Swamp Ghost has been sold and should be come to.........

[B-29 Super Fort]

PICTURES ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Boy would I like to see some as well. Can't wait to see Swamp Ghost on solid ground again.

[groundpounder]

wow this is exciting news!! cant wait to see some pics also!! are the parties salvaging the aircraft going to restore it themselves< eg>are they merely salvage experts and looking to sell the plane to the wealthiest interested party or will these folks see the project through themselves? is the money in place for this project right away or will it be stored for years until the time is right? lot of questions for this early stage of things but i just thought id throw them out there. cheers sim.

[TimAPNY]

Sounds great that it has finally been saved from, well a lot of things. I can't wait to see and hear more about the recovery and restoration.

Tim

[Jase]

I've got it on good authority that a well known towing and heavy recovery company did the recovery. When I'm able to, I will post some pics.

The company in question has a sterling reputation amongst their peers, so I rather doubt that they "destroyed" the plane in process of recovery.

[FlyingFortB17]

So has the recovery actually been done?

[DaveM2]

The recovery has been carried out successfully by Rob Gs team with complete professionalism - as is the case with all his recoveries. Statements referring to 'substantial damage' are total rubbish.

Dave

[FlyingFortB17]

Any idea what condition the underside of the plane is in after sitting in swamp water all these years?

To all that are interested in this plane, I highly recommend the Pacific Ghost's DVD production on this bomber. The only thing this B-17 is missing is the machine guns, pilot yokes, and the instrument panel. Every nut and bolt is examined in great detail in this film. After watching this DVD, you will see that this airplane is in more remarkable condition than the photographs make it out to be.

Last edited by FlyingFortB17 on Mon May 22, 2006 7:16 pm, edited 3 times in total.

[setter]

Dave

I can substantiate this and only agree it was done very well as with Roberts previous recoveries. However in other areas of PNG scrapping is going on at a large pace and wrecks are becoming less common and vandalised - The priority now should be the Black Cat Pass B17 IMHO.

Regards
John P

[Daniel Leahy]

People here already know my sentiment about the recovery, so I'm here to simply post fact...

The following article appeared in today's Post Courier (PNG Newspaper):

US bomber taken from Oro swamp

SWAMP GHOST, an American war plane that crashed into the swamps of Oro Province during World War II is about to be shipped out to the United States of America. The WWII bomber, a B17E plane is reportedly to be restored in the United States. The plane has been shifted from a swamp in Oro Province to Lae and is expected to be shipped to the USA soon. The National Museum authorities said a Fred Hagen from the US and a Robert Greinert from Australia, have been allowed to have the plane salvaged and restored in the United States at a cost of thousands of US dollars. It is believed the war relic, if sold could be worth over a million US dollars. National Museum acting director Simon Poraituk said in a letter last month that the National Museum and Art Gallery board of trustees have made a decision to let Mr Hagen salvage and restore the plane. The board was empowered by the National Museum and Art Gallery Act of 1992 to make decisions on war surplus materials that were protected by the war surplus material act (1952), he said then. The plane had remained fully intact for the last 64 years in Karaisa village of Oro Province. However, Karisa leaders Jerry Yogoni, Gilbert Yogoni, Gutari Yogoni, Colin Tom and the chairman of the Beach Head Battlefields Tourism Committee in Popondetta Joachim Olai do not want the plane to be salvaged, removed or damaged. They all agreed that the plane should be left where it was because it was “priceless” and that it could be used to attract tourist.

The article is available online here:
http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20060523/news05.htm

The following photo appeared on the front page of the newspaper:



The main Post Courier website can be viewed at:
http://www.postcourier.com.pg/
(Today shows a scan of the front cover).

Details are also being posted on the Pacific Wrecks Forum:
http://www.pacificwrecks.com/bboard/vie ... php?p=4456

[FlyingFortB17]

Wow. This is awesome.

[DaveM2]

Some major structure of the aircraft is no longer there, it has slowly been dismantled over the years, so very timely that it comes out now before it fades away altogether.


Dave

Last edited by DaveM2 on Mon May 22, 2006 11:17 pm, edited 2 times in total.

[kalamazookid]

Wow! Never thought I'd see her make it out of the swamp. Congrats to all involved and it will be great to see her back in the States!

[setter]

Black Cat B-17 will stay where it is for the forseeable future at least

Hi Dave Why?

I would think it needs to come out soon ? What are the ownership complications ?

Regards
John P

[Daniel Leahy]

The following article also appeared in The National (another PNG newspaper):
http://www.thenational.com.pg/052306/nation1.htm

Swamp Ghost resurfaces after 64 years

By PHILIP DOWA and YEHIURA HRIEHWAZI
A GROUP of Americans have salvaged a World War II Boeing 17 Flying Fortress from the swamps of Northern province and are preparing to ship it to the United States via Lae.
The Swamp Ghost had been sitting in the Aigiambo Lake for 64 years after it was shot down by the Japanese in 1942.
Yesterday, the Americans, with some local hired hands, were busy dismantling parts at the Lae wharf to be put into containers for shipment.
However, late yesterday, a staff of the PNG National Museum and Art Gallery told The National that the permanent parliamentary Public Accounts Committee had last Friday queried and ordered that the entire salvage operation be abandoned.
When asked, the Americans said they have acquired written permission from the museum to move the aircraft.
A Lae-based Customs official also visited the Swamp Ghost yesterday and, when shown a clearance letter from the national museum, said he could not do much.
Salvaging the Swamp Ghost had cost US$350,000 (K1,054,000) for it to be lifted out of the Aigiambo Lake in its entirety, shipped to the Bismark Marine wharf in Lae where its wings and four engines were dismantled along with two large machine guns to be packed into containers.
Engineer supervising the project Joe Krzeminski said the Swamp Ghost was shot down in 1942 after carrying out a raid on Rabaul and was heading back to Townsville, Australia, where it was based.
Mr Krezeminski said all the nine crew members survived the crash and were aided back to Port Moresby across the Kokoda Trail.
The final resting place for the Swamp Ghost would be at a museum at Longbeach in California, United States.
The aircraft has a wing span of 105 feet with four 1,200 horse-powered engines and can fly to about 35,000 feet above the sea level.
It can carry up to 65,000 pounds of bomb and fuel and can do 1,400 miles in an hour.
Mr Krezeminski said the project is sponsored by four Americans - Fred Hagen, Billy Hansfield, Paul Adams and Robert Reinhartz.

Complete with a larger photo:



The main National website is available at:
http://www.thenational.com.pg/

[Dan K]

It can carry up to 65,000 pounds of bomb and fuel and can do 1,400 miles in an hour.

And here we wasted all that money on B-1's!

Ok, ok; Kudos to all involved on this recovery.