Liberators at Biak

[ausflyboy]

Taken from National Geographic Magazine Dec 1959

So sad to see so many once proud birds rotting away..even sadder to think that in a couple years they would all be chopped up and carted away as scrap metal

[Tillerman]

Same tableau, but at Pitu/Wama airfield at Morotai Island: http://www.oldcmp.net/amlacgy.html

On google Earth you can find this 2-in-1 airfield by entering 'Gotalalamo'.

Some notes on the Pitu and Wama airfields:
http://www.pacificwrecks.com/airfields/ ... index.html
http://www.pacificwrecks.com/airfields/ ... index.html

In 2005 I made a post about this location at the Key Publishing forum with some scanned pictures from old magazines: http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showth ... post949008

Tillerman.

[Django]

There were still some there as late as 1988?!

[Tillerman]

Well, according to Pacificwrecks, yes.
http://www.pacificwrecks.com/provinces/ ... ratai.html

I suppose no complete B-24's were left, nothing but just bits, pieces and rubbish.

Tillerman.

[Warbird Kid]

I think its significant that in the small caption, that the word Warbird is used like in our modern context. 1959?

[Django]

After going through all those pages of that link (30+) I searched out an out of print book recommended in one of the postings called Military Aircraft Boneyards by Nicholas Veronico, A. Kevin Grantham and Scott Thompson. I found a copy of it and ordered it.

Well it came today and I flipped through it once and had to put it down. It sent a chill down my spine! It's filled with hundreds of horribly graphic images! Not for the faint of heart!



Looks like a great book, but man what a shame.

[corsairboss]

My GrandPa's B-24 Maid in the USA




















These are from the Original photos that I have with me. They belonged to my grandfather who was a pilot on Biak.. I also have some shots of some Zero's that where shot down and landed on Biak as well.

Have Fun....

[Django]

Those are fantastic!

[bax101]

awesome pics

[hang the expense]

I love those pics.Notice all the props were pulled but look as if engines are still in place.Do you have a name for that B-17 F in the pics?

[hang the expense]

I meant E model.

[Warbird Kid]

They look quite like a few pics from my grandfather's collection.

Are there any photos anywhere of what was supposed to be there still in the 'eighties?

[Second Air Force]

Thanks for sharing those great photos, corsairboss. I couldn't resist a little research on your grandfather's airplane and found this on B-24 Best Web: http://www.b24bestweb.com/Pics-M-MAID_A-MAID_Z.htm

Notice that all the B-24s in these photos are Consolidated airplanes? The AAF avoided the supply and maintenance nightmare they had in the MTO and ETO by sending airplanes built by only one factory to the Pacific. (For the most part.) In all my research into the B-24 effort in the PTO I can't think of any photos that show other than Consolidated San Diego aircraft. With the long supply chain and limited shipping capacity, it made sense to have only one type of B-24 in-theatre.

Here is the text to go with the photo that ausflyboy started this thread with:

I saw that photo in a National Geographic when I was a little boy and never forgot it. It took me over forty years to finally find the correct volume so that I could scan the photo and text.

Scott