After four decades of detailed labor, a rare World War II B-17E Flying Fortress is taking shape inside a Marengo barn.
Thanks to arrangements made by member Don Stein, Sun City’s Veterans Charter Club recently toured the facility. The visit offered members a rare opportunity to see a legendary aircraft come back to life through years of devoted craftsmanship.
As they viewed the massive volunteer restoration project, the veterans reflected on deep history, terrifying wartime realities, and the local spirit driving the effort.
Mike Kellner welcomed the group to view his progress on the exceptional, long-term project.
“By the time I was 18, my ultimate dream was to fly one of these incredible machines,” Kellner said. “My passion was completely ignited as a kid by a suggestion of a teacher who thought I would enjoy the television show, 12 O’clock High. B-17 squadrons handled those missions.”
Driven by that lasting passion, Kellner — a licensed private pilot — set out for Maine in 1984 and purchased the fragmented aircraft.
“This plane is a B-17E Flying Fortress, an early, rare variant of the famous bomber,” Kellner explained. “Only 512 of these specific E-models were ever built out of the 12,731 total B-17s produced during the war.”
Unlike the later mass-produced models that flooded into Europe, this exact airframe never saw overseas combat. Instead, it spent its wartime years serving domestically as a training aircraft.
That history makes the aircraft an uncommon artifact today. Out of nearly 13,000 Flying Fortresses constructed, only about 45 intact airframes survive worldwide, with fewer than 10 still airworthy. Kellner’s project is one of the few early-variant E-models left.
Restoring this piece of history has consumed more than forty years of Kellner’s life, growing from a personal dream into a powerful community mission.
Transporting and housing the 75-foot bomber presented a massive logistical challenge. Over the years, the project required Kellner to move the aircraft across five distinct locations — including stints in storage at local airfields like Galt Airport.
Eventually, the project found its permanent home inside his Marengo barn. While cleaning decades of grime from the craft, Kellner uncovered a piece of the plane’s forgotten identity: two historically painted names, Desert Rat and Tangerine.
The tour left a deep impression on the visiting veterans, who noted both the project’s enormous scale and the speed of recent work.
“Our last visit was in 2025, and after visiting this year, we can see that Mike Kellner has achieved substantial progress in this amazing feat of building an authentic B-17 bomber from World War II,” said veteran Dino Micheli, Communications Secretary for the charter club.
“Being retired now gives him more time to complete his mission,” Micheli added. “Mike has amassed a significant body of knowledge about the B-17 bomber and its military role. We have members in our Veterans Club who know people with a history of working on B-17s during their military service, which makes it even more special to many of us.”
Micheli noted that the project relies heavily on community backing to cross the finish line. “Mike Kellner definitely needs financial help and physical assistance from anyone interested in helping him complete this dream of his,” Micheli said. “He has been very accommodating not only to our group but also to many other groups who wish to tour his facility in Marengo, Illinois, to witness his lifelong goal. We are excited about our next trip and someday celebrating with him the completion of his journey.”
Beyond the main aircraft construction, the workshop features other historical displays that fascinated the visitors. Club member Gloria Biancofiori said “Kellner’s work is remarkable,” noting that the group saw a WWII flight simulator and the ball turret that will eventually be added to the B-17E.
For other members, seeing these structural components up close put the disturbing reality of wartime service into sharp focus.
“Seeing this almost 100-year-old WWII war bird was fascinating,” said veteran Norm Ost, remarking on the 1940s-era bomber. “Although in parts waiting for final assembly and then flight again, I was drawn to the belly turret—how small, how confining, and how potentially dangerous.”
The visual immediately brought back personal reflections for Ost.
“This genuinely brought back some memories as I lived through WWII as a child,” Ost said. “Flying this war beast again may bring the history back to our grandchildren and great-grandchildren.”
To follow the restoration news or to support the project with donations or volunteer labor, search for the official B-17E Desert Rat Restoration Facebook page.
