P47 from Burma??????

[simon king]

Theres some pictures on Hyperscale discussion board today of a P-47 hulk which the correspondent says was recovered in Burma.

Anybody know more??

or is a "known" airframe from elsewhere??

sk

[Mike]

Can you post a link, please?

[Swiss Mustangs]

Here:

http://disc.server.com/discussion.cgi?d ... agemark=20

Martin

[Chuck Gardner]

This airplane is on public display at the Tennessee Museum of Aviation and is owned by Neal Melton. This is not a recent recovery and only the rudduer pedals and armour are worth anything off of this hulk.

[Steven M. Dennis]

Theres some pictures on Hyperscale discussion board today of a P-47 hulk which the correspondent says was recovered in Burma.

Anybody know more??

or is a "known" airframe from elsewhere??

sk

Hi Simon,

This is the corroded hulk that is owned by Neil Melton and is sitting in his museum in Pigeon Forge/Sevierville, Tennessee along with the many other fine pieces in his collection (including his flying P-47, "Hun Hunter XVI").

I took quite a few photos of this relic when I was in Tennessee earlier this year, and I would be happy to pass them on to you. When I asked Mr. Melton if there was an I.D., or if this would eventually be restored, he said "No", and "No". It was dug up from a pit on an island, and there was no way to I.D. it, no tags left, etc. And he is just planning on leaving it displayed "as is" more as a "neat" conversation piece than anything. But, who knows, the way things change hands in the Warbird world, this relic may just fly someday as a new "restoration".

Let me know if you want to see more pics.......

Steve

[marine air]

Neal has a flyable P-47D and another East Tennessean , John Shofner has a P-47D both of which are the later bubble canopy models. Melton owns a B model razorback thunderbolt that was retrieved from a dump or was buried. They have some extra parts , including a propellor and several sets of landing gear. The problem is when a part does come along it's usually not correct for the B model. The landing gear legs are off of a P-47N , for example. They had both of the D models rebuilt by Bill Klaers and those guys can do anything. The Tennessee Museum of Aviation has literally tons of trading material, like trailer truck loads of F-86 parts , T-33 and various Mig parts, junk merlins and allisons but they are not actively pursuing this. If you get a chance to go to the museum , go next door and see the maintenance hangar. It has a lot of neat stuff and well worth the visit. Their current focus is on restoring the F-86 and an SNB-5P.
Regards