Why Those Fighter Jets Now Tower Over I-35 in Owatonna

If you've ever driven along Interstate 35 near Owatonna, you've probably spotted one of southern Minnesota's strangest landmarks rising high above the surrounding landscape. For decades, those towering jets have left drivers wondering the same thing: why are they there in the first place?

Why Fighter Jets Are Mounted Along I-35 Near Owatonna

They're a staple along Interstate 35 in southeast Minnesota, and what we now know is the real story behind just why those three fighter jets are permanently on display here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

When you're on one of the many highways and interstates that run across the North Star State, you're used to seeing things like rolling farm fields. Or cows. And horses. And the occasional Kwik Trip or Nicolet Law billboard.

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But you don't often see three fighter jets along the side of the highway, right? Roadside America says they sit about 70 feet in the air and are painted like the old Air Force Thunderbirds demonstration team, which makes them especially noticeable from Interstate 35.

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Where the Three T-38 Jets Sculpture Is Located

The display is located right by Owatonna Degner Regional Airport and is officially listed as Three T-38 Jets Sculpture. It is along the frontage road just off I-35, about a mile south of the big retail area near Cabela’s.

And, they're on display in a flying formation called the 'bomb burst,' this CBS Minnesota story notes. They're there, on that busy stretch of I-35, as a salute to the Air Force, and the brave men and women who take to the skies in service of our country.

The History Behind Owatonna’s Three Fighter Jets

While the original statue had only one fighter, the others were added when local aviation enthusiast and Army veteran, Buzz Kaplan, acquired two more jets. The process of moving them to their current location started back in 2006, the story said.

CBS Minnesota notes that regular maintenance is done on those fighters, and all three received a new paint job in the summer of 2025, as captured in the picture below:

Today, the jets have become one of those landmarks that make that stretch of I-35 near Owatonna truly unique. And, yes, staff at the airport say fellow Minnesotans and visitors to our state regularly stop to take photos and ask about why they're there-- a story you now know!