Warbird Information Exchange

FYI, there IS some work being done in this direction - but not haphazardly.

For instance:



Anyways, I think that there is something in the works... but it may take a good while, prudence, and a lot of patience for it to come to fruition.

Ryan - Signing off until after Thanksgiving!

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Aerial Photographer with Red Wing Aerial Photography currently based at KRBD and tailwheel CFI.
Websites: Texas Tailwheel Flight Training, DoolittleRaid.com and Lbirds.com.

The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD. - Prov. 21:31 - Train, Practice, Trust.

Two things:

1) Whatever happened to the rumor going around that the LBG was going to be returned to the U.S., possibly going to the NMUSAF?

2) Whatever happened to the rumor, set forth by the Colonel, that there was about to be an explosion of new warbird recoveries coming out of Libya?

Anyone?

I could very well see Africa being where the next Dave Tallichet is created out of.

Just one example:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/75488012@N00/sets/72157604723863655/

Shay
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Semper Fortis

As the financial services say '...previous performance is no guarantee of future results...' But it's a good start for investigations.

How many warbirds have been recovered from North Africa?

How many warbirds have been recovered from the Takoradi route?

Biggest African recovery I can think of was the Ethiopian Fireflies - still not a cost effective recovery, despite the type's rarity.

Of course if you want a Ventura, talk to the South Africans. All the SAAF need is a good trade.

Fascinating though the pictures are, Dakotas / C-47s are still too common to make 'recovery' viable, IMHO.

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James K

"Switch on the underwater landing lights"
Emilio Largo, Thunderball.

www.VintageAeroWriter.com

Shay
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Semper Fortis

Shay
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Semper Fortis

Easy now.

This is starting to sound like of the early 1970's.

Following the world-wide launch of the 'Battle of Britain' film there was a feeling of some in the US that just about every other field in southern England had a Spitfire of Me109 stuck in a corner, there for the taking.

PeterA

are those rocket rails on the ju -88??

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tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!

Nope..retractable dive brakes. Inpired by the early success of the Stuka, the Lutfwaffe enacted a requirement that all bombers (including the massive He-177) be able to make a 45-degree diving attack.

SN

I think you're seeing the dive brakes.

(Since the Stuka performed so well, the Luftwaffe seemed to have decided that everything should be a dive bomber, up to and including the He 177, at least for a while )

wow, efb, and on the exact same details :p

I was on a business trip with my dad in Switzerland about 25 years ago and met a Col. Leibovitz.(Annie's father) He flew B-17's in Europe and later served in Libya at a USAF base. He said there were lots of wrecks over there back in the late fifties/ early sixties . OUr conversation was mainly about MIA's in Vietnam which was the hot topic of the day.
He said he had a black first sergeant take him to the barracks and show him a footlocker that was filled with gold, jewelry and diamonds and ivory. He said the guy had about six wives and later went AWOL as he had no intention of giving up his racket.
I think there are a lot of wrecks in Africa. the nations are so poor that the people don't have a means to round up an airplane and sell the scrap metal. SO like in Afghanistan and Iraq, where they are finding rare British airplanes and some W.W.I tanks and other collectibles, it should be a gold mine.
I think it would be hard to look for airplanes if you had people approaching you trying to sell you diamonds, platinum etc. for pennies on the dollar. The airplanes found over there should be corrosion free, and most undamaged parts can be expected to be airworthy.
Also conditions were rugged so there should be a high number of single engine airplanes that had engine problems due to the conditions and were landed a little more gently than those shot down. Post war, many airplanes were given to those countries like Vampires and Spitfires, etc. They couldn't even afford to put fuel in them, much less pay for maintenance. There should be a lot of very low time airframes at some of those military bases that are closed off to the public.
Another reason why the ones pushed in the weeds at the airbases won't be picked over too much is in many cases they have been placed in mine fields and are still very dangerous. Same with a lot of South american countries.

You would be surprised what is showing up in those countries:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqV9r46TciA&NR=1

I'm willing to guess that this weapon is now state side or shortly will be.

Neat find.


Shay
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Semper Fortis

I had a pic on my old PC from about 5 years ago of a complete undamaged B17 airframe , it had been stripped of anything unboltable but otherwise unmolested sitting far out in the desert of Ethiopia. It should be still there.

Yes it IS a 1940's B17 , but of the Saab variety, not Boeing , sorry guys !

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Martin
Wide open & turning left.

http://images.google.com/images?q=Captu ... ource:life

oh man what pics!! pass the salt peter!! i have simular looking shots in black & white shot by my dad at sewar drome dutch new guinea 1944 of a quantity ofjapanese oscars & unidentifyed twin engine jobs. the only difference is the terrain, very hilly at sewar.

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tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!