B-17 - OK--I mentioned to Jim Limburg and Ken Morris that I would write about the B-17 That was purchased for the RF Schools in 1946. I also mentioned it on my radio show this am so am getting quite a response. I will get it done right now.
After the second world war the US ended up with a huge surplus of equipment that had been manufactured specifically for the purpose of winning. A couple of Redwood Falls men, Vince Cervine and E.R. Monson, purchased a B-17 bomber through the RF School district. The sale of this surplus material had to be made by educational facilities. They paid $500.00 for the plane and footed the bill for 1700 gallons of gas to fly it to Redwood.
They, along with Ken Clark, pilot, D.R. Duea, co-pilot, Arthur Corcoran, navigator, Mads Lyndrup, engineer, and Chester Raasch, flew down to Walnut Ridge Arkansas to pick up the aircraft. Upon arriving in Arkansas they found the plane they had purchased was not able to fly so they acquired authorization to pick out another one.
After foul weather delayed their flight to RF for several days they were finally able to take off. They made it to Des Moines and had to land because of bad weather there. They were finally able to take off for Redwood and appeared over the city at 1:25 Sunday afternoon. They performed a perfect landing and taxied to the hanger, erected a fence and let people get a look at the war bird.
The plane was then moved to the entrance of the Redwood Co. fairgrounds to be viewed by the public. It was later decided to get the plane to Memorial Field as a permanent display. A group of men removed the wings and engines and towed the aircraft down hw 19 too a spot just west of the tennis courts. After reinstalling the wings and engines they fired the plane up one more time. The sound was heard around the city.
After the newness wore off the ham radio operators of Redwood stripped the radio gear. Mr. Yackel removed the avionics and the shell of the aircraft was sold to a gentleman from Heron Lake. He transported the aircraft to his community and made it an attraction at his service station.
It was reported that in later years the plane ended up in South America an Eastern Asia flying for small country air forces. This has never been substantiated.
- Gary Revier
![Case 194X - Notice the C & B Auto Parts sign on the building on the right. I remember that sign well, because I used to walk by these building often when I was a youngster and teenager. Note: [This photo was probably taken in the early 1940s. Notice the WWII soldier in uniform on the right. ] - Roger Breckenridge](https://photos.smugmug.com/Redwood-Area/Historical/1940s/i-7qxXGDn/0/3c7e47fe/Ti/Case%20194X-Ti.jpg)
