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TORONTO — Beginning Thursday, passengers arriving at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport will be welcomed by the namesake pilot’s Nieuport 17 fighter plane.

The replica of the 1916 French biplane that Bishop flew on missions during World War I is suspended over three escalators and a staircase that will bring people into the terminal from the tunnel.

PortsToronto declined to provide details until the official unveiling.

The $82.5 million tunnel opens to the public Thursday at 1:30 p.m. after three years of construction.

On the mainland, passengers will be greeted by life-size bronze statues of Bishop and fellow Canadian fighter ace William Barker before descending 30 metres in elevators to the tunnel that runs 260 metres under the channel.

Barker, Canada’s most decorated serviceman, had a brief business partnership with Bishop upon their return to Canada. An airport in his native Dauphin, Manitoba is named in his honour.

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Toronto’s island airport was given Bishop’s name in November 2009.

Bishop earned the Victoria Cross for flying the Nieuport 17 with the tail number “B1566.” A flying replica donated to the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum in 1963 crashed during an airshow in 1975 but was rebuilt for display.

Ferry service between the mainland and airport will continue when the pedestrian tunnel opens.

Billy Bishop, pictured with his Nieuport 17 fighter plane.