Warbird Information Exchange

DISCLAIMER: The views expressed on this site are the responsibility of the poster and do not reflect the views of the management.
It is currently Sat Jun 28, 2025 8:34 am

All times are UTC - 5 hours


Classic Wings Magazine WWII Naval Aviation Research Pacific Luftwaffe Resource Center
When Hollywood Ruled The Skies - Volumes 1 through 4 by Bruce Oriss


Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 20 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Author Message
PostPosted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 1:35 am 
Offline

Joined: Thu Oct 04, 2007 12:23 am
Posts: 54
Location: Northern California
Hello,
A gentleman named Michael Hjorth posted photos of Kee Bird shot in September 2014 on the Wreckchasing.com message board. There are two videos as well as images of the inside of the wreck:

http://pacaeropress.websitetoolbox.com/ ... nd-7288134

I did not feel comfortable reposting someone else's photos. If a cross-post is unacceptable, please remove with my apologies.

Nick


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 8:39 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Sun May 09, 2004 9:10 am
Posts: 165
Location: Chesterfield, Derbyshire, UK
Michael has posted them on a number of aviation forums, the footage and pictures that he got of Kee Bird are just fantastic.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 11:39 am 
Offline
1000+ Posts!
1000+ Posts!
User avatar

Joined: Thu Feb 15, 2007 12:15 pm
Posts: 1399
Location: San Diego CA
Wow, it is worse than I imagined. Hope someone can get the remains out to at least contribute to restoration somewhere.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Wed Feb 25, 2015 8:34 am 
Offline
3000+ Post Club
3000+ Post Club
User avatar

Joined: Thu May 18, 2006 3:08 pm
Posts: 4542
Location: chicago
20 years later… still such a shame.

_________________
.
.
Sure, Charles Lindbergh flew the plane... but Tom Rutledge built the engine!

Visit Django Studios online or Facebook!


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Dec 08, 2016 10:36 am 
Offline

Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2012 12:46 pm
Posts: 543
One would think those parts are valuable enough to go and be retrieved... cant it be floated, dismantled, and shipped out?


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Dec 08, 2016 1:38 pm 
Offline
1000+ Posts!
1000+ Posts!

Joined: Sun Dec 31, 2006 5:11 pm
Posts: 1111
Location: Outer Space
menards wrote:
One would think those parts are valuable enough to go and be retrieved... cant it be floated, dismantled, and shipped out?



It's my understanding that the Danish government will not allow anyone in to recover the remains due to the failure of Darryl Greenameyer to clean up the mess from his failed attempt to fly the Keep Bird out. Also keep in mind that the Keep Bird remains are in an extremely remote location necessitating a huge and costly effort just to try to bring any pieces of the aircraft out. Remember the difficulties it took for Greenameyer just to get there with his crew and equipment.

Also I suspect it makes no sense to try to recover the remaining pieces as anyone wanting to obtain a B-29 could simply buy the the one Aero Trader has had for sale for years. It is sitting disassembled in their storage yard.

Image


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri Dec 09, 2016 11:41 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Tue Aug 16, 2005 10:22 am
Posts: 640
Location: VA, USA
While I understand how the Danes might be PO'd about the mess the last expedition made, I've never been a fan of the "let's punish the whole class" approach.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri Dec 09, 2016 8:15 pm 
Offline
1000+ Posts!
1000+ Posts!
User avatar

Joined: Sun Oct 07, 2007 5:31 pm
Posts: 1352
Location: Galveston County
I'm glad this came back up, what a fascinating bunch of pictures and video. Somehow it's more effective than the documentary was at helping me understand just how remote and desolate this place is. :shock:

_________________
Cheers,
Kurt Maurer
League City, Texas

PIC, Ford 6600 pulling Rhino batwing up and down the runway


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sun Dec 11, 2016 10:01 pm 
Offline

Joined: Sun Apr 13, 2014 2:45 pm
Posts: 142
Brings back memories, I was in a Herc squadron from 1987-1994. Three times a year we'd deploy to Thule Greenland to re-supply CFS Alert.

We always flew a route that brought us over Kee Bird. We would do a flypast and photo op on each trip. I have many pictures of Kee Bird when she was in one piece.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sun Dec 11, 2016 10:19 pm 
Offline
1000+ Posts!
1000+ Posts!
User avatar

Joined: Sun Oct 07, 2007 5:31 pm
Posts: 1352
Location: Galveston County
Any chance you could post a few??

_________________
Cheers,
Kurt Maurer
League City, Texas

PIC, Ford 6600 pulling Rhino batwing up and down the runway


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Mon Dec 12, 2016 9:55 am 
Offline
1000+ Posts!
1000+ Posts!

Joined: Fri Feb 11, 2011 5:37 pm
Posts: 1380
maxum96 wrote:
menards wrote:
One would think those parts are valuable enough to go and be retrieved... cant it be floated, dismantled, and shipped out?



It's my understanding that the Danish government will not allow anyone in to recover the remains due to the failure of Darryl Greenameyer to clean up the mess from his failed attempt to fly the Keep Bird out. Also keep in mind that the Keep Bird remains are in an extremely remote location necessitating a huge and costly effort just to try to bring any pieces of the aircraft out. Remember the difficulties it took for Greenameyer just to get there with his crew and equipment.

Also I suspect it makes no sense to try to recover the remaining pieces as anyone wanting to obtain a B-29 could simply buy the the one Aero Trader has had for sale for years. It is sitting disassembled in their storage yard.

Image



The Greenland Home Rule is now running the permit process. I do not believe the Danes have any involvement in permitting anymore. One would need to get in touch with the Greenland office that approves and issues permits to find out what the latest is on any recovery possibilities.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Mon Dec 12, 2016 9:57 am 
Offline

Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2012 12:46 pm
Posts: 543
Its only 2500NM from NYC....15 hours flying time in a 180...who wants to go? lol...


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Mon Dec 12, 2016 11:09 am 
Offline

Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2012 12:46 pm
Posts: 543
so what exactly burned? The fire seemed limited to the rear crew compartment, the FWD crew compartment, and the tunnel.... with the tail, and center section and wings surviving. was it the interior insulation?


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Mon Dec 12, 2016 3:10 pm 
Offline

Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2008 12:11 pm
Posts: 64
Location: Vancouver, BC
Watch the documentary, and decide for yourself. It had a fire in the aft fuselage bad enough to melt the fuselage in 2. It's not flying out, there's no road in or out. It's done.

How many million would you be willing to fund or fundraise to retrieve a few hundred thousand in engines and props? It's extremely sad what happened. It was a risky endeavour and they almost pulled it off.

Mark

menards wrote:
so what exactly burned? The fire seemed limited to the rear crew compartment, the FWD crew compartment, and the tunnel.... with the tail, and center section and wings surviving. was it the interior insulation?


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Mon Dec 12, 2016 3:27 pm 
Offline
Long Time Member
Long Time Member
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jan 24, 2007 1:54 am
Posts: 5210
Location: Stratford, CT.
Full Documentary here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1u4YBwjQTds

_________________
Keep Em' Flying,
Christopher Soltis

Dedicated to the preservation and education of The Sikorsky Memorial Airport

CASC Blog Page: http://ctair-space.blogspot.com/
Warbird Wear: https://www.redbubble.com/people/warbirdwear/shop

Chicks Dig Warbirds.......right?


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 20 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next

All times are UTC - 5 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: DH82EH, k5083 and 44 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group