Air Zoo

The Air Zoo will restore the condition of a WWII warplane, the Douglas Dauntless SBD-1 (1612), for museum exhibition and educational purposes. Utilized for training in WWII and later recovered from Lake Michigan, the historic warplane will undergo extensive conservation work under the supervision of museum staff. Project staff will engage community volunteers as they conduct efforts to eliminate active corrosion and rebuild elements of the plane. Informed by staff experience with successful restorations of previously submerged aircraft, the project will include comprehensive corrosion removal, installation of metal sheeting and structural components, and cleaning and painting to mitigate the impact of future corrosion.