Warbird Information Exchange

Yes, but can be renewed ad-infinitum!

I would like to see someone who can get the the job done... get the d*mn job done already. It's not under 400' of ice. It's under 6' of sand.

The ideal person or organization who recovers it would have a large pool of fresh water to dump the fragments in for a display diorama of what a P-38 in a pool looks like. Otherwise it will turn to dust within a few days.

Quite so!

There are guys here who are ready, willing and able to go to get her out for whichever UK based museum wants her. Far better to get on and do it, rather than have TIGHAR talk about it interminably and then add it to the ever lengthening list of their "non recoveries".

Meanwhile, the TIGHAR UK based representative, Matt Rimmer, seems unwilling or unable to answer the questions he promised to answer here!

"Sand Ghost's" recovery is not rocket science, but probably beyond TIGHAR.

I have been following this quietly - until now. Still no word? Can anyone give a resonable answer as to why she was not recovered in the spring?? I understand there are logistics involved, cost, removal, treatment, storage etc but she surely cant be getting any better sitting under there??!

I reiterate a point i made in another thread - people are recovering, partial airframes from the depths of oceans and deep within jungles to save them asap - how tough can a welsh beach be??!!

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"A B-24 was the box a B-17 came in!" - One crew teasing another circa 1944!

this is 1 hot potato.... all politics. tighar, while having a noble goal never seems to deliver or get results. this is not a difficult recovery. but, it needs responsible salvage & by a person or group that can get around the b.s. in a reasonable amount of time.

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tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!

There is a team ready and waiting who have combined experience of probably hundreds of years in this kind of work. Speaking personally, I have been involved in this sphere since 1969 with recoveries in the UK, Europe and elsewhere.....including Gladiators off Norwegian mountains, wrecks out of the sea and DH9's out of India. Move over, TIGHAR, and let those who CAN get on with the job. If there is a national UK museum that wants it, we'll do it. Funding should not be an issue for this team so, TIGHAR, stop your slightly "iffy" fundraising for this non-project of yours! Suggestions that the military might recover it are probably unfounded. In any event, they don't have the specialised knowledge and experience. They might have some good kit, but recovering this P-38 is a million miles away from recovering modern service wrecks that they are used to!! With all due respect to them, whilst they might consider themselves "Professionals" and us as mere "Amateurs" then remember this......The Titantic was built by professionals, the Ark by amateurs.

Finally....what happened to TIGHAR's Mr Rimmer's promises to answer questions? All strangely silent.

When does the Tighar expedition depart to recover the Ark? Perhaps as soon as they get a little more money donated!!!!

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Bill Greenwood
Spitfire N308WK

LOL... But shouldn't there be TWO "Tighars" if they are recovering the Ark?

Robbie

This whole deal bums me out. Someone is going to piss around too long and it will be gone... forever.

I've tried to keep an open mind about TIGHAR, but that has become increasingly difficult. Their action -or lack thereof- seems to be quickly robbing them of any credibility whatsoever.
Okay, I've sided with the rest of you. Change their name to The Int. Group for Historic Accumulations of Rust.
I'm p...ed too.

getting irritated in Texas
Doug

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"I love the smell of 100LL in the morning."

TIGHAR's web site has this interesting quote:

"The result of those meetings was a consensus that the Royal Air Force Museum will move forward with planning to recover the aircraft using military assets. The museum’s intention is to conserve the P-38 at the Michael Beetham Conservation Center at RAF Cosford in the English Midlands and eventually exhibit the aircraft in “as found” condition at the main RAF Museum in London.

How soon the RAF Museum is able to put the necessary conservation preparations in place and organize the recovery remains to be seen. TIGHAR will assist in connecting the museum’s conservation staff with needed expertise. Meanwhile, Matt Rimmer will continue to monitor the aircraft’s situation and if it becomes uncovered before the RAF Museum is ready to begin recovery operations, TIGHAR will help provide security. Should the RAF Museum for any reason decide not to proceed with a recovery, TIGHAR will seek alternative solutions to recovering and preserving the aircraft."

Sounds like either A: They aren't driving the bus on this project or B: It's convenient to blame the RAF Museum for dragging their feet.

What's the truth?

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"Take care of the little things and the big things will take care of themselves."

The elevator mass balances are lead, and therefore do not corrode. The turbo charger bay is stainless steel, as are the coolant radiator mounts and the gear door hinges. Sure your probably going to end up with a large mushy pile of dead marine life(did I mention smelly) but who amongst us can source ANY P-38 components on call. They're not getting any easier to find. Ask yourself, If it went up for auction on ebay, what would it fetch? I think we would all be surprised.

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"If that's a goddamn 'Jug' in front of me, you sure as hell better wiggle your wings." 80FS/8FG Cape Gloucester, December 1943. And the entire 41st Fighter Squadron rocked their wings.

ALWAYS LOOKING FOR P-38 PARTS

TIGHAR Security! On the Job!!

I really am starting to not like the whole let's display it as found thing.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager