Recoveries in the 70s

Sutts · **Joined:** Tue Apr 28, 2009 3:16 pm **Posts:** 48

I've just done a quick search and found very little in the way of pictures of the recoveries in the 70's. Would be great to see what they found.

Apparently a guy named "Jan Van Hillo" made a documentary movie about 'Operation Harvest' called "Harvest of the Past" but someone commented that there were copyright issues with it.

Anyone have any further information on these recoveries please, especially pictures?

Thanks

DaveM2 · **Posted:** Thu Dec 08, 2011 4:44 pm

The major ones I can think of are the Tallichet/Darby expeditions to PNG which secured P-40s/P-39s plus a few P-47/ Beaufort/Spit bits and pieces. Check out Darby's classic book "Pacific Wrecks & Relics - and where to find them"

Quite a bit of Japanese stuff came out as well during that decade I think -Vals etc

There was also the two seat Zero recovered from the sea in good order that went to Oz, and is now back home.

Dave

airmanual · **Joined:** Thu Nov 04, 2004 6:32 am **Posts:** 205

Good day,

I got this list (i don't remember from where) prepared by i don't remember who back in 2008. There were indeed quite a few recoveries back then.

Laurent

1960’s. Total – 5.

§ A6M2 Zero 51553 (salvaged 1967, later sold to USAF Museum. Restored to static display 2004).

§ P-47 “Sweetwater Swatter” 42-8066 (salvaged 1969, sold to MOTAT 1970, sold to Robert Greinert 1991).

§ Ki-61 Tony 379 (salvaged 1960s, sold by PNG Museum in 1980s to USA, Weeks Museum)

§ Ki-43 Oscar (salvaged 1960s, moved to PNG Museum, exported in 2001. Exact whereabouts unknown.)

§ A6M2 Zero 3471 (salvaged 1968 to Canada. Used in restorations. Remainder resold and in storage)

1970s – TOTAL: 25

§ A6M5 4323 (salvaged 1971, sold to San Diego Aerospace Museum. Destroyed in arson fire)

§ A6M2 two seat Zero (salvaged 1972. Sold to Tokyo Science Museum)

§ D3A2 –Val 3105 (salvaged 1973. Displayed unrestored at Nimitz Museum)

§ A6M2 Zero 5784 (salvaged 1973. Restored by the RAAF to static display at Australian War Memorial)

§ P-4ON 42-104961 (salvaged 1973. In storage in USA ever since)

§ P-39N 42-18811, 42-11408 (salvaged 1973. Whereabouts unknown)

§ P-39K 42-4351 (parts only) (salvaged 1973.Whereabouts unknown)

§ P-39Q 42-18403 (salvaged 1973. .Whereabouts unknown)

§ Spitfire Mark Vc A58-146 (salvaged 1974. Restored to static condition and displayed)

§ PP-40E 41-36166 (salvaged 1974 to PNG Museum, removed by Robert Geinert in 2001)

§ A-20 43-21627 (salvaged 1975, stored in Chino. Presently being restored at PIMA Museum

§ P-39Q 42-19993 (salvaged 1975. Restored to static and displayed in museum. Restored to fly 2004)

§ P-39Q 42-19995 (salvaged 1975. Whereabouts unknown)

§ P-39N 42-19027 (salvaged 1975. Restored to static display at Planes of Fame)

§ P-40N A29-448 (salvaged 1975. Restored to flying condition in New Zealand, 2000)

§ P40N 42-105915 (salvaged 1975. Restored to flying condition in Australia, 2002)

§ P-40N A29-405 (salvaged 1975. Owned by several owners, currently in NZ)

§ P-40N 42-105951 (salvaged 1975.Wings in New Zealand, fuselage in USA all in storage)

§ Beaufort A9-13 (salvaged 1975. Sold to Australian Army Flying Museum and displayed unrestored)

§ Beaufort A9-557 (salvaged 1975 to USA. Resold to Australian War Memorial. Restored to static display 2003)

§ Beaufort A9-559 (salvaged 1975. Resold and used in UK Beaufort restoration)

§ Beaufort A9-226 (salvaged 1974.Presently with Beaufort Restoration Group)

§ P-39N 42-8740 (salvaged 1975. Restored by several groups, restored to static display at Yanks Museum)

§ P-39Q 42-19991 (salvaged 1975. Whereabouts unknown)

§ P-39Q 42-20339 (salvaged 1975. Whereabouts unknown)

§ P-40N A29-556 (salvaged 1975. In storage in Chino, CA ever since)

§ Boomerang A46-174 (salvaged 1975.Sold to Weeks Museum)

§ Spitfire Mark Vc A58-149 (salvaged 1977?)

§ Spitfire Mark Vc A58-178 (salvaged 1977)

§ Spitfire mark Vc A58-213 (salvaged 1977)

§ P-38 42-1264 (salvaged 1978 to PNG Museum. Half remains removed by Robert Greinert 2001)

airmanual · **Joined:** Thu Nov 04, 2004 6:32 am **Posts:** 205

They were indeed in a good condition at that time :

Compared to most of what we can still find today :

BUT! there are still a few good ones to be recovered :

Jollygreenslugg · **Posted:** Thu Dec 08, 2011 5:23 pm

Pity about the Liberators which were scrapped in the 1980s. Took years to cut them all up.

Cheers,
Matt

airmanual · **Joined:** Thu Nov 04, 2004 6:32 am **Posts:** 205

Jollygreenslugg wrote:

Pity about the Liberators which were scrapped in the 1980s. Took years to cut them all up.

Cheers,
Matt

Are you speaking of Morotai? It is indeed strongly rumoured that Morotai, together with Tadji, was one of the only US aircraft graveyard not scavenged by scrappers after WWII. It was only in the early 80s that everything got scrapped.

Never been able to find 60s or 70s photos of morotai (it was a military base off limits) but have a look at these photos taken in the mid fifties !!!

http://www.helianthusproductions.com/crackups.html

Laurent

JohnB · **Posted:** Thu Dec 08, 2011 5:46 pm

In the 70s I saw a B-24 front fuselage on a lowboy trailer parked at Fairchild Air Force Base.
Anyone know where it went?

Also, in the 90s I saw a Zeke in a trailer at Wright-Patterson...it was either going to...or from the NMUSAF.
I think it was the airplane that they tried to have restored by took back when the firm didin't do a good enough job...any ID of details?

Jollygreenslugg · **Posted:** Thu Dec 08, 2011 6:57 pm

G'day Airmanual,

Yep, they're the ones. I'll look back through my records and see what I can find. I'm going off the top of my head just now.

Cheers,
Matt

airmanual wrote:

Are you speaking of Morotai? It is indeed strongly rumoured that Morotai, together with Tadji, was one of the only US aircraft graveyard not scavenged by scrappers after WWII. It was only in the early 80s that everything got scrapped.

Dan Jones · **Posted:** Thu Dec 08, 2011 8:30 pm

What is the story supposed to be about Morotai? How many, what kind,and what kind of condition were the airplanes supposed to be in? And who scrapped them? I've never heard the whole, terrible story.

Dan

Dave Homewood · **Posted:** Thu Dec 08, 2011 8:38 pm

Have a look through this Wings Over New Zealand Forum thread with loads of photos from one of the guys who recovered a lot of the aeroplanes, Nev 'Shorty' Mines. It's a fantastic thread in all, but has a lot of PNG photos within it too.

http://rnzaf.proboards.com/index.cgi?ac ... 514&page=1

Dan Jones · **Posted:** Fri Dec 09, 2011 2:35 am

Thanks Dave - fascinating stuff!

seona · **Joined:** Fri Apr 27, 2012 11:12 pm **Posts:** 1

my father was a part of 'Harvest of the Past' - he was a surviving member of the aircrew of J for Johnny which was featured in the film - made by Dutch Tv and Jan van Hillo directed it together with Gerri Zwanenburg as a researcher - cheers - Seona

spartakle · **Posted:** Sat Apr 28, 2012 5:36 pm

Here is a link to my photos on Flickr showing a 1970s warbird (Japanese Val dive-bomber) by Bob Diemert of Carman, Manitoba, Canada about 1968.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/23057174@N ... 4789690023

Wildchild · **Posted:** Sat Apr 28, 2012 9:04 pm

airmanual wrote:

BUT! there are still a few good ones to be recovered :

Except the islands governments won't let us retrieve the aircraft because those airplanes are there tourist industry :evil:

Chappie · **Joined:** Wed Dec 19, 2007 9:40 am **Posts:** 683

Wildchild wrote:

airmanual wrote:

BUT! there are still a few good ones to be recovered :

Except the islands governments won't let us retrieve the aircraft because those airplanes are there tourist industry :evil:

What's the story behind this P-38?

Chappie

Warbird Information Exchange

Recoveries in the 70s

Who is online