1910s: Curtiss “Jenny” JN–4 

The Curtiss JN-4, affectionately known as “Jenny,” were the first planes to be used for training at Chanute Field. They arrived on July 18, 1917, and could travel over sixty miles per hour. This plane trained 90% of the pilots in World War I. Following the war, the surplus planes were sold to the public and captured their imaginations. Interest in American aviation grew, and many stunt pilots used JN-4s for their performances. The Chanute Aerospace Museum housed a replica of the Jenny constructed by museum volunteers in 1995.

1920s: Douglas World Cruiser 

In 1924, four Douglas World Cruisers attempted to make a trip around the world. The expedition was led by General Frederick Martin, who was accompanied by mechanic Sgt. Alva Harrey, both from Chanute Field. The plane itself had minimal technology, and the airmen relied on a compass, altimeter, and turn and bank indicator. Unfortunately, Martin's World Cruiser the Seattle, crashed early on in the voyage. However, two of the remaining Douglas World Cruisers completed the mission, and the United States was the first country to travel the 27,553 miles around the world in 175 days. 

1930s: Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress 

Created to "carry the War to the enemy's homeland," 12,500 Flying Fortresses were produced during World War II. Chanute Field used the planes for pilot, electrical, radio, and ground crew training. Most notable was the plane Calamity Jane that was put on display in July 1945 when she returned from the South Pacific. Sergeant Maynard Smith received the Medal of Honor for flying B-17s during WWII and saving his crew on his first mission.  

1940s: Boeing B-24 Liberator 

The B-24s were set to replace the B-17s and arrived at Chanute Field on August 4, 1944. These planes mainly flew over Northern Africa and Italy. Since WWII, it has become a highly recognized plane and immortalized through passion and poetry. 

1950s: Boeing B-47 Stratojet 

Chanute Air Force Base served as the home to a B-47 display aircraft that was the second B-47 ever built. The aircraft arrived at the base in 1951. It is recognizable because of its swept-back wing style. B-47s implemented jet propulsion to reach high speeds and high altitudes. This made it extremely powerful for nonstop long-distance travel. One B-47 flew the same distance of around the world 20 times without any over-haul of its engines. 

1960s: Boeing B-52 Stratofortress 

The B-52 Stratofortress was a long-range strategic bomber. Its large fuel capacity enabled it to make extended flights without refueling. It was extremely adaptable to new technology and continued to be used long after the Vietnam War. The aircraft could carry so much fuel that before landing at Chanute Air Force Base, one B-52 made five different approaches to burn up excess fuel. The plane was used at Chanute for training purposes. 

1970s: McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle 

Major General Peter D. Robinson was a Commanding Officer at Chanute Air Force Base who was extremely familiar with flying and working on F-15s with over 3,000 flying hours. He played a significant role as the Chief of Standardization and Evaluation Division when the air force transitioned from F-4s to F-15s. This aircraft was designed for one man air-to-air combat and was the first U.S. aircraft to be able to increase speed while doing a vertical climb. 

1980s: Mcdonnell Douglas                       F-4C Phantom 

Originally produced in the late 1950s, F-4C Phantoms saw two decades of use as reconnaissance aircraft. At one time, they were the fastest reconnaissance aircraft in the Air Force. Phantoms were later used at Chanute Air Force Base throughout the 1980s for different types of training, including fuel systems and parachute.   

1990s: General Dynamics                        F-111 Aardvark 

Originally introduced in the mid-1960s, this aircraft was actively used until its retirement in 1998. Throughout its career, the aircraft served as a tactical fighter for the Navy and the Air Force. It was an ideal plane for nasty weather conditions and had immense accuracy in the dark. F-111s were used at Chanute Air Force Base through the 1990s for training. They were heavily featured in maintenance courses.  

Citation: 

This exhibit was created by Kevin Adams and Rosemary Froeliger in Spring 2020. 

The information for this exhibit was gathered from the Chanute Collection at the Champaign County Historical Archives. Information and materials were pulled from the following collections: 

• Aircraft Subject Files  
• Personnel Boxes: Jamieson files 

• Clubs and Committees Collection 
• Photograph Collection 
• Commanding Officers Subject Files  
• 75 Year Pictorial History Collection 

If you have any questions or would like to view materials from the Chanute Collection, please reach out to the Champaign County Historical Archives!