the eureka moment comes when art learns that altus army airfield in oklahoma is selling surplus war planesbe precise. >> he said, "you know, i've been kicking around the idea of getting a world war ii bomber and using it as a centerpiece for a gas station." >> jayson scott is art's grandson. >> he thought, "i can end up with a canopy, but i'll also have a roadside attraction that'll draw people to the facility." >> art sets his sights on the right plane, says rob collings, who runs a foundation that organizes living-history events featuring war planes like the b-17. >> it's got a 104-foot wing span, it's 75 feet long, and it has nearly 5,000 horsepower. when this thing was first produced, it was one of the biggest airplanes ever to take to the skies. >> was it very valuable in combat missions? >> yes. heavy bombers, strategic bombers were the most valuable asset that we had. >> so, america builds more than 12,000 b-17s, which drop more than half a million tons of bombs over enemy territory. each plane costs about 200 grand, but the government heavily discounts them in a post-war garage sal