P-38 RECOVERY

jcmranger · **Joined:** Fri Mar 17, 2006 1:18 pm **Posts:** 27

I would like to invite everyone to visit the website of Operation Bolero Recovery and Restoration Group, Inc. The group was formed to recover and restore WWII aircraft. Our current mission is to return to Greenland and recover the remaining planes of the Lost Squadron.
www.operationbolero.org

O.P. · **Posted:** Fri Mar 17, 2006 2:29 pm

jcmranger wrote:

I would like to invite everyone to visit the website of Operation Bolero Recovery and Restoration Group, Inc. The group was formed to recover and restore WWII aircraft. Our current mission is to return to Greenland and recover the remaining planes of the Lost Squadron.
www.operationbolero.org

Thats cool. I hope someone gets them out soon. My only fear/misgiving, (wrong words probably), besides someone getting hurt or buried in the ice, is, there is talk of a lot of P-38's in the Philipines. By a lot, I mean in the tens and tens. If that was to happen, it would make recovering the glacier planes, a financial, hole, or almost impossibility. It would be a purely ulturistic mission. That would be great, but those don't happen too often when it costs dumptruck loads of money. The next time we might see those planes is when the glacier spits them out.

It looks like you guys might have some competition also.

http://www.lost-squadron.org/index2.html

It could be a regular hole melting festapolooza up there on the ice.

Good luck jcmranger! I hope you guys can get them.

bdk · **Joined:** Sun May 02, 2004 1:16 am **Posts:** 11324

Well, at least the ones on the ice should be devoid of corrosion...

tom d. friedman · **Posted:** Fri Mar 17, 2006 5:03 pm

if glacier girl was 246 or 264 (what ever, & what's it matter) feet down in the ice in 1993, what would the estimate or guess be as to ice depth now for the remaining buried birds after an additional 13 years of ice & snow build up?? polar bears come forward with your answer. i'd say in excess of 350 feet down as my guess, & i'm no expert on recoveries. but the weather is brutal their. on the other hand..... with all the global warming thoughts & talk may be the world population in the year 3000 can recover them with ease by thaughing out the ice cap :lol:

setter · **Posted:** Fri Mar 17, 2006 6:13 pm

Well I think global warming will take less time than that to make them accessable

So far 2 aircraft are out of the Phillipines and it will be a drip feed not a flood - so don't hold your breath.

There is also the production line being established at Wangarratta in Australia that will produce quite a few in time

If the images don't open then go to my webshots pages and lookk at the Murray Griffiths stuff at http://community.webshots.com/user/setter126007

In my view there are still quite a few P38s around the question for most people who want to rebuild one is do I have access to an aircraft easily or not - the ownership and ability to source an asian machine is more a case of who you know unfortunately so people look to other sources. There is no great shortage of airframes just availability.

Regards
John P

N3Njeff · **Posted:** Fri Mar 17, 2006 7:22 pm

Here is a question? With the rise of P-38 airframes showing up, is there enough Counter rotating prop blades around to support them????

setter · **Posted:** Fri Mar 17, 2006 7:41 pm

Hi N3Njeff

Good question on both props and engines are there enough around - I suspect all is well in the short term but what happens if another 10 machines get going over time - what is the Allison situation world wide ? YaKs, P40s , P39s and P30s are all going to put the squeeze on supply surely?
Regards
John P

Rob Mears · **Posted:** Sat Mar 18, 2006 4:26 pm

Are the Phillipines airframes the same planes in those infamous P-38 dump photos, or at least a product of the same type of disposal process? If so, that's a major, major discovery.

It will be phenomenal to have a massive surplus of raw material like that available for future restorations.

Mick Grinter · **Posted:** Sat Mar 18, 2006 8:58 pm

That's a lot of trouble to go to to get a P-38 with no combat history.
There are still a lot in the islands being recovered at this moment.
And that's not including the ones Setter is talking about.Prop blades went on Barnstormers this week for $750 a blade and that's cheap so there are a lot of parts still around.
You would have to get investors to pay for an ice dig cos you sure as hell wouldn't use your own money.

setter · **Posted:** Sat Mar 18, 2006 9:16 pm

Hi Rob and Mick et al

The Phillipines ones may or may not have come from the scrapping pics - more likely they come from another batch - the pics that circulate showing rows of aircraft ready for scrapping but not actually touched yet - one of the serials is the same - the four I have actually seen had combat histories - at least been there - with one having seven kill markings. However they are by no means cheap and are being "Franchised" by a US dealer. Two are now with collectors in the US and two are to be "dispatched soon to a restoration facility". I have no tie up with these people and would be careful if offered one.

I think there are easier ways to get a P38 as Mick says the PNG and Island machines are still there in small numbers and if you don't go like a bull at a gate are able to be picked up.

Jack Cook · **Posted:** Sat Mar 18, 2006 10:19 pm

John,
Do you know the serials or units of these P-38s? I've a lot of research on the 13th AF fighter units and would be interested in knowing their history.
Thanks...Jack

Daniel Leahy · **Posted:** Tue Mar 21, 2006 2:52 pm

Hi All,

Nice shots setter. I was down at Wangaratta on March 10th and saw what looked to be the partial remains of three P-38s recovered from PNG:

P-38G-5-LO 42-12847 "Dumbo!" - Recovered from Terapo, 2002.

P-38H-5-LO 42-66905 "Japanese Sandman II" - Recovered 2000.

Unidentified nose section - Recovered from Dobodura area.

Wolverine · **Posted:** Thu Mar 23, 2006 2:44 am

Neat pictures.

Hmm...I know this thread is more about P-38s...but I would like to point out that the restoration of the B-17s is going to be impossible. The pictures of that one they found don't look that great. It's why they didn't recover it.

Andy in West Oz · **Posted:** Thu Mar 23, 2006 4:16 am

Robert Smith actually visited the remains of his aircraft, Japanese Sandman II, most of you probably remember the photo of him sitting/standing in the cockpit in the jungle.

http://www.pacificghosts.com/people/smith/warbirds.html

Cheers

Andy

dmx · **Posted:** Mon Apr 10, 2006 1:08 pm

Does anyone have pics of those Phillipine Lightnings ?

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