Dave Billings (Tornado Dave) is a UK-based fabricator and engineering YouTuber known for ambitious large-scale builds — most notably converting a retired BMI Baby Boeing 737 into a fully functional underground bunker and nuclear fallout shelter.
The project involves removing the rear section of the aircraft and repositioning it onto the front, creating a new structural layout that will form the core of the buried shelter. The relocated tail section will house a traditional British red telephone box lift, providing dramatic vertical access down into the aircraft. The bunker will also connect to Dave’s previously built underground tunnel network, with entry available through the aircraft’s rear door.
Designed as a genuine fallout shelter, the buried 737 will include working air filtration systems, bunk beds, and even a functioning onboard toilet — preserving elements of the aircraft’s original interior while transforming it into a secure underground living space.
The existing bunker system is accessed via a staircase Dave constructed inside a World War II–style brick well entrance in his garden — a discreet, historically inspired access point leading down into the expanding underground complex.
Through heavy machinery, fabrication, and large-scale engineering challenges, Dave documents every stage of the build — from transporting and dismantling the aircraft to engineering the final reinforced underground structure.
At Maker Central, Dave is showcasing the Boeing 737 bunker project — demonstrating how bold ideas, practical engineering, and determination can transform a commercial airliner into an extraordinary underground survival space.
