AUBURN -- Lufthansa has formally opened a hangar built in Auburn specifically for the overhaul of a rare Super Constellation Starliner.

The German airline actually bought three of the rare airplanes last year from local aviation enthusiast Maurice Roundy. It contracted Lufthansa Technik in Germany to restore one aircraft back into flying condition using parts from all three of them.

Hundreds of Constellations were produced by Lockheed but only 44 Super Constellations were built. Two of Roundy's were used by Trans World Airlines and the third was used by Lufthansa.

Performing the restoration will be a team of five former Lufthansa aircraft mechanics, along with five active mechanics and engineers from Lufthansa Technik.