03 February 2023 , 14:58
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Devastated after losing her home to a fire, a woman picked herself up and renovated an old Boeing 727 to live in.
Jo Ann Ussery bought the old passenger plane, which was on its way to the scrapyard, and shipped it to a plot of land she already owned.
She spent six months making the plane liveable, doing most of the work herself, which meant she spent less than $30,000 on the project.
In the end she had a fully-functioning home, complete with three bedrooms, two bathrooms and even a hot tub where the cockpit used to be.
The beautician from Benoit, Mississippi, embarked on the project following a casual suggestion from her brother-in-law, an air traffic controller.
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Jo Ann Ussery relaxes in a hot tub in the cockpit of her plane (Corbis via Getty Images)She lived in the plane from 1995 to 1999 when it was sadly destroyed after accidentally falling off the back of truck while being moved to a new location, where it would have sat for public display.
Ms Ussery's renovation of the plane went on to inspire other plane enthusiasts.
Reading her story in the late 1990s electrical engineer Bruce Campbell was awed.
Recalling the moment, he said: "I was driving home and listening to [the radio,] and they had Jo Ann's story, and it was amazing I didn't drive off the road because my focus turned entirely to it. And the next morning I was placing phone calls."
The bedroom in the converted plane (Getty Images)Mr Campbell has now been living in his own Boeing 727 for over 20 years in Hillsboro, Oregon, US.
He said: "I still stand on Jo Ann's shoulder and I'm grateful for the proof of concept."
He continued: "I would never live in a conventional home. No chance. If Scotty beamed me to inner Mongolia, erased my fingerprints and forced me to live in a conventional structure, I'd do what I have to do to survive -- but otherwise, it's a jetliner for me anytime."
He spent $220,000 in total ($380,000 in modern terms), of which around half was for the purchase of the plane.
The plane used to belong to Greek firm Olympic Airways and was a part of history for that company.
It was used to transport the remains of the airline's owner Aristotle Onassis but was later left to degrade.
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Because of this, Mr Campbell had loads of work to do before it was liveable.
The kitchen on the plane (The LIFE Images Collection via Getty Images)It's fairly Spartan inside with the shower made out of a plastic cylinder.
Pre-pandemic he would go to Japan during the winter where he owns a small apartment but since travel restrictions were introduced he's stayed all year round in the plane.
He enjoyed the project so much he hoped to buy another plane to renovate in Japan. Sadly the deal fell through.
Back at his Oregon plane, he often hosts and lets people lodge free of charge. He even enjoys holding mini festivals with the artists performing on the wing.