Alaskan Excavations

[Shay]

Does anyone know if there have been anymore aircraft unearthed by Dick Odgers or others in Cold Bay Alaska? Or other possible Alaska sites?

Shay

[bdk]

Does anyone know if there have been anymore aircraft unearthed by Dick Odgers or others in Cold Bay Alaska? Or other possible Alaska sites?

Are you referring to the P-82's that were recovered some years ago?

[HarvardIV]

Year wasn't this the guy on barnstormers who found a bunch of P-38's and P-40's in a dirt mound?

Chris

[Shay]

Yes Dick Odger dug up 3 P-38s and I believe 2 or 3 P-40 aswell as the P-82s mentioned above. I would of thought these find would have generated more interest and more folks would have started excavations on a larger scale. Here's a link:

http://www.pacificwrecks.com/photos/current/odgers/

Shay

[airnutz]

Unfortunately, the PacWrecks mentioned the P-82...but didn't provide
photos of it. I think I remember seeing photos some years back in
an article about the P-82 recovery. It was a "pretty wronckled" rear
fuse. The article was Warbirds Int. or Air classics.

Any current or more recent photo links?
Thanx guys

[HarvardIV]

Hello Folks:

I talked to him about 4 yrs ago, and he said the USAF at Hill used some of his components in their P-38 restoration. He also said everything went for top dollar.

[Chris Brame]

The article was in Warbirds International sometime in '93, and he mentioned having parts or at least data tags from G/H models serialled 46-382, -386, -387, -391, -393, and -395. The article DIDN'T mention where the aircraft were! Judging by his description, Rich Odgers has roughly two-thirds of an airframe all told.

[HELLDIVERS]

HI MOST OF THE P-82 STUFF CAME OUT OF A SCRAP YARD IN FAIRBANKS WHEN THEY WERE RETIRED THEY WERE TAXIED THEN TOWED TO THE SCRAPPER. RUN OVER BY BULL DOZERS AND CUT INTO CHUNKS ALOT WAS MELTED DOWN BUT SEVERAL LARGE BUT VERY DAMAGED CHUNKS REMAINED BURIED UNDER TONS OF OTHER JUNK.THE ALASKA AVIATION MUSEUM HAVE HAD ALL MILITARY/CIVILIAN CRASH SITES DECLAIRED AS HISTORIC SITES AND ARE PROTECTED BY FEDERAL AND STATE LAW.ANY RECOVERY EFFORTS MUST BE APPROVED THRUOGH THE MUSEUMS BOARD.YOU DONT WANT TO SIDE STEP THIS AS THE PENALTIES ARE RATHER HARSH.YOU WILL LOOSE THE PLANE AND SPEND A LITTLE TIME IN THE KLINK! TRYING TO SLIP ONE OUT IS NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE CUSTOMS AT BOTH ENDS,AND A/C SEEM TO DRAW ALOT OF ATTENTION WITH OUT THE PROPER PERMITS YOUR HARD WORK AND MONEY JUST WENT INTO ANOTHER NICE DISPLAY FOR THE MUSEUM.DONT GET ME WRONG THERE ARE ALOT OF A/C DOWN IN ALASKA AND ITS NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO GET ONE BUT YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH ALOT OF STEPS AND STILL MAYBE TURNED DOWN,BUT IF THE CARDS GO YOUR WAY YOU MAY BE THE PROUD OWNER OF A RARE TREASURE!GOOD LUCK AND HAPPY HUNTING!! THANKS MIKE

[airnutz]

Thanx ChrisB and H-D..I was aware of the verrry protective nature which
has evolved with Alaska regarding her antiquities...which covers Warbirds
as well as Antique Civilian stuff.

I was curious about the P-82 photos from Odgers dig, just to pick thru
the remnants. One of these days they'll surface...
Thanx folks

Last edited by airnutz on Thu Feb 10, 2005 1:54 am, edited 1 time in total.

[HELLDIVERS]

HI BELIEVE PAT BOUGHT ALL OF THE P-82 STUFF SOME OF IT GOING INTO THE RESTORATION NOW UNDER WAY THANKS MIKE

[airnutz]

HELLDIVERS...Who is Pat? Is there another P-82 resto?..Do they have a
website?

[HELLDIVERS]

C+P AVIATION ANOKA COUNTY AIRPORT EX WALTER SOPLATA P-82 RESTORATION WELL UNDER WAY!!THANKS MIKE

[airnutz]

Thanx HELLDIVERS fer the info...I was just lookin fer somethin' to roll my
eyeballs over..I'll wait....