A 7-year passion project – preserving a family legacy and aviation history

Hi everyone,
 
My name is Nils Alegren, and I’m reaching out to the aviation community, history lovers, and everyone who believes in keeping the legacy of flight alive.
 
For the past seven years, I’ve been pouring my heart into restoring something truly unique:
The original cockpit of Lufthansa’s Boeing 707 “D-ABOD” – the very aircraft that my father flew as a pilot and my mother served on as a stewardess.
 
This isn’t just any restoration – it’s personal. It’s a tribute to both my family’s aviation history and one of the most iconic airliners ever built. My goal: to transform this cockpit into a fully functional flight simulator, so that future generations can experience the magic of flying this classic jetliner.

What’s Been Done So Far

This journey began long before I acquired the actual cockpit in 2021. For years before that, I had already started converting original Lufthansa Boeing 707 panels and instruments for simulator use – all era-authentic and historically accurate.
 
Over the past 7 years, I’ve also built an extensive collection of original documents, technical manuals, photos, and hours of high-quality authentic sound recordings, created specifically for this simulator project.
 
Today, the physical restoration is nearly complete, with countless hours invested into cleaning, repairing, and rebuilding. The next and final stage is also the most complex:
The installation of high-quality electronics, controls, and simulation software that will bring this cockpit fully back to life.
 

Why I Need Your Help

So far, I’ve covered nearly all expenses myself – out of love for this project and what it represents. But with a family to support and the high cost of high-quality electronics and simulator systems, I’ve now reached my financial limit.
 
To complete the simulator and make it available to the public, I need your support.
 
To demonstrate my abilities, I restored a 1960 Caravelle between 2012 and 2016 and turned it into a fully functional simulator. Check out the video here.
 

Why This Project Matters

This is more than a simulator. It’s a tribute to the pioneers of aviation, to my own family’s flying legacy, and to the iconic Boeing 707 that helped shape modern air travel.
 
With your help, we can bring this cockpit back to life – not in the sky, but in a way that educates, inspires, and honors the golden age of aviation.
 
If you love classic jets, vintage technology, or simply want to support something meaningful and unique – please consider donating. And if you can’t donate, sharing this campaign helps more than you know.
 
Thank you for being part of this journey.
Let’s make this bird ‘fly’ again.
 

Donation Tiers

€10+   Your name on the supporter plaque at cockpit door 
                + 707 sticker
 
 
€50+   All of the above
               + Boeing 707 bottle opener OR checklist
 
 
€100+  All of the above
                 + Boeing 707 Legacy Shadow Box OR metal sign 
 
 
€250+  All of the above 
                 + Boeing 707 Instrument
 
 
€500+  All of the above
                 + Special plaque with your name in the cockpit
                 + 2 hours simulator session (B707 or Caravelle)
 
 
€1000+ All of the above
                 + 4 hours simulator session (B707 or Caravelle)
 
Please refer to this site for PARTS and MEMORABILIA FOR SALE.
Please note that some items, such as metal signs, will be shipped at the end of the crowdfunding campaign. You will be sent a list of different original vintage advertisements to choose from. Stickers, checklists, and the Legacy Box can be shipped (free of charge, of course) within two weeks.

 

Use one of the following options to send your donation. I will get in touch with you afterwards. Paypal and Revolut are free of fees, and 100% of your money goes directly to the project. There is a small fee for Patreon.

Donate via your PayPal account – easy, with no fees and no hassle. This is the preferred option for most people.

Patreon is a membership platform where fans pay creators a monthly subscription fee to get access to exclusive content, products, and community perks, providing a consistent income stream for the creators.

 

 

 

Make a secure credit card donation via Revolut’s trusted website — sent directly to the project’s bank account, with no fees involved.