31 wrecks recovered from South Pacific

[R.Asman]

Heard there were air frames melted down by salvagers as well.
Is there a list of aircraft lost due to this?

[AvroAvian]

Unfortunately, as more forest is cleared (often illegally), more wrecks are becoming accessible to the locals, who are often cutting them up and selling them for 5 cents a kilo for beer money. For various reasons (political and other skullduggery) legal salvage has been stopped and it is very frustrating to have to stand back and watch a lot of history disappear.
Some individuals (not necessarily salvagers), who will remain nameless, whilst pushing their own barrows, lining their own pockets and trying to shut out everyone else, really haven't helped the situation.

[wendovertom]

The pacific is a huge place and this unfortunately happens far more often than we would like. When I was on Tinian in 2010 I was told that a Chinese scrapper showed up and offered cold hard cash for the rights to "Clean up" scrap metal. I was told that before anyone wrapped thier head around what was really happening they had cleared literally TONS of B-29 parts from the jungle that has grown up around the old North Field. This included R-3350s, wheels, wing sections, and on and on almost a "you name it they took it" list of pieces parts.

I can only imagine what else might still be out there on lesser known islands with old airfields.

Tom P.

[cooper9411]

Same thing with the Aleutians. At one point in time there were numerous examples of aircraft scattered throughout. After "bigwigs" in local government scavenged what they wanted, they passed laws regarding recovery of relics/wrecks.