Warbird Information Exchange

'Morning All,

I can't find a mention of it here, so I'll post a link to a seriously cool DVD I watched last night about the Lake Michigan training carriers USS Wolverine and USS Sable in WWII. Also covered in fine photographic detail are the ships' previous lives as fast passenger side-wheelers, how they were converted to training carriers, and lots of excellent footage of A&T Recovery's raising of several of the warbirds (go Taras and Allan! ), and the reasons they were on the bottom in the first place. Also includes veteran interviews and some decent CGI graphics from other series ("Dogfights", I'm guessing)...really--in my opinion (and I'm not connected in any way with the producers or A&T)--a very well-done and interesting historical DVD. Check out the trailer here:

http://heroes-on-deck.myshopify.com/

http://www.atrecovery.com/

Definitely two thumbs up!

-Tom

I will have to get that!!

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Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

Heroes on Deck; WW2 on Lake Michigan will be broadcast on PBS nationwide during the Memorial Day weekend. Check your local listings. Here in Chicago its on tonite on WTTW at 9:00 pm

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Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

Excellent show - the longer running time than Top Guns of '43 was an improvement. Nice sharp vintage footage, too (Yes, you could spot the usual errors but nothing terrible). Brief mention was made about the "bureaucracy" that stopped recoveries for a long time, and the point was made that the planes will only be recoverable for about ten more years. There was no mention of the recovered planes that have been restored to flyable condition; just that "most" of the planes were still owned by the Navy.

One little tidbit that slipped through was that there would be another expedition to recover a drone - one of the three lost during trials. As far as I've heard mentioned, none have been located; did A & T find one? Is the recovery on for this year?

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All right, Mister Dorfmann, start pullin'!
Pilot: "Flap switch works hard in down position."
Mechanic: "Flap switch checked OK. Pilot needs more P.T." - Flight report, TB-17G 42-102875 (Hobbs AAF)

I really enjoyed the show as well. I will have to purchase the DVD. Hopefully there will be additional recoveries before its too late.

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Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

During the show it was mentioned that the most recent recovery, the Wildcat being restored at the Air Zoo, will eventually find a permanent home at Navy Pier in Chicago. Thats the 1st time I have heard this news but I think its would be a great location for the Wildcat to be displayed.

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Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

I captured the show on DVR and plan to watch it again.

Thank goodness all these birds won't remain on display in Davy Jones' locker. I've seen the Wildcat at O'Hare and just hope that my "fellow travelers" appreciate seeing it as much as I do (on occasion as it is only viewable if you are in that specific terminal and you need a ticket/TSA strip-search to see it).

That is a shame.

I wonder what condition the other aircraft left down there are in - as mentioned in 10 years most will be gone so why not salvage them all and sell them?

Because the Navy isn't a business and there is no incentive to let them fall into civilian hands.

Money isn't an incentive? Civilians fund the Navy.

Don't try and apply logic to the situation. It will just make your head hurt. This topic has been discussed multiple times here on the WIX.
Do a search on NHC and grab a fresh cup of joe...
Here are the search results...
search.php?keywords=NHC&terms=all&author=&sc=1&sf=all&sk=t&sd=d&sr=posts&st=0&ch=300&t=0&submit=Search

Oh, I know...just thinking out loud.

My guess is the vast majority of the remaining aircraft down there are either too far gone or SNJ's.

One of the previous threads had a breakdown by type, and IIRC the majority are TBFs; I questioned whether any were known to be returned combat survivors but apparently none are. Three early TBFs have been recovered from the lake, but there are no plans to recover any more that I'm aware of.

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All right, Mister Dorfmann, start pullin'!
Pilot: "Flap switch works hard in down position."
Mechanic: "Flap switch checked OK. Pilot needs more P.T." - Flight report, TB-17G 42-102875 (Hobbs AAF)

I happened to stumble across this show the other night as it aired in NY on WNET 13. It was on at 1:30 am! Very well done!

I've mentioned this before, but there is a SBD hanging at Chicago's Midway
airport. Yes, it's past the security checkpoint so you will have to be groped by TSA, and have a ticket. However, if you're taking someone to the airport and they have a ticket, the airline can issue you a pass to accompany them...but of course you have to go through security.
There is an adjacent display about the battle of Midway and IIRC models of carriers...perhaps the side-wheelers.

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Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.