This Boeing 727 Turned Dream Home Is Just Plane Awesome

Unique houses are certainly increasing in popularity – just look at the rise in homes converted from buses, tiny homes, and shipping containers. Each of these options allow for a lower cost and completely customizable alternative to traditional accommodations. Jo Ann Ussery, however, created her own special home years before it was trendy. She purchased an old airplane, a Boeing 727, and upcycled it into a home full of luxurious features.

Photo Credit: Ralf-Finn Hestoft / CORBIS / Getty Images Photo Credit: Ralf-Finn Hestoft / CORBIS / Getty Images

Unique houses are certainly increasing in popularity – just look at the rise in homes converted from buses, tiny homes, and shipping containers. Each of these options allow for a lower cost and completely customizable alternative to traditional accommodations. Jo Ann Ussery, however, created her own special home years before it was trendy. She purchased an old airplane, a Boeing 727, and upcycled it into a home full of luxurious features.

A unique home

Ussery’s story began in 1993 when her home in Benoit, Mississippi was destroyed. She and her two children needed somewhere to live and had very little to their names, partially due to the recent passing of her husband. Initially, she thought that moving into a trailer would be the answer to her problems, but she couldn’t afford any homes that were large enough for three people. Enter Bob, Ussery’s air traffic controller brother-in-law, who suggested she try living in a plane.

Jo Ann Ussery fills a birdbath outside her converted Boeing 727. (Photo Credit: Ralf-Finn Hestoft / CORBIS / Getty Images)

Exterior of Jo Ann Ussery’s Boeing 727 home. (Photo Credit: Raphael Gaillarde / Gamma-Rapho / Getty Images)

Engine of the converted Boeing 727 which has been decorated with a wreath. (Photo Credit: Raphael Gaillarde / Gamma-Rapho / Getty Images)

Ussery was open to the idea and went to tour a Boeing 727 that had just been retired and was destined for the scrap yard. Instantly loving it, she was able to purchase it for only $2,000 plus the cost of shipping it to her property. Ussery decided to nickname her plane “Little Trump,” as Donald Trump also owned a private Boeing 727. She soon began her renovations, which were by no means easy or cheap.

Extensive renovations
In total, she spent under $30,000 on the renovation (which would be $60,000 today). Not only did she need to work on the interior, but she also needed to ensure it wouldn’t move from its location.

Ussery utilized the natural lake on her property as a decorative feature of its own, situating the plane so that the nose hung out over it. This required that the tail be extremely well anchored with concrete. Then she moved on to gut the interior, which offered over 1,500 square feet of living space.

Jo Ann Ussery sits on her bed inside her converted Boeing 727. (Photo Credit: Ralf-Finn Hestoft / CORBIS / Getty Images)

A large bathtub has been installed in the former cockpit of the converted Boeing 727. (Photo Credit: Ralf-Finn Hestoft / CORBIS / Getty Images)

Jo Ann Ussery relaxes in a hot tub inside her converted Boeing 727. (Photo Credit: Ralf-Finn Hestoft / CORBIS / Getty Images)

The plane is 138 feet long, with 76 windows running along the side. As with any commercial aircraft these windows didn’t open, but that wasn’t a problem as Ussery had air conditioning installed. She also added proper insulation and flooring. Which parts of the original 727 stayed? One single airplane bathroom, and the overhead bins – certainly a great solution to the problem of storage in a small home.

Interior features

Once the larger modifications were made, Ussery was able to move on to add details and luxuries. The renovated plane contained three bedrooms, a small bathroom, a living space, a full kitchen, and even a dedicated laundry room. Along with the washing machine and dryer, it also had an oven and telephone.

Undoubtedly, the best addition was what Ussery did with the cockpit overlooking the lake. She turned it into an elegant master bathroom, complete with a luxurious hot tub.

Jo Ann Ussery’s kitchen inside her Boeing 727. (Photo Credit: Raphael Gaillarde / Gamma-Rapho / Getty Images)

Converted bedroom inside the Boeing 727 home. (Photo Credit: Raphael Gaillarde / Gamma-Rapho / Getty Images)

View of the living space and lounge in the converted Boeing 727. (Photo Credit: Raphael Gaillarde / Gamma-Rapho / Getty Images)

She purposefully designed the space so it felt like you were flying when you were in it. Most impressive of all, Ussery completed most of the renovations on her own. She lived in her converted plane between 1995 and 1999 before deciding she wanted to put it on display for the public instead.

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The Massive and Mysterious Chalk Figures Carved Into Britain’s Hillsides
February 9, 2023 Samantha Franco

Photo Credit: OLI SCARFF / AFP / Getty Images

Carved into the hilly countryside of Britain are several huge figures that stand out among the lush green grasses thanks to the white layer of chalk that fills their carved lines. Although most of the figures are depictions of horses (16 to be exact), some human figures have also turned up on the hillsides. A lack of definitive evidence makes most of their origins unclear, though they have become tourist hotspots that many people add to their itineraries when traveling to the UK.

What are the chalk figures?

Volunteers work as they refresh the Cerne Abbas Giant in Dorset, where people are working with the National Trust to re-chalk the giant figure. (Photo Credit: Ben Birchall / PA Images / Getty Images)

Several massive horse and human-shaped figures are etched into the British hillsides. They were created by carving away the top layer of the grassy hills to reveal the natural rocky underside. Often, a layer of some kind of brighter material, typically chalk, is placed on top to make their appearance even more noticeable.

These varied figures have become a significant part of Britain’s landscape. The practice of carving the figures seems to have been most popular during the 17th and 18th centuries, though some have been dated to the late Bronze and early Iron Ages.

Uffington White Horse

View of the Uffington White Horse chalk figure, dated as far as 550 BC. (Photo Credit: Michael SERRAILLIER / Gamma-Rapho / Getty Images)

The Uffington White Horse is 360 feet long and is located on the upper slopes of White Horse Hill, located not far from the towns of Faringdon and Wantage. It’s a more modern-looking figure, though its creation has been dated as far back as 550 BC. It is known as the oldest of the white horse figures in Britain and is the only one created in such a unique and minimal style.

Westbury White Horse

The White Horse of Westbury, Wiltshire, is surrounded by grasses. (Photo Credit: Ben Birchall / PA Images / Getty Images)

The Westbury White Horse is 180 feet tall and is located just below the site of the Bratton Camp Iron Age hillfort at Wiltshire. Legend says that it was carved following King Alfred’s victory at the Battle of Ethandun here in 878, but there is no conclusive evidence to prove it. It’s more likely to have been carved in 1772 as was recorded in a contemporary engraving.

Osmington White Horse

Chalk cut hill figure of King George III on horseback, near Osmington, Dorset. (Photo Credit: Historic England Archive / Heritage Images / Getty Images)
The Osmington White Horse was cut into the hill north of Weymouth in Dorset in 1808. It is 280 feet long and 323 feet high. Different from the other white chalk horses, this one depicts a man astride the horse. The figure is meant to represent King George III riding his famous steed, Adonis, on his way out of Weymouth. He was a regular visitor to the area.

Kilburn White Horse

The Kilburn White Horse, man made from lime, viewed from a glider mid air. (Photo Credit: Matthew Lloyd / Getty Images)
The Kilburn White Horse is cut into the hillside in North York Moors National Park and was commissioned by local resident Thomas Taylor in 1857. The story goes that he was inspired following his visit to Uffington and wanted to recreate that kind of monument in his own town. The figure is 318 feet long by 220 feet high and is believed to be the largest hill figure in England.

Bulford Kiwi

The Bulford Kiwi is arguably the strangest of the white chalk figures and is carved on Beacon Hill in Wiltshire. The bird is 460 feet wide and 420 feet high. It was carved in 1919 by New Zealand Expeditionary Force soldiers while they awaited ships to take them home following the end of the First World War. Supposedly, ships took too long to arrive, and in an effort to quell riots caused by upset soldiers, their commanding officers ordered them to dig out the enormous kiwi bird.

Cerne Abbas Giant

The Cerna Abbas Giant, also known as the “rude man,” is one of two human-like figures. It’s carved near the village of Cerne Abbas in Dorset. This figure is an anatomically exaggerated 180-foot-tall naked man who’s holding a club. Its origin is unclear, as some scholars believe that the figure is dated from the 17th century, while others believe that the figure dates as far back as 700-1110 CE.

Long Man of Wilmington

Long Man of Wilmington, believed to have been carved into the hillside during the 16th century. (Photo Credit: CM Dixon / Print Collector / Getty Images)

The Long Man of Wilmington is carved into the steep Windover Hill located near Wilmington. The figure is 235 feet tall and is holding two long, narrow strips. For a long time, it was believed that the figure was carved during the Iran Age, but archaeological investigations have suggested that it more likely originated in the 16th and 17th centuries. The oldest known depiction of the figure was made by surveyor John Rowley, who drew an image of it in 1710.