Opposite: The Champaign Lady, a work in progress, is the project that gave the Champaign Aviation Museum its start. Right: Volunteers meticulously work on the details of the Champaign Lady’s restoration. Below: Dave Shiffer poses with the B-17 in the museum’s hangar.
The Shiffers knew they couldn’t do the work all by themselves. So, in January 2006, they placed an ad in the Urbana and Springfield newspapers requesting volunteers to help. On the day of the first volunteer meeting, 30 people showed — and interest has only continued to grow. The family eventually decided to make the B-17 project, now known as Champaign Lady, part of a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and the Champaign Aviation Museum was born in 2007. Located at Grimes Field, the museum showcases multiple World War II-era airplanes and paraphernalia. “All money for the museum comes from donations, most often from visitors, volunteers, and businesses,” says Dave Shiffer, who currently serves as the museum’s executive director. “Those who donate might have a dad, grandfather, or great-uncle who fought in WWII, especially those with a connection to someone who flew in a Flying Fortress.” Shiffer says the museum’s 110 volunteers are primarily from Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, and Kentucky — but some travel even farther. “We’ve had someone come from England for two weeks during the summer for his vacation, and someone from California brought a camper and stayed for a few weeks to work on the B-17,” says Shiffer. Although many of the museum’s dedicated volunteers have an aviation background or a connection to
someone who fought in WWII, it’s certainly not a requirement. “I thought it would be a neat project to help with,” says Ron Faulkner, another Pioneer Electric Cooperative member, who has been volunteering for six years. “I’ve never done anything with aviation, but it’s a fun project and I’m a people person, so I enjoy getting to know the other volunteers.” For Duane Engel, a Pioneer member and board trustee, the project has ignited his interest in updating his pilot’s license. Engel, who has been an active volunteer for more than a year, has been amazed by the connections he’s made with the other volunteers. “It’s like a big family — volunteers come from all over the place with a wide variety of backgrounds and interests,” Engel says. “I enjoy the people and the opportunity to rebuild history.” In 2010, the Shiffers decided to make sure the museum would continue to grow and evolve, so the organization formed an independent board of directors. The eight directors come from all around Ohio. Even with the shift to a board, though, Leah, Andrea, Eric, and Dave Shiffer remain involved, and as they hoped, the museum continues to expand. A capital campaign is underway to build a second hangar to provide additional space to contain all the WWII aircraft in one area. Nearly 10,000 individuals visit the museum annually. Shiffer refers to the Champaign Lady project as a labor of love, estimating that the B-17 project has another four to five years of work before it will be completed. “Not too many people get this close to these kinds of planes on a daily basis,” Dave Shiffer says. “I once had someone tell me, ‘You get to come out here and play with WWII airplanes — you’re living the dream.’” For additional information and videos detailing the Champaign Lady project, visit www.champaignaviationmuseum.org.
FEBRUARY 2020 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 13