Historic Maine Flyer on display at Des Plaines History Center

The Des Plaines History Center recently announced that a unique piece of Des Plaines aviation is now on display.

Visitors can see the salvaged cockpit of a historic C-54 plane that was built in the Des Plaines area during World War II at the Chicago Douglas Aircraft plant. Financed through a war bond fundraising drive organized by Maine Township High School students, this C-54 was called Maine Flyer.

Pieces from the Maine Flyer cockpit are featured in part of the exhibit "Des Plaines Takes Flight: Aviation, Aviators and Airports in Our Area." This exhibit will be on display through 2021.

Admission to the Des Plaines History Center, 781 Pearson St., Des Plaines, and its exhibits is free, although donations are always appreciated. The History Center is open to the public from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 1-4 p.m. Sundays.

The Maine Flyer was built during World War II at Douglas Aircraft's Chicago plant, located southwest of Higgins and Mannheim roads, the site of today's O'Hare International Airport.

Maine Township High School students raised $551,000 in war bonds over two weeks in December 1944, to fund a C-54 at the Chicago Douglas plant. To honor their fundraising achievement, Douglas gave the students naming rights for the plane. They chose Maine Flyer.

The Maine Flyer was flown by the Navy as a medical air evacuation plane during the final months of World War II. Until recently, little was known about the plane's history after World War II.

Inspired by the story of the Maine Flyer, Len Johnson of Park Ridge spent several years researching the its post-World War II history. He discovered that the plane was housed on an abandoned airfield on a Native American reservation in Arizona.

In the summer of 2019, Johnson salvaged several pieces from the historic plane, including the cockpit's, instrument panel, steering yolk and pilot's seat. Johnson recently loaned these pieces to the History Center as part of the new exhibit.

The Des Plaines History Center, 781 Pearson St., Des Plaines, is supported by the city of Des Plaines, the Des Plaines Park District, its members, and other local business and community contributors.

For information, call (847) 391-5399 or visit www.desplaineshistory.org.

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