoo CEO Troy Thrash. Despite the fact that they have their hands full with the two planes they are rebuilding, Greg Ward, Air Zoo Aircraft Conservator, is concerned about the significant risk the planes face in the lake.
The clock is ticking
The circumstances beneath Lake Michigan's waters preserved the planes admirably. However, the airplane at the lake's bottom is threatened by an invasive species: freshwater mussels. “When these planes come out of the water, they're coated in mussel shells on the inside and out, and they're living animals,” Greg Ward explained. “They are invasive species introduced into Lake Michigan that cause corrosion.” He is anxious that the planes that are still on the lake's bottom, covered in mussels, are running out of time. “It's now virtually an urgency to find money and recover these planes before they turn to dust underwater.” A&T Recovery and the Air Zoo will continue to strive to pull the planes out of the water, but financing is required to save these historic jets.