Wreck Chasing in Africa?

[Django]

In my very non-expert and sometimes overly optimistic opinion... it certainly seems plausible that there are some WWII wrecks out there still in the sand. You just have to be lucky (or rich enough) to find them OR they have to WANT to be found... ie the P-40 that was buried on the beach in Italy or the P-38 in Wales that appeared in the sandy beach.

[N3Njeff]

Tanks are rather different in their survival chances to aircraft. No one's fired up an aircraft and flown it off a target range after being shot at for years. A tank however, has.

Diddent a bunch of Texans do exactly this in the early 70's.

If is true what you say about tanks, I doubt that it was privatly owned, you might get a tank hull of a range that is sold for scrap steel but thats what it exactly is!!!!! Private collectors spend thousands of dollars and man hours restoring armor that came off of ranges as scrap. Being a MV collector, I have never heard of a tank being driven off into private hands!

[JDK]

Tanks are rather different in their survival chances to aircraft. No one's fired up an aircraft and flown it off a target range after being shot at for years. A tank however, has.

Diddent a bunch of Texans do exactly this in the early 70's.

If is true what you say about tanks, I doubt that it was privatly owned, you might get a tank hull of a range that is sold for scrap steel but thats what it exactly is!!!!! Private collectors spend thousands of dollars and man hours restoring armor that came off of ranges as scrap. Being a MV collector, I have never heard of a tank being driven off into private hands!

IIRC, it was a Valentine from a British range, recovered by a private collector. I don't recall the exact details.

If you are referring to the B-29 recoveries, fair comment. Not going to happen now, or in Africa though.

Regards,

[Shay]

Don't mind! Hoping for Shay, as well.

I'll bet you are.

Shay
____________
Semper Fortis

[JDK]

I'll bet you are.

Ooo, tease.

Well, it's the Warbird Information Exchange, which is the point - most of the discussions throw up some interesting and to-me new info, so let's keep the discussion rolling!

[ZRX61]

I am told it's hot, dry, harsh and inhospitable to most humans and host to some of the poorest nations on earth. Most of the scrap operations you talk of were in the industrialized nations and on behalf of countries from those industrialized nations.
I don't think anyone believes there would still be piles of german aircraft left intact after 60 years. While you talk about downed aircraft being found and later picked over, it must be noted that those photos are all of wrecks on trails and other tourist sites and of course any wreck found, and made public isn't going to stay intact very long.

Considering Tunisia is about the same latitude as SoCal/Az.. & where does the US store all their surplus aircraft?.. Hmmm....

[Shay]

There's some stuff out there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRiQ-Y2VLsM&feature=related

Shay
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Semper Fortis

[jph712]

You would be surprised what is showing up in those countries:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqV9r46TciA&NR=1

I'm willing to guess that this weapon is now state side or shortly will be.

Neat find.


Shay
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Semper Fortis

Only that's more likely to be a post-war produced MG3, which the Pakistani Army uses to the day.

[Shay]

You would be surprised what is showing up in those countries:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqV9r46TciA&NR=1

I'm willing to guess that this weapon is now state side or shortly will be.

Neat find.


Shay
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Semper Fortis

Only that's more likely to be a post-war produced MG3, which the Pakistani Army uses to the day.[/quote]

Possibly. Could also be a Yugoslavian copy "M53". Don't know how hard or how easy it is to still get 7.92 rounds. Where as the M3's 7.62 rounds are more prevelant.

Shay
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Semper Fortis

[Shay]

Looks like she's been skinned for souveineers

Taken March 31st 1942. Anyone take a stab at the identity of the aircraft or it's pilot?

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_101I-440-1313-09,_H._J._Marseille_mit_abgeschossener_%22Hurricane%22.jpg








Shay
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Semper Fortis

[PeterA]

To complete the loop on this last post for the archive.
http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/p ... hp?t=26496

well done that man

[JDK]

Taken March 31st 1942. Anyone take a stab at the identity of the aircraft or it's pilot?

No, I can't, but note it's a 12 gun wing, not a eight. The two extra gun-ports further out are just visible.

[JägerMarty]

This thread is a ripper for those wanting to see what else is available on the ground in nth Afrika....

http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/ ... p?t=326621

[gary1954]

yea, it would probably be just my luck, out in the desert with my trusty metal detector looking for sumpin interesting , and to my misfortune, I would probably be right smack in the middle of a mine field.