A man in England has taken his dream of building a unique “man cave” to another level by purchasing an old Boeing 737 aircraft from Facebook Marketplace and burying it in his backyard.
Dave Billings, a 45-year-old resident of Derbyshire, bought the fuselage of a former Bmibaby Boeing 737-500 for £4,000 (approximately ₹5 lakh), according to a report by the BBC. He then used a massive crane to lower the three-tonne aircraft cabin into a 14-foot-deep hole in the garden of his home in Hilton, Derbyshire.
Billings plans to transform the aircraft into an underground entertainment space, which will eventually connect to an existing underground room beneath his garden, as per the outlet.
How did he come up with the idea?
Billings, who runs the YouTube channel Tornado Dave, said he first came across the aircraft listing on Facebook Marketplace and was immediately intrigued by the possibility of buying it. “I thought, you know what? I could buy that, but what I’m gonna do with it?” he recalled.
When he shared the idea with a friend, the response was less than encouraging, with the friend describing it as “silly”. However, his 7-year-old son was enthusiastic about the purchase. “He says, ‘dad, you’ve got to buy that’. I’m like ‘OK’,” Billings said.
{{/usCountry}}When he shared the idea with a friend, the response was less than encouraging, with the friend describing it as “silly”. However, his 7-year-old son was enthusiastic about the purchase. “He says, ‘dad, you’ve got to buy that’. I’m like ‘OK’,” Billings said.
{{/usCountry}}His wife, Beth, was initially sceptical too, questioning why he wanted to buy “a pile of junk”. However, Billings remained determined to go ahead with the project.
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What was his biggest challenge?
One of Billings’ biggest challenges was figuring out how to transport the aircraft. “The worst thing if you’re buying a Boeing 737 is how do you go and get it?” he said.
Fortunately, another friend offered to help load the aircraft, allowing the ambitious project to move forward.
According to the BBC, on October 20, Billings used a large crane to lower the aircraft fuselage into the hole in his garden. Five volunteers assisted with the operation, along with the crane operators. The entire process was documented from multiple angles, including footage captured using a GoPro-style camera attached to the crane. Billings, who runs storage and fabrication businesses, also used a 3D printer to create a scale model showing how the aircraft would connect to his existing underground room.
Recalling his first impression of the aircraft, he said its actual size was far larger than he had imagined from the online photographs. “It was massive. I thought it’s such a good room size. Sometimes things are too narrow, but the plane width is absolutely perfect,” he said.
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What are his plans for the ‘man cave’?
Billings hopes to transform the buried aircraft into a recreational space, potentially featuring gaming machines and other entertainment facilities. However, he admitted that the cabin would not be wide enough to accommodate a pool table.
He also plans to apply for retrospective planning permission for the project and hopes to complete the underground space by February.
The aircraft itself has an interesting history. Built in 1993, the Boeing 737-500 previously carried holidaymakers from East Midlands Airport to destinations including Alicante, Malaga and Faro. It made its final flight in 2013.