Warbird Information Exchange

Take a look at this somone needs to go get this ole girl http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5MSqrK5Tbo
I informed the CAF president but he said they weren't interested I'm not sure.why Ive seen worse fly again let alone static and she seems pretty sound as someone stands on her wing

Would be nice if it happened, but I doubt many people would want to take up the task. Looks like the whole airplane isn't good for anything aside from being used as a pattern.

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"According to the map, we've only gone 4 inches."

Funny how people get all worked up about finding bits and pieces to rebuild rare types from scratch, but a reasonably intact bird like this turns up and people yawn. Sure it would be a money pit and a lot of work, but aren't all warbirds? I mean it's not like there's dozens of restored or airworthy Betty's out there, so why the apathy?

Surprised that someone like Allen or Yagen haven't been all over this one by now.

That's the Betty left at Ballale Airfield in the Solomon Islands, where they recovered the Zeros a number of years ago. It looks too big to put on the barge they were using for the Zeros.

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"They done it, they done it, damned if they ain't flew." December 17, 1903

Not to be rude to the folks on those islands but the planes don't really belong to them the planes belong to Japan and if you want to get technical they really belong to the US since Japan handed the remains of thier airforce over to the US when the war ended. If they were abandon or not it makes no difference in my eyes but sadly it does in the courts. Yes the planes sit on thier lands but thats like saying that because you parked your car in my driveway that its now my car it just dont work like that, they have no more right to hold those planes than I do to hold your car. They didn't foot the bill for the Betty, Japan did so it belongs to Japan. Thats what I think but its far from PC. I'm sure many people on the islands want them there for the history but what people everywhere no just on the islands don't seem to get is that its better to give somthing like that up and let it be preseved than to let it turn to a pile of dust which at that point the history will simply be forgotten but if it had been saved it'd still be there sharing the story of their homeland with the world.

I have to admit that if I was a collector with cubic dollars, I would be fascinated by the challenge of putting together a complete Betty. Flying or not, it would be a major contribution to the preservation of WWII history. Bettys WERE Japan's bomber force, to a large extent, throughout the war. The fact that such a major type is not represented intact anywhere in the world is a shocker. We have flying Me262s, a Mosquito and the potential for a B-26, but no Betty even sits static intact. As they were used to facilitate the final surrender, they have another story to tell as well.

As far as the abandoned property argument goes, if I left my car in my neighbor's driveway for the better part of 70 years, my claim on that car would have been long since considered forfeited both in common law and in most statutes across the U.S. I still think that if it's just going to sit there and rot, though, something should be arranged to recover and preserve it.

kevin

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FOUND the elusive DT-built B-24! Woo-hoo!!!

If the locals care so much about it why isn't it sitting in a hanger if they pooled thier money they could build one in fact they should and either leave the plane as it is in it or re clear the airstrip and restore the buildings get a few replica (t-6s) and open a really cool museum.

David, you sound pretty passionate about it. Perhaps you can start and initiative to do just that.

I love old planes and I hate to seeing them rot even more so when they are so rare and, played such a huge part in the pacific war. Also its the fact that it's prob the best example left and the history of it is really cool in that it wasn't a crash but that she was just left there and still has original IJA paint on her underwing which I think should be left alone execpt for a wash and wax haha.

Seen it happen with a 1942 WLA Harley with a side car!! Was bought by a local guy (in his early 70's). Was delivered to my friends place and the new owner came to look at it and drive it. He could not start it with the kick start so my friend started it for him. He ran around the yard with it and said he would be back for it and never returned. After 3 months of sitting outside under a tarp and winter coming, he put it inside and started collecting storage. It only took a year of sitting to make it his.

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Long Live the N3N-3 "The Last US Military Bi-Plane" 1940-1959
Badmouthing Stearmans on WIX since 2005

The CAF don't want it!!!!!! You wonder why?? The CAF is in the business of selling airplanes, not collecting them. All those passionate about that are long gone. Private collectors would be the only hope for that.

Been discussed here before. FHC and also Nobuo Harada are aware of it, but AFAIK are not chasing it due to the politics.

Dave

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The Betty is a great find. There's a hulk at chino, a tail in Japan, and this one. The Betty is the second most memorable plane of the IJF . Second to the Zero. It's best use would be as is in a diorama, or restored as static display keeping as much original metal as possible
The CAF and EAA don't have the cash and rely on aircraft being donated. Weeks no longer seems to buy the ones that are that far gone. He also doesn't seem to commission people to do data plate rebuilds.
It was a hugely important airplane to the Japanese. Made very famous when Yamato got shot down in one by P-38s. I would market it to the p38 and Grumman Cat collectors.
It's definitely worth retrieving.

Just pulling it out of the jungle and displaying it "as found" would make for a cool display... maybe at NASM next to their P-38? Too bad the political situation doesn't allow for expedient recoveries from these areas. Although if "Swamp Ghost" can be had, I'm hopeful that a deal could be worked out for for just about anything. It just takes the right group to make it happen.

I may be mistaken, but I thought Mr. Harada was building up a full replica of a Betty.

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Matt

I didn't mean to come across as it's in a hopeless shape for recovery. I would love to recover and attempt a conservation. I really want it to be recovered, but I understand that politics will play a huge role.

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"According to the map, we've only gone 4 inches."