Swamp Ghost not going anywhere

[Rob Mears]

Thank you Justin Taylan!

[mustangdriver]

How do you mean?

[daveymac82c]

So tried to find the official website for the government of Papua New-Guinea, but their site is really hockie.

So, I googled Swamp Ghost and found an article saying that the ban on removal of artifacts from PNG is only temporary until the "Swamp Ghost" issue is cleared up. And that the PNG National Museum and Art Gallery is the sole authority for dealing with these matters. They appear to be the ones to try and convince about this matter.

Interesting.

Here's the link to the article that is about a week old or so.

http://www.theswampghost.com/news/2007/ ... index.html

-David

[mustangdriver]

There was another part of that site that made it sound like the ban was for good. Maybe I just misunderstood. Either way it should not be this hard.

[daveymac82c]

You got that right!

I'm still very confused why the PNG government all of the sudden shut down the export after they knew for such a long time that it was going to happen.

I suppose they were smart in letting some eager "Americans" do all the dirty work by recovering it. But now what? What are they going to do with the airplane? I might be wrong, but I don't honestly think they'll restore it as long as it is in PNG.

oh, here it comes.........


SIGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-David

[henry]

i have to say i like the suggestion that a museum be built to store the A/C PNG government already have, the option of long term gain for the country as a whole might help solve the current impass.


can i suggest that people use a bit of tact when posting about this topic as you never know who is reading this (ie. the PNG gov or people). if as a community we want to recover A/C from PNG in the future we need to tread lightly on the swamp ghost topic.

henry.

[mustangdriver]

I am using as much tact as I can on this subject. After all the worst they can do is not let us export aircraft from there. Oh wait they are doing that already. I am not upset that they want to keep the plane. Good for them for wanting it. I am upset about the way they are going about it. Put yourself in the place of one of the workers that was out there digging this thing out of a swamp. You would be jacked.

[kennsmithf2g]

Did the PNG National Museum and Art Gallery, or any other organization in that country, recieve any compensation for the origional oermission to salvage, and if so, are they returning the funds, with interest?

Kenn

[mustangdriver]

There was a payment, but I don't know what that was.

[airnutz]

Did the PNG National Museum and Art Gallery, or any other organization in that country, recieve any compensation for the origional oermission to salvage, and if so, are they returning the funds, with interest?

Kenn

Ho boy..here we go.... I'd rather be discussing athwartship catapults right now, but the Swamp Ghost speculation keeps growing. There is a TON of info on SG
within the WIX archives, but you have to knuckle-down and dig it out. Go to the earliest stuff and see how the story builds. IIRC the story begins with
NMUSAF having some sort of option or agreement....a little Talachette and a picked up option. A change of government..This is one of those cases where "the Rohr" could fill you in until his opinion kicks into gear..and off we go. The latest gents pick-up the option on SG. The current PNG gubmint decides the museum director has been doing dirty deeds all these years..although he's been above board and operating publicly with various nationalities/organizations and getting results in return for PNG.

Warning! This stuff is off the top of my head.but it is the gist of the issue. The shifting sands of an agreement and gubmint change and greed. If the boneheads would "pull their heads out day ass " all parties could benefit... some history can be saved and PNG could still draw a tourist industry dedicated to displaying their part in history..but the Smart Ones(gubmint) are acting like yokels and the Locals(the yokels who care) are being stiffed by the gubmint! I wonder how many folks in the gubmint of PNG have relatives who make their incomes off of the blackmarket scrapping of PNG "heritage"??

Kenn Smith..I believe the latest number for Swamp Ghost was $100K paid, of which the locals who actually owned the property under SG and cared for her..recieved 25%. The locals, IIRC also recieved meds and school supplies for the clinic and school...and then you add in all the logistics money supporting the personnel.. the shipping..etc....

I'm probably alot wrong on some of the details here..please step in and correct me..but I don't believe I've Fk-ed it up any worse than the experts!

[airnutz]

Can i suggest that people use a bit of tact when posting about this topic as you never know who is reading this (ie. the PNG gov or people). if as a community we want to recover A/C from PNG in the future we need to tread lightly on the swamp ghost topic.

henry.

Did my last post tread lightly enough for ya Henry? I'm hoping the PNG Gubmint folks are starting to get an idea of the worlds perception of them as a bunch of back-sliding double dealing bastards that they are. This is a hangin' offense in Texas!

[HELLDIVERS]

Hi,

I remember a p-38 recovered a few years ago by Gary Larkins. All paper work, documents, permits ect were in hand when the a/c was ready to ship it was seized and later sold to a museum in Austrailia with a total loss to the original recovery team. The double standards and greed shown in the past should discourage any future recovery attempts by anyone. I would not even waist the plane ticket to go there let alone make an attempt to recover anything in that area. As far as SG future don't be suprised to see it sold to a non American intrest as this seems to be thier anser to keeping us greedy AMERICANS IN LINE!! Hope for the best expect the worst.

Thanks Mike

[k5083]

Did my last post tread lightly enough for ya Henry? I'm hoping the PNG Gubmint folks are starting to get an idea of the worlds perception of them as a bunch of back-sliding double dealing bastards that they are. This is a hangin' offense in Texas!

This forum is not "the world".

August

[mustangdriver]

It may not be but the description sure fits.

[k5083]

And a description that fits us is: A few dozen airplane nuts, mostly in America, whose views are not and should not be taken seriously by anyone in a position of authority in any country. Therefore, I agree that we do not need to worry overly much about offending anyone.

August