Warbird Information Exchange

does anyone have a list of favorite known wrecks that they wish to see salvaged in the next 10-15 years?
Here is my massive list of all the ones I can think of.

B17- The grey ghost and further better preservation of swamp ghost as well as the remains of both crushed b-17s in Greenland. I could go on further to talk about the tail section in Labrador and supposed 3 other b17s but

B-25 The numerous wrecks in PNG as well as the center section in Australia sitting on a beach. There's also a fuselage In a lake in the US that's buried(excluding all the ones not found here)

B-26 the last million dollar valley fuselage as well as what ever is in that lake they just found the other one in

B-24 "Getaway Gertie" that's supposed to have been located and moved to shallower water while salvage rights await (what's the hold up guys!! ) the wreck in Adak as well as the one sitting in a shipping container in Canada that was saved forever ago. the remains of lady be good need to be put somewhere.

B-29 the one still sitting at china lake as well as the lady of the lake (kb-50) and the kee bird and the lake mead bird

B-18 The wreck on the big island of Hawaii still mostly intact

P-40 the Egypt find that's just sitting in a shipping container not far from where it was found as well as the one that's off the beach in Hawaii

p-38-all of the ones in Greenland as well as the one that is sitting buried on a beach.

p-39 cobra 1 needs to be found

p- 63 "race 4" that's in a lake

the numerous avro shackleton wrecks
the avro Lancaster KB 999
the two avro York wrecks in the north

all of the soplata collection

the mariner flying boat in lake Washington (hell, all of the wrecks in lake Washington) the pb4y in lake washington as well as the fire bombers

the ju 88 wreck thats on a tundra that the park won't permit the salvage of

and the most important one of them all but not an actual wreck recovery, the remains of the c-54 lost over the Yukon


am i missing any guys? I know I am lacking in the navy plane section

More info on the Aussie bird?

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Always in the market for P-39 or Beaufighter parts

http://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/b-25/N5-133.html


not much left these days. most was salvaged for a restoration
https://www.flickr.com/photos/grey_alba ... 227302351/

I'd say that none on your list are significant enough to justify the massive costs of recovery, as they duplicate airframes that already exist in preservation, mostly in large numbers.

A TBD would really be the only one I can think of that really *needs* recovering and would significantly enrich the preservation movement.

Oh, and a Boeing Clipper would be nice too!

The PBM is a no-go. The Navy already tried to recover it once and destroyed the aft fuselage in the attempt.

Anything significant in the Third-World countries where the locals see nothing but scrap or are indifferent or ignorant of the aircraft or history. I find it appalling that the locals want to scrap the P-38 just recovered in Guadalcanal. Also I believe the Bf 109E from India was days or weeks from getting scrapped before it was saved.

Wrecks in more developed nations and protected areas at least have a fighting chance to survive a few more years.

However, I believe that we are arriving at a turning point where these aircraft will begin the final stages of crumbing into unrecognizable heaps very soon and we should preserve what can be recovered. Perhaps at least document them in pictures for posterity.

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"They done it, they done it, damned if they ain't flew." December 17, 1903

Lady Be Good if there is anything left at this point.

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Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

All the Lackland airframes need saved, as well as Barksdale...there are enough airframes in this country to keep everyone busy for a long time. I believe all the airframes in the South Pacific are doomed...it is almost criminal that there is an original, intact "H" model B-25 rotting away. How many stories does it hold? It should be at the NMUSAF...even as is. hah don't get me going!

Merry Christmas.

jim

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www.spiritof44.com

Plus the two PBM forward fuselages in the South Pacific that should at least be saved as museum displays.

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All right, Mister Dorfmann, start pullin'!
Pilot: "Flap switch works hard in down position."
Mechanic: "Flap switch checked OK. Pilot needs more P.T." - Flight report, TB-17G 42-102875 (Hobbs AAF)

JimH you are correct. There are still many different types of airframes still scattered throughout the continental U.S. alone. Can we save them all? Probably not but we should at least try, that is until all the bureaucratic red tape bulls$$t has to get involved. People think its so easy to " just go salvage one"! I dont think people realize all the different permits, authorization letters that are needed. As of right now I'm sure there are quite a few recoveries on hold until all permits are secured.

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A&P/I.A., A.A.S./Aviation Maintenance technology
Warbird salvage/recovery
One day I'll get that P-40!

Perhaps a start would be attempting to persuade the US Navy to allow recovery of many more of their aircraft that aren't already identified as war graves. The underwater wrecks should be mostly unmolested and there are close to 300 in Lake Michigan.

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"They done it, they done it, damned if they ain't flew." December 17, 1903

As already pointed out in another thread, if the local militants ever recognize it as an American plane it will be blown up for spite. I doubt it would make it out by truck.

Perhaps it should lay low for a while to see if the political situation improves.

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"They done it, they done it, damned if they ain't flew." December 17, 1903

I think the ice and the wind finished off KB999 a long time ago.

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Defending Stearmans on WIX since Jeff started badmouthing them back in 2005.

There's a bunch of stuff in the Chesapeake Bay, these are the most noteworthy, IMHO:

PBM Mariner near the mouth of the Choptank River -- it is designated a Historical Archaeological Site. The Navy ripped open the top of the fuselage to remove the radar & communications equipment, and it's been damaged and tangled with various fishing lines and nets, but it is substantially still extant.

There are two "C" model P-47s (or pieces of them) in the Bay as well, one just off Annapolis, one near Middle River.

A Curtiss A-3 Falcon went down in the Bush River (next to Aberdeen Proving Ground) in 1931. The wreckage was never found or recovered, which is quite remarkable as the water there is not particularly deep. While you may not be familiar with the A-3 Falcon moniker, I'm sure you would recognize the plane's Navy designation: the SBC Helldiver.

At least at this point in time, the expense and effort involved in recovery is probably not worth it. The A-3 would be a fascinating find. I'm sure all the wood and canvas parts have long degraded.

I'm inclined to agree that of the wrecks that need to be saved, a TBD has to be at the top of the list. I doubt any of the ones underwater could ever be restored to flightworthy, but at least they could serve as patterns for a replica. I predict that we will see a TBD replica take to the skies within the next 20 years.

From a personal level, I would like to see the Duck Hunt J2F-4 and C-53 located in SE Greenland and recovered mainly because we find them we find the MIA's. It would be a nice Christmas gift to the family members.