One Of The Homebuilt Community Most Notable Builders Completed Lifelong Dream Just A Few Years Ago

What a shame.... just a few years after the completion of an incredible one-third scale B-17 project and barely two years after it got to take a well-deserved bow at Oshkosh, Bally Bomber Builder/Creator Jack Bally passed away.

Nearly twenty years in the making, Bally said that the idea was born over "too much beer one night with a bunch of buddies" as they talked about what kind of airplane they could build that would be the only one of its kind. They settled on the B-17, because as far as they knew, there were no flying 4-engine scale models WWII airplanes. They had originally intended to build a B-24, but that airplane would not scale properly.

Jack Bally was 79.

His obit notes that Jack Allen Bally, 79, of Dixon, passed away Sunday, June 21, 2020, at Katherine Shaw Bethea Hospital, Dixon, IL. Jack worked for the Local Carpenter's Union for many years prior to his retirement.

Jack was born August 9, 1940, in Dixon, IL, the son of Lucian and Avis Justine (Atkinson) Bally. He married Carolyn Beckingham on December 31, 1977, in Oregon, IL. He served in the United States Army from 1962-1964. He enjoyed woodworking, traveling and flying planes. Jack had his instructor and private flying license. He built many planes through out his retirement, his latest being the Bally Bomber B17G 1/3 scale.

Jack is survived by his wife of 43 years Carolyn, three sons, Jack (Tammy) Bally Jr. of Melbourne, FL, Jeffrey Bally of Dixon, Jaimie (Michelle) Bally of Dixon ; step-son, Bill (Mikki) Snapp of Spring Green, WI; step-daughter, Penny (Henry "Hank") Ebert of Leaf River; eight grandchildren; four great- grandchildren, one sister, Josephine (Robert ) Conley and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother Ed Bally and one sister Lorraine Siefkin.

There will be no services. Memorials may be directed to American Heart Association.

FMI: www.ballybomber.com, www.prestonschilling.com/obituaries/Jack--Allen-Bally?obId=15143272#/obituaryInfo