Interesting information on Morotai

[george]

Found the following on Morotai - makes you wonder how much, if any, was really scrapped in 1988. Scroll a little over half way down the page to MOROTAI


http://www.travel-indonesia.com/index.cfm?menuid=34

[Rob Mears]

I say it's about darn time someone with the means, or someone already in the region went ahead and scouted the prospects of this island. The odds of surviving warbirds being there are not getting any better as time marches on.

With all of the extenmsive travels made by the Air Pirates gang, I'm suprised Gary Larkins and his pals haven't taken the opportunity to have a look-see around the place.

Lookng at the effort being put into the various chunks & bits that ARE coming out of the SoPac, I'd say the possibility of complete A-20s, B-24, P-40s, Corsairs, etc would be well worth at least one well planned expedition.

[stuart murdoch]

George/Rob

From what I can gather from friends who have been there, there is zilch, although there may be some wrecks in the jungle, all the materiel left over really was scrapped in '88.

Less and less places to look, probably the only place left would be "Burma" or Myanmar as it is now and remote parts of China

Stuart

[airmanual]

would anybody in the forum have some pre 1988 photos to shares ?

Up to konw, all i have ever seen are some immediately after WWII photos.

Laurent

[Swiss Mustangs]

Up to konw, all i have ever seen are some immediately after WWII photos.

Laurent

me too, for example here:

http://www.oldcmp.net/amlacgy.html

and

http://www.oldcmp.net/amlac1.html

and

http://www.oldcmp.net/amlacart.html


Martin / Swiss Mustangs

[Originalboxcar]

according to the following source, all wrecks were scrapped after 1988

http://www.pacificwrecks.com/people/col ... smock.html

regards,

t~

[airmanual]

I know but, even if pacificwrecks is a great site, we have to be careful about the info contained as they unfortunately sometimes do not disclose information :

- The site only revealed info about several P-38 wrecks once they had been recovered.

- For Babo, they only detail the wrecks recovered so far but no info whatsoever about what is still there.

Laurent

[Rob Mears]

George, have you still got that old fax/photocopy from Tom Voll? I could probably dig it up if I looked hard enough.

Also, nice pics Martin!! Now THIS is a paint scheme that should definitely be reproduced on a flying B-25 IMO.

[george]

Rob - I have the phototcopy here somewhere, but I don't have a scanner.

I agree with Airmanual - didn't same source report that the recently recovered P-47 had been covered and lost in a giant mudslide.

I recently read of a tourist who bicycled the island, but said the airfield was a tightly secured military area, and off-limits to all outsiders.

The picture of the lone Corsair matches the Voll inventory, one Corsair among all the AAF aircraft.

Someone, I think Tony, a few years ago, posted pictures of a huge dump hole that had been dug on the island that they were filling up with aircraft after the war. I assume it was covered over after being filled.

Why would Indonesian Travel website state the planes are there more than 15 years after scrapping?

Aerial photos are probably the only way to put this puzzle to bed for good.

[airnutz]

George, as to why they advertise the aircraft still being there...I would
venture to guess that they do it to attract tourists. Maybe they are trying
to capitalize on the tourism successes of their neighbors in the region.
The island is not very large(20x35 miles roughly)...several domestic incidents between Muslims and Christians...maybe they think the need the PR.

When I was web-searching Morotai...I ran across a "tourist-blurb" stating that there is a wrecked T-6 at the airport...BUT tourists are prohibited
from access to it...weird!!!!

[george]

For what its worth:
third paragraph

http://www.indonesiaphoto.com/article164.html

[airmanual]

Just put on webshots another photo taken at Morotai in 1946 (just follow member asiafan) : impressive !

Also just contacted an Aussie backpacker that stayed on Morotai for more than one month in 2002. Never know he may have seen or heard something.

What is strange about those websites promoting or describing Morotai is that they all use exactly the same wording about those wrecks lying around : just go to google and you'll see.

I'll also try again : Did any WIXers went aor know somebody who went to Morotai before the alleged 1988 mass scrapping ?

Laurent

[bdk]

Just put on webshots another photo taken at Morotai in 1946 (just follow member asiafan) : impressive !

http://community.webshots.com/user/asiafan

Also B-18 in Hawaii

[DaveM2]

Rob

I remember Indiana Tony posting the pics, but that's about it, might be a hell of a search in the old archives though
There was also a thread on a commercial pilot who overflew a dump in the jungle somewhere in the last few years, can't remember where that was either.
I will send a mail to Charles Darby and get his thoughts on Morotai.

Dave

[george]

Airmanual and Swiss Mustangs - The inventory as of 1986, as reported to YAF by a man (Voll) who dealt in warbirds all over the world, was: 6 Libs, 2 P-40s, 2 Corsairs, 6 Havocs, P-38s, B-25s, 2 Beaufighters and some transports. Although the place is supposed to be dangerous, apparently he somehow got permission and got in and saw the planes. Hope this helps answer your question.