Trip to Glacier Girl's Home, Middlesboro Kentucky

[mustangdriver]

Just noticed where you are from Shay. Want to trade something for say the AT-10 or P-61 you all are hoarding down the road?

You mean that national Museum that is open every day with no charge?

[Obergrafeter]

You can get in for free, but it costs dearly to get out of there. Lots of neat stuff in the gift shop.

[mustangdriver]

Ha Ha, I volunteer there and I can't get out of there for free.

[Alan Brooks]

[quote] Shay [quote] [/img] I'm still working out this quote thing...... Shay, my apologies for pulling your picture down (great picture btw)....... Not to spoil or give anything away, but there is a possibility that this purty little girl will be on the ramp at Midland for Airsho' 08. Not yet confirmed, but a work in progress. Alan

[BK]

For the longest time my family has gather for Thanksgiving at my grandparents place in Lafollette, Tenn. It's burried right in the foothills of the Smokey Mountains. And aside from the scenery it's only 30 some mile from Middlesboro when Glacier Girl was rebuilt. So most every year since the early 90s while in town we would make the trek over to Kentucky and follow the rebuild over the years. It was nice because we got to meet alot of the volunteers, Bob Cardin and Roy Schoffner and watch them turn a crumpled relic in to a beautiful piece of mechanical art. This was especially a good trip for my Grandfather, he would tell us how while liberating Manilla in P.I. scores of P-38s would strafe Japanese positions. Even within close proximity to allied forces in threat of being over ran.

So for old times sake we decided to make the trek once again and perhaps relive some of the good times.

Thanks for bringing back some fond memories. I have made that exact drive several times to see GG from Knoxville. The last time I drove up to Middlesboro was in June to see GG off on her ill-fated Bolero II trip. I'm positive it wasn't the last time GG would return home.

BK

[6trn4brn]

Not the "fly it" or "store it" argument again

From what little I know about the history of GG, she never saw combat and the gentleman who rescued her, did so with the intent of flying her for all to see and enjoy. Personally, I think it is a wonderful idea for her new owner to put her in some sort of museum during the non-flying times for people to enjoy up-close and personal. However, if he intends to fly her to different airshows, I am positive that many more thousands will enjoy her in her element...FLYING!

To put her permanently in a museum would seem like such a discredit to Mr Shoffner and all who gave dearly for her rescue and resurrection. I was recently at the Udvar-Hazy center and was surprised to see the P-61 on display...did not even know they had one. It is nice to see it unrestored, but would much rather see one flying!

Just my one and a half cents worth

[Obergrafeter]

And not to start that argument again, but Mr. Lewis did at least try to honor the Shofners dream of completing the Bolero trip at great expense so even more thousands could see her.

[mustangdriver]

Not the "fly it" or "store it" argument again

From what little I know about the history of GG, she never saw combat and the gentleman who rescued her, did so with the intent of flying her for all to see and enjoy. Personally, I think it is a wonderful idea for her new owner to put her in some sort of museum during the non-flying times for people to enjoy up-close and personal. However, if he intends to fly her to different airshows, I am positive that many more thousands will enjoy her in her element...FLYING!

To put her permanently in a museum would seem like such a discredit to Mr Shoffner and all who gave dearly for her rescue and resurrection. I was recently at the Udvar-Hazy center and was surprised to see the P-61 on display...did not even know they had one. It is nice to see it unrestored, but would much rather see one flying!

Just my one and a half cents worth

Just let me be clear that I mean that Glacier Girl needs to be in a museum that will also fly her. I didn't mean to park it, but rather give it a place to be seen while it is not flying.

[Mudge]

OK...you all know how I love P-38's...BUT...GG is NOT a sacred shrine of some sort. A P-38 flying is a P-38 flying. A P-38 sitting is a....well, you get the idea. OK...GG is the result of an extensive, expensive, shall I say "heroic" recovery. You can see P-38s at Udvar-Hazy, PoF, NMUSAF. What is the great attraction to Glacier Girl? It's just another P-38.

Mudge the P-38 freak

For me, it's all about the story behind her. 268 feet of ice! I've seen a few P-38s, and I've seen them fly, but there was something about Glacier Girl that made it totally different. It could be because I saw her in a dimly lit hangar at night, and the experience seemed completely surreal.

[B17news]

I've dug a few cars out of the great beyond before and restored them against all odds, so I'm a huge fan of GG and the folks that sacrificed families and finances to get her back in the air.

I hope I can see her in person some day.

B

[Shay]

It's just another P-38.

WOW, never thought I'd hear anyone say that.

What is the great attraction to Glacier Girl?

Not really sure what it is. I've seen oher 38s in museums and on sticks, but Glacier Girl was my first flying, so maybe that's it. Or perhaps because I've watched her get rebuilt over the years. For whatever reasons, she's special. They could dig out the other Lightnings in Greenland, restore them and Glacier Girl would still stand out in a crowd, atleast to me.

These are from 2004 at Langley AFB:

Not sure who the guy in red is but I got the impression that he was a Veteran Lightning Driver. Maybe someone here knows who he is.



Here he is with Steve


And with Bob












Taken one week before Don Hinz's fatal accident in the Red Tail P-51C










Shay
____________
Semper Fortis