P-38 recovery update?

[Richard Woods]

Dear Matt,

Welcome to the WIX forum, I'm glad someone is finally here who may be able to give some insight into this project.

The only updates we have had so far on this are that you can make a donation to the project.... not exactly inspiring. Equally uninspiring is the amount of progress on other TIGHAR projects. That is where my concern lays.

If you would be so kind as to answer some questions?

As mentioned in my last post, dated 12 June 2008;

1. Fundraising - What exactly is it to be used for?

If the aircraft's recovery is to be planned by the RAF Museum using military assets, this makes it an Ministry of Defence show, and the soldiers on the ground are paid by the MOD. The aircraft is mentioned as being taken to the RAF Museum at Cosford for conservation... again MOD.

2. "if it becomes uncovered before the RAF Museum is ready to begin recovery operations, TIGHAR will help provide security."

In another part of the website you state "If the aircraft becomes exposed again due to changes in the weather, currents, and so on, TIGHAR will be organizing surveillance teams to prevent looting or interference with the artifact."

How exactly is this going to be achieved on a public beach?

What defines "interference"? Lots of memebers of the general public don't react well to being told to move off a public area by private individuals (i.e somebody other than the the police....). Saying that, I don't think the police would be best impressed with members of the public getting moved on.

Other concerns I posted earlier when the story was broken by the media.

On Nov 17 2007, I posted the following points:

I will take all this as gospel when:

1. A MAJOR UK museum comes forwards and takes responsibility for housing this aircraft.
Just quoting that you have a representative on side, doesn't guarantee a home.

2. I can confirm the site is being protected... No sites other than graves I know of are as yet. Regular patrols by the council? I don't think so.

Posted on another forum (I think Flypast where a similar thread was running,) were my concerns regarding arresting corrosion once it has been removed from salt water. Think how long the Mary Rose has taken to stabilise.

I'm sure others will have similar questions.

Regards,

Ric

[Tangmere Mk II]

As the MOD licence holder for this aircraft if anyone has any questions feel free to ask and I will do my best to answer.

Matt Rimmer
Barmouth,Wales(TIGHAR#2916)

My question is simply to ask why does TIGHAR need you to hold an MOD Licence to recover the aircraft if, in fact, it is to be carried by the MOD for the RAF Museum using military assets?

[Lynn Allen]

It will be flying in 5 years! Thats the easy part, the problem is do you paint it with invasion stripes or not, and do you use the right size rivets in the left nacell.

Yeah, but you can sell them the correct nose wheel...

Lynn

[MattP38]

Cool, another Salty P-38 thread.

[Tangmere Mk II]

Matt

It would be good to have your replies to the questions posed!

Andy

[Django]

Wasn't it supposed to be excavated in the Spring? Now it's almost Fall... What if a storm comes along and it is lost forever? Yes, it's survived this long, but why take the risk??

[Jesse C.]

Wasn't it supposed to be excavated in the Spring? Now it's almost Fall... What if a storm comes along and it is lost forever? Yes, it's survived this long, but why take the risk??

Maybe they where just waiting for all the Tourist to get off the beach?

[Django]

Screw it... I have a shovel and I can swim.

[Tangmere Mk II]

Nope...its just been placed on the TIGHAR recovery list. Once they have found Amelia Earhart they will get on with the job!

[noizeedave]

You know if they find Amelia's wreck, you might as well add another 10 years to the restoration of the P-38, because the red-tape will be getting pretty thick! Might have to change over to the power shears!

[Tangmere Mk II]

Funny thing, but this seems to be the first wreck that TIGHAR have actually ALMOST nearly but not quite recovered....although they seem to be saying it will be done by the British Military for the RAF Museum anyway, and not by TIGHAR!! That said....they would still like some donations to TIGHAR for the project thank you very much.

C'mon, Mr Rimmer. You offered to answer any questions. You seem to have gone very quiet on us.

[Canso42]

then again maybe it'll just turn into a big pile of brown mush before anyone does anything.
Doug

[groundpounder]

soooooo..... nobody of any credibility is really interested in this plane then??? doesnt say much for what they might find. i would think that if it was worth anything at all it would have been salvaged a long time ago. if it hasnt been done by now i wouldnt be holding my breath.

[Tangmere Mk II]

All you are looking at here is the recovery of a "relic only" P-38 and I cannot see it ever being used as the basis for any rebuild. For one thing, I suspect that the MOD Recovery License holder will not allow it. The supposed plan is to recover it as is and display it as a wreck in the UK. That does of course beg the question as to not only how and where it will be preserved and inhibited, but where it will be exhibited? The RAF Museum Hendon has been suggested, but I would be surprised if their space limitations would allow this. The type, anyway, was not used by the RAF (aside from, I think, one or two examples) and is therefore insignificant in terms of RAF history. If an appropriate home could be found for it then its recovery could be effected relatively easily. There are those in the UK who are able, ready and willing to recover this wreck at, almost, the drop of a hat and to enable it to be passed to the best home available. Unfortunately, TIGHAR and their UK representative hold the license and, therefore, all the cards! I can see this wreck still being there in five or six years time whilst the debate still rumbles on. "Swamp Ghost" has gone....this ought to be named "Sand Ghost".

[Jim MacDonald]

Isn't the license good for only one year or so?

Mac