SWAMP GHOST IS HEADING HOME

[Jungle Bob]

The PNG media reports today that the Board of Trustees of the National Museum and Art Gallery of PNG have confirmed that the contract on Swamp Ghost will be honored and she is free to go.

To their credit, the government and people of PNG realise that a lot of the media fuss concerning Swamp Ghost was generated in the main by one outsider and a couple of local expatriates. As with all things in PNG a few nationals got into the act including one guy claiming to be a landowner who was nothing of a kind and a former curator of the Museum who was terminated back in the 80's for taking money from foreigners and promising Export Permits in return.

To those that tried to stop the process, please go and find another country to run amok with your particular brand of nonsense. I can assure you the authorities know who you are and you are most unwelocme to return.

The truth of the matter was that Swamp Ghost was dying out there and she needed rescuing. Intelligent people do not leave history outdoors to rot and disappear forever.

May I suggest that Mr Hagen be commended and supported for his philanthropic act in saving Swamp Ghost and ensuring her survival.

On a final note I would pass on the following tidbit - Hagen was prepared to return Swamp Ghost to PNG following restoration and a display period in USA subject to the Government contributing to the restoration and construction of a suitable building to display her.

[Shay]

BRAVO ZULU Congratulations

Shay
____________
Semper Fortis

[frankspeaks]

This is some very good news indeed!

Hats off to all involved.

[croweater]

So what did happen to those photos of the recovery?

[bluethunder28]

Great news!!! Is she still heading for Long Beach?

[m50a1ontos]

Recovery pics....

http://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/b ... index.html

[Mark_Pilkington]

Excellent News and congratulations to the recovery team who seem to have done everything by the book in anycase.

Are details of the aircrafts future, location, and restoration outcome? available yet?

Hopefully this issue causes PNG to resolve the future policy of other relics for either recovery and restoration and display in and out of PNG.

regards

Mark Pilkington

[B-29 Super Fort]

Fantastic news. Any idea who will do the restoration?

[FlyingFortB17]

GREAT NEWS!!!!

[TimAPNY]

Sierra Hotel! Get job to all involved in getting it home. I look forward to finding out what the future holds for her and hopefully to see it someday!

I also hope that the door will open a bit more for more aircraft to come out!

Tim

[Mark_Pilkington]

Jungle Bob/Tim

Its great news for Swamp Ghost, but the reasons why it is being permitted to leave only relate to the contractual obligations being recognised and unfortunately the wider debate of the future of other wrecks, and the role of PNG and others in recovering or displaying them locally or overseas has not been addressed.

A great result for Swamp ghost, but still lots of uncertainty for the future recoveries or survival of remaining viable wrecks??

Jungle Bob is there any process arising in the PNG government or the National Museum to resolve policy for the future, ie preservation in PNG? or repeat deals of the RAAF Museum Boston recovery arrangements?

Is the National museum Board's decision binding on the Government to proceed with the export? or is the PAC inquiry still going ahead? and will it still go ahead even after the export, so as to review policy for the future?

http://www.thenational.com.pg/060106/nation17.htm

Board lets go of bomber

By JULIA DAIA BORE
THE National Museum and Art Gallery board of trustees decided yesterday that the controversial World War II fighter bomber, Swamp Ghost, be exported to the United States.
A special meeting by the board in Port Moresby defied a recent direction from the permanent parliamentary Public Accounts Committee that the plane stays in PNG pending an inquiry set for July 1.
The Swamp Ghost, which had been sitting in the Agaiembo Lake where it crash-landed for 64 years after it was crippled in a raiding mission in Rabaul in 1942, will now go to its new owners, Aero Archaeology Limited (AAL).
National museum board chairman Arthur Jawodimbari yesterday said they could not reject an agreement signed with Military Aircraft Restoration Corporation (MARC), because it would be legally and financially costly to the state.
Speaking to reporters after the board deliberations, Mr Jawodimbari said the initial interest by MARC to sign the agreement for ownership of the Swamp Ghost was bought out by AAL – a Pennsylvanian firm – in December 2001.
So, the new owners, rightfully, are the AAL.
The original agreement, signed between the PNG museum and MARC in June 1999, allowed for MARC to salvage the B-17E Flying Fortress. If the five-year execution date was to expire, it was also agreed that the agreement will automatically be renewed for another five years.
Mr Jawodimbari said as it was, that agreement remains valid to 2009.
“The US$100,000 (K301,000) held in an Escrow account at Westpac Port Moresby, according to the agreement, will be divided 50% to the state, 25% to the Oro provincial government and 25% to the landowners,” Mr Jawodimbari said.

And some locals still call for it to be returned to remain?? "at" the swamp, (hopefully not "in")

http://www.thenational.com.pg/060106/nation18.htm

Villager: Retain Swamp Ghost

A LANDOWNER of the Agaiembo Lake, where the Swamp Ghost had remained after it crashed 64 years ago until it was retrieved last month, is insisting that the B-17E Flying Fortress bomber remained in PNG.
Ian Jijiroba said PNG authorities and the Americans should rebuild the plane and leave it where it is.
The plane, now in Lae, was yesterday given permission to be shipped to the US by the National Museum and Art Gallery board of trustees.
Mr Jijiroba slammed fellow Oro men Maclaren Hiari and Joachim Olai for not doing enough to ensure the plane remained, and urged them not to make media statements about the issue.
He urged those people with much interest in the WWII bomber to return the plane to the swamp.
“Sure, we may not have done anything to restore it but, by the same token, we have not been reckless and have not destroyed the plane by stripping

PNG needs to resolve this issue for their own heritage preservation efforts, as well as the future of the artefacts themselves, the "wrecko-tourism" value is not a long term solution for anything if it all rots into the ground!

Perhaps long after Swamp Ghost leaves Lae constructive and polite letters can be sent to the PNG government urging a logical outcome of a restore one/return one recovery model for future wrecks?

regards

Mark Pilkington

[systemofadown1162]

Good to hear.
Any explenation as to how the recovery was conducted? Like how did they get it out?

[B-29 Super Fort]

Good to hear.
Any explenation as to how the recovery was conducted? Like how did they get it out?

From the photos that were posted briefly, they used lift bags under the wings, demated the engines and wings, and slung those sections below a helicopter.

[APG85]

IS IT ON THE BOAT YET?

[Pat Carry]

Excellant news. I think its safe to say that more B-17's are being restored right now then at anytime over the past what, 40 years!