Warbird Information Exchange

Does anyone know how much it cost to recover Glacier Girl? How much more would it cost to recover the remaining P-38's in the Greenland ice cap?

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Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

I heard it cost them close to 4 million to recover Glacier Girl and bring it back to the States. Also heard it will cost even more $$$ to recover the remaining P-38's over there. They did find the two B-17's there also on their first expedition, but they discovered the weight of the 240 feet of ice had crushed their airframes flatter than a pancake and are not really salvageable other than for parts as artifacts.

Jim

Actually, as I remember when talking to Bob Cardin, it was more in the realm of $700K for the expedition and shipping costs. (back in 1992)

The restoration is where the real costs were.....andi it was even more than 4 million, just in that alone.

Shay
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Semper Fortis

Thanks Shay. 700K sounds about right for 1992. A museum visitor told me he thought it had cost them 4 million to recover it. It will cost them much more now to recover the other P-38's. I knew they had more than 4 million in Glacier Girl's restoration cost.

Jim

So one is worth$4-5M when it is all said and done, and just about worth every penny.

Is it worth it to go after the rest? Does that diminish Glacier Girl at all, as the first and thought to be only one to be saved?

Is it the case that a German group is preparing to go after the rest of the airplanes? Bob Cardin mentioned something about this last weekend, but did not give any details.

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Neal Nurmi

---Wingman Photo---

I can't tell you where, but I seem to remember a figure of $10M being quoted for all the costs relating to getting GG in the air.

Mudge the forgetful

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Land of the free because of the brave

The restoration cost was closer to $7 million at the point of first flight. But hey who's counting?

Shay
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Semper Fortis

Thanks Shay...I knew $4M was quite a bit lower than I had heard.

Mudge the almost right

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Land of the free because of the brave

Like any of us will really know exactly what was spent. I wasn't Roy's accountant. When I would visit Middlesburg on a regular basis That was a very common question and 7 was the answer.

I would imagine "whomever" recovers the remaining P-38s will sell off the majority of the aircraft to restore 1 or 2 and to payoff investors. That's just a guess.

Maybe WIX should needle both groups into giving us some answers

Shay
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Semper Fortis

Buy one p-38 that came out of png.Combat history to boot.A more worth while project and for a heck of alot less money.

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Hang The Expense

I wouldn't be so sure. The wheels in that part of the country are greased with money and that's before you spend anything of recovery expenses. Besides PNG is on indefinite lockdown.

No one is charging money for the Greenland Lightning (that I know). Also these are all early War "F" models. A little bit more rare when compared to the surviving P-38 fleet. More than likely the P-38s that you'll find in PNG will be late models and will be writhing in corrosion, if the few P-38 peices that have recently come out of PNG are any indication of what you'll find.

Shay
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Semper Fortis

not to mention that there is great potential for marketing and sponsor ship on a Recovery Expedition to Greenland.

Shay
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Semper Fortis

Have you seen the 38s from png?externally they were poo but the inside was nice. I remember seeing glasier girl when she first got back to the states.I know why it took so long to rebuild.

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Hang The Expense

If we take the word of the Gore-acle, just wait a year or so and you won't have to waste time with that pesky ice.

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Eric

"I spent most of my money on alcohol, women and skyraiders....and the rest of it I just wasted."