As an avgeek, it is always a sad day when an aircraft makes its last flight. However, just because a plane can no longer fly doesn’t mean that its days of bringing joy to the masses are over. Indeed, many old aircraft find themselves repurposed for various ground-based leisure activities, such as a certain Boeing KC-97 in Colorado.


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What was the KC-97?

The KC-97 ‘Stratofreighter’ was a strategic tanker aircraft produced by Boeing in the early to mid-1950s. While the Second World War had long since finished by this point, the company churned these aircraft out at a considerable, almost wartime-like speed, with over 800 examples produced between 1951 and 1956.

The type was initially ordered by the United States Air Force and later went on to serve the Spanish and Israeli militaries. After a lengthy career that lasted almost three decades, the last KC-97 was retired in 1978. The USAF replaced the type with the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker, derived from the 367-80 model that also served as the prototype for the commercial 707.

The Boeing KC-97 parked at the airplane Restaurant in Colorado Springs.

Photo: Rosemarie Mosteller | Shutterstock

While the type hasn’t flown in service for 45 years, many examples remain in preservation on static display. However, just outside Colorado Springs Airport (COS), one particular business has gone beyond simply displaying its example. Indeed, as pictured above, The Airplane Restaurant has incorporated a 1953-built Boeing KC-97 into its hospitality offerings, as we shall now explore.

A restaurant like few others

According to the restaurant’s website, the facility has the capacity to seat an impressive 275 guests at any one time. The majority of these are accommodated in its main indoor dining areas, but 42 lucky diners are able to eat at tables located within the vintage aircraft itself. The restaurant is open daily from 11:00 until 20:00, with the opening hours on Fridays and Saturdays extending to 21:00.

Uncover Colorado reports that it has been over two decades since the aircraft was converted for use in the restaurant, which opened in 2002. The plane is just one of many aviation-related items located on the restaurant’s premises, with the facility’s website noting that by “displaying hundreds of pictures, memorabilia and rare artifacts (…) it offers a flight through aviation history.”

The Boeing KC-97 parked at the airplane Restaurant in Colorado Springs.

Photo: EQRoy | Shutterstock

A quick look at Tripadvisor shows that, while the restaurant seems to serve relatively standard American diner-style food, the dishes have aviation twists to their names. These include Runway Crunchy Chicken Strips, which are “seasoned, like a fighter pilot,” as well as Air Tower Nachos and a Flying Fortress Fajita Salad.

Away from Colorado Springs, several other aircraft have also been converted to serve as unlikely restaurant venues. These include a McDonnell Douglas DC-10 in Ghana, a Boeing 707 in Palestine, and an Airbus A320 in India. Needless to say, for avgeeks who love their food, there are surely few better places to visit!

What do you make of this restaurant? Have you ever visited it or a similar facility? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments!

Sources: Air Mobility Command Museum, The Airplane Restaurant, Tripadvisor, Uncover Colorado

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