Willie's Bomber Patch Airport

The airport was a private field whose existence was directly tied to its owner. Its closure was a direct result of the owner's death and the subsequent sale of the unique aircraft it was built to support. With no successor to maintain the strip or operate the aircraft, the land reverted to its primary agricultural use.

The site is currently private agricultural land. High-resolution satellite imagery shows that the land where the northwest/southeast turf runway was located has been fully returned to farming. While the faint outline of the former runway is still discernible, it is no longer maintained or used for aviation. The associated farm buildings to the northwest of the former strip remain.

Willie's Bomber Patch Airport holds a unique place in aviation history as a private, 2,600-foot grass airstrip that served as the home base for a World War II B-25J Mitchell bomber. The owner, farmer Willie Plendl, acquired the bomber (N3442G, named 'Fairfax Ghost') and famously operated it from this modest field in rural Iowa. This was an extraordinary feat, as multi-engine bombers are typically based at large, paved airports. The airport was a landmark for warbird enthusiasts, and Plendl flew the B-25 from this strip to airshows across the United States. The airfield first appeared on aeronautical charts around 1970.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Willie's Bomber Patch Airport. Its purpose was intrinsically linked to its late owner and his specific aircraft. The land is now used for farming, and reopening it as an airfield is considered highly improbable.