April 28, 2025
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Bally Bomber comes in for a landing

Jack Bally of Dixon spent 45 to 50 hours a week for nearly 18 years to build his own one-third-size replica of the B-17G bomber. The one-of-its-kind aircraft will be on display at the Rochelle Municipal Airport on Saturday and will be featured later this month at the biggest aviation showcase in the nation. (Alex T)

Jack Bally of Dixon spent 45 to 50 hours a week for nearly 18 years to build his own one-third-size replica of the B-17G bomber. The one-of-its-kind aircraft will be on display at the Rochelle Municipal Airport on Saturday and will be featured later this month at the biggest aviation showcase in the nation. (Alex T)

Friends and family told Jack he was obsessed with building the plane, so he named it "Obsession." The name appears on two vintage-looking decals – complete with a pin-up girl atop a bomb –on the sides of the plane. (Alex T)

The original B-17G was built for a 10-person crew. Bally's plane is made to hold only the pilot. (Alex T)

The Bally Bomber is a one-third scale replica of the B-17G World War II bomber that Dixon native Jack Bally spent 17 years and 10 months building. (Alex T)