Australian Wreck hunter Jungle Bob and B-17 Swamp Ghost news

[RobC]

Thank you Quemerford. I did not expect such a comprehensive answer. Or so I thought as I read the committee report. However, the more I looked past the page you linked to, the more questions were raised. The commitee aparently had no authority, since the Ghost was subsequently exported. It reminded me of our congress chasing after Hildawg's emails.

Then I found the location of the committee report. Would I be correct in assuming that the committee is a product of Justin Taylan?

[Malcolm Hood]

The way Sixty Minutes ambushed that guy from the Pacific Aviation Museum was disgraceful. I thought he handled the situation and himself very well. Note also how Sixty Minutes blurred the kangaroo on the tail of the Qantas 747 in the background during the Greinert ambush, but then their lawyers have had a lot of practice lately.

[T J Johansen]

And just one more bit while Im here. Its our bloody airplane if you forgot sort of like leaving your hat on the bar after a night of Johnny Walker blacklabel.

So basically you expect to be able to dump your trash in someone else's garden for 70+ years, then come back with an attitude when it's suddenly valuable and tell them it is your property..? Yeah, right!

If the country shows no real interest in saving, safeguarding or presenting these artifacts in a controlled and safe manner, such as an enclosed and covered museum, then I can't understand their objection to others that want to pay for recovery to do this.

So should the PNG just give the wrecks to Greinert for free then? So far the museum he promised has not been built, nor has the artifacts returned in restored state. It does however look like the main problem is with the villagers where the planes have remained, and not the politicians in general. From the video it seems as though the powers- that- be don't give a shlt. Who knows, some of them might as well have gotten their well- earned kickbacks... The villagers, and their local economy appears to have gotten some income from tourists who have visited the wrecks over the years, so why should they be happy if the planes leave PNG and they don't get a dime from it! After all, the wrecks have littered their backyards since the 40s. Not so strange that they want to get a portion of the rewards then.

T J

[C VEICH]

Just my .02 cents but it sounds to me as if corrupt government officials have made legal export of the artifacts nearly impossible and so a few folks did end runs around the law in order to get what they wanted anyway. Does not appear to me that either side is innocent nor does either hold the moral high ground from which they can look down upon the other. As I am no fan of big government simply because it ALWAYS leads to corruption I tend to side with the little guy here. The PNG government as a whole doesn't have an ounce of interest in these items because they are historic and they are content to let them turn to dust if they can't milk them for every dime possible. That may be their legal right (although I think that point is debatable) but that does not make it morally right. On the other side of the coin, I am not so naive as to think that the folks recovering these wrecks are doing it simply because the love history so much. But in all honesty, right or wrong, I am still glad that at least some of these aircraft have made their way into the hands of people who will save them rather than simply allowing them to return to nature. I suppose that may be a little bit of selfishness on my part but there it is.

[Jesse C.]

I am unable to remember where I read it,but it might have been here on a previous WIX thread, that certain people, like Taylan want to keep those sites as is for the tourism they bring. I noticed on the scenes with the B-24 hulk all the paths that lead to it and the large cut on the right side of the fuselage.

I noticed the mention of using the relics as memorials for the people that fought in the war. That is great and all, but I would think that a more permanent memorial would serve that purpose better. A monument that would tell the story and it would not be hidden in a jungle, a swamp or someones back yard. Perhaps they can start with that while the work on a more permanent museum/education center.

So, has anyone offered up anything like that?

[cooper9411]

Hmmm, along the lines of Ted Spencer? Got what he "needed" then changed the game!

[quemerford]

Thank you Quemerford. I did not expect such a comprehensive answer. Or so I thought as I read the committee report. However, the more I looked past the page you linked to, the more questions were raised. The commitee aparently had no authority, since the Ghost was subsequently exported. It reminded me of our congress chasing after Hildawg's emails.

Then I found the location of the committee report. Would I be correct in assuming that the committee is a product of Justin Taylan?

Not sure Rob, but the programme certainly raised a few ethical questions. I shall see if I can find anything 'official' and post as/when I find it.

Thorny issue and I can see both sides, but irrespective of that, if anything is bought on the proviso that certain services will be delivered, then that should be adhered to. In this case that would seem not to be the case, but again I'd like to see some official documentation.

[43-2195]

John Terrell, What doesn't "jive" about the Weldon P-38 story on the pacificwrecks website? Robert is correct, a JPAC investigative team did visit the site (over 5 years ago) and no action has taken place since. However I believe they reserved the right to dig it at a future date. Lt Weldon did an incredible gear up landing in an aircraft with an intense fire in the right engine. The top of the right tailfin had melted down 4 inches due to fire and airflow. I believe he survived the landing and I think DPAA (JPAC) think so too. But they sometimes dig anyway because the other options are limited. I'm sure I could still locate the site, even though the wreckage is gone.