B-29 Kee Bird Recovery

B-29 Super Fort · **Joined:** Wed Sep 01, 2004 11:12 am **Posts:** 871

Seeing how Swamp Ghost was lifted out of the swamp after wing and engine removal, I'm wondering if the failed recovery the B-29 Kee Bird could have been handled the same way. Would the location and/or B-29 weight made a helicopter recovery unrealistic?

Originalboxcar · **Posted:** Fri Jun 02, 2006 12:00 pm

IMHO, dismanteling KeeBird and helo'ing it out would have been the "way to do it". It appears this was a case of "wouldn't it be great if we could...".

It's a shame a life was lost and not to mention a valuable historical artifact.

regards,

t~

Aircraft Mech Paul · **Posted:** Fri Jun 02, 2006 8:17 pm

Hi All,

In Kee Birds Case...the airframe was essentially in tact. It would have been far more costly in terms of dollars to disassemble her into a state where a heavy lift helicopter could have done the job. And given the idea that Kee Bird was well enough away from any semblance of civilization the use of a helicopter...heavy lifter or otherwise, would not have proven a viable way to go.

I agree...in terms of what happened, with both the cost in Life and the airframe itself....things could have gone much smoother had proper precautions been taken......nuff said.

Paul

tom d. friedman · **Posted:** Fri Jun 02, 2006 9:57 pm

we wore out our welcome, no thanks to the recovery team who promised to clean up the recovery mess, & never followed through. u.s. recovery teams are as welcome as typhoid mary!!

APG85 · **Posted:** Sat Jun 03, 2006 5:24 am

What "other 29" up there?

APG85 · **Posted:** Sat Jun 03, 2006 8:13 am

It's to soon to talk about the Kee Bird, to soon................... :cry:

OZFURYFAN · **Posted:** Sat Jun 03, 2006 8:41 am

Hi all,can anyone direct me to a copy of the video of Kee Birds attempted recovery.It was advertised at one time in Flypast but I haven't seen it recently.Thanks,Pete.

APG85 · **Posted:** Sat Jun 03, 2006 8:46 am

B-29, Frozen In Time. Available on Amazon.com. I would also suggest the book Hunting Warbirds by Carl Hoffman which is also available on Amazon. Two thirds of this book is about the Kee Bird recovery attempt. Read and watch with a box of tissues!

Shay · **Posted:** Sat Jun 03, 2006 8:57 am

Whatever happened to Veron Rich's plan to go up and retreive the remains of Kee Bird?

Shay
____________
Semper Fortis

APG85 · **Posted:** Sat Jun 03, 2006 11:21 am

Are there any recent pic's out there of what the wreckage looks like today?

MattP38 · **Joined:** Sat May 20, 2006 7:36 pm **Posts:** 273

As far as I know APG85, she sank when the temps warmed up. I Might be way off on that, but after learning about the fate of Rick Kriege, and the Plane, I left it at that :cry:

frankspeaks · **Joined:** Fri Jan 13, 2006 11:52 pm **Posts:** 160

From what I read, she sank in three foot of water.....

for most of the public pics, go to www.corbis.com and in the search box type in b-29 kee bird

sad sight to see all that flame and black smoke.....

It's been over ten years now?!?!?!?

oscardeuce · **Joined:** Wed Jul 27, 2005 3:34 am **Posts:** 1021

Anything on Google Earth?
Such a sad story.

B-29 Super Fort · **Joined:** Wed Sep 01, 2004 11:12 am **Posts:** 871

APG85 wrote:

What "other 29" up there?

I second that...what other B-29?

tom d. friedman · **Posted:** Sat Jun 03, 2006 9:13 pm

that's good news robb. i know some years back there were sour grapes, maybe the teams, or somebody connected to them cleaned up the site. & i'll ask the same question........ what other b-29 is up their??

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B-29 Kee Bird Recovery

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