Interesting information on Morotai

HarvardIV · **Joined:** Mon Oct 04, 2004 9:08 pm **Posts:** 1437

Wow George:

That's good info. This is a great post. It would be interesting if more planes were found pushed into the jungle. I'm also surprised that no one retrieved the aircraft earlier.

Chris

george · **Joined:** Wed Dec 15, 2004 10:20 pm **Posts:** 435

Harvard - As to why no earlier retrieval, I understand that after the war the island was turned into an Indonesian prison. No outsiders, completely restricted. Looks like the airbase is still off-limits to outsiders.

HarvardIV · **Joined:** Mon Oct 04, 2004 9:08 pm **Posts:** 1437

It doesn't surprise me George, Indonesia has been involved in several small controversial counter-insurgency wars with its native inhabitants.

airmanual · **Joined:** Thu Nov 04, 2004 6:32 am **Posts:** 240

That's terrific info indeed.

Can anybody on the forum know how to contact this Tom Voll gentlemen ?

Laurent

george · **Joined:** Wed Dec 15, 2004 10:20 pm **Posts:** 435

Rob M had personal dealings with Mr. Voll regarding Corsairs in South America, I believe. Rob told me he passed away in the 90s.

The 6 Libs on Morotai are all J models.

DaveM2 · **Posted:** Thu Dec 30, 2004 3:40 am

Got a reply from Charles Darby who says he doesn't know if there is anything left at Morotai, but laments he didn't try harder to get there when he was in the recovery buisiness

Dave

JägerMarty · **Posted:** Thu Dec 30, 2004 7:05 am

Yeah, reading the above posts, it'd be damm surprising the place wasn't thoroughly cleaned up before ie. collecting airframes.
Looking at the posted pics and those links.... really brings together conversations I've had with RAAF blokes that flew there.
Would be awesome to have a walk along the strip there....

george · **Joined:** Wed Dec 15, 2004 10:20 pm **Posts:** 435

If anyone on here knows any of the following men, maybe we could fill in some of the blanks regarding these aircraft:

Mr Voll's contact with YAF regarding the B-24s was a Mr. Hart. Mr. Voll gave him pricing, descriptions and photos on what Mr. Hart and YAF were wanting.

An article in the March/April 1990 issue of Warbirds International, titled A LIBERATOR COMES HOME, written by a Mr. William Cahill, mentions these 6 Js on a South Pacific island and an Illinois man offering to sell them, but neither the island or the man by name (Morotai and Voll).

Mr Voll had contact regarding the Libs with a Major Michael Johnson, Public Information Officer for the Michigan Department of Military Affairs.

Mr. Hart and probably Major Johnson were provided pictures of the planes by Mr. Voll.

Mr. Voll apparently was based out of a place called Cumberland Air Park, in Neoga, Illinois.

So, if anyone knows Mr. Hart of YAF, Mr. Cahill or Major Johnson, we should be able to get some answers and hopefully pictures.

george · **Joined:** Wed Dec 15, 2004 10:20 pm **Posts:** 435

Doesn't anyone that frequents this board know any of these guys? Somebody with Yankee Air Force in 1986 should know Mr. Hart. How about Mr. Cahill? Or Cumberland Air Park?

I personally feel like what is/was left of what Mr. Voll saw is probably still there, but someone who has been to Morotai and the base there, or flown over it, could verify one way or the other. This mystery really needs to be solved.

HarvardIV · **Joined:** Mon Oct 04, 2004 9:08 pm **Posts:** 1437

My question would be what is the credibility of Mr. Smock from the Pacific Wrecks link. I believe it must be alright, why don't you email him about this? As far as I know he field verifies this stuff.

HarvardIV · **Joined:** Mon Oct 04, 2004 9:08 pm **Posts:** 1437

I just emailed a guy named Vinni, who was at Morotai in 1996. Hopefully he will respond, and clear this mystery up.

Chris

george · **Joined:** Wed Dec 15, 2004 10:20 pm **Posts:** 435

Harvard - regarding credibility, Pacwrecks prefers aircraft stay in their resting places, as you know. They say these a/c were a secret, but they weren't, because they were shopped by a broker 2 years before the supposed scrapping. And why would Indonesia sell them for scrap metal prices while knowing their value as warbirds (via broker)?

HarvardIV · **Joined:** Mon Oct 04, 2004 9:08 pm **Posts:** 1437

Quote:

Harvard - regarding credibility, Pacwrecks prefers aircraft stay in their resting places, as you know. They say these a/c were a secret, but they weren't, because they were shopped by a broker 2 years before the supposed scrapping. And why would Indonesia sell them for scrap metal prices while knowing their value as warbirds (via broker)?

Let's see what Vinni says, he's the one who went to Morotai in 1996.

Rob Mears · **Posted:** Sun Jan 02, 2005 2:03 pm

Pacific Wrecks also reported that the remains of a popularly rediscovered P-47 were forever lost to a mudslide. Some undaunted recoverer traveled to the site anyway and found that the disposition of the fighter had not changed. The "preservation in place" crowd was no doubt dissapointed to see yet another historical airframe salvaged from the romantically obscure reaches of the jungle.

HarvardIV · **Joined:** Mon Oct 04, 2004 9:08 pm **Posts:** 1437

Yes, I'm sure the preservation in place group would block the info, but would Mr. Smock who also posted that statement that Morotai was cleared out? He appears to be a parts salvor.

Warbird Information Exchange

Interesting information on Morotai

Who is online