Warbird Information Exchange

A link to some neat pictures...

http://www.abandonedbutnotforgotten.com ... rolina.htm

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"Everyone wants to live here (New Jersey), evidenced by the fact that it has the highest population per capita in the U.S..."

Very cool. I think it is so sad that this aircraft is not going to be restored.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

I don't think the museum has the $$ to restore it to "factory fresh" condition. I think it's pretty neat that they'll display it as if it is on the bottom of the lake. Just my opinion...

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"Everyone wants to live here (New Jersey), evidenced by the fact that it has the highest population per capita in the U.S..."

Sometimes I think that it could be cool to have a plane displayed like that, but not one as rare as the B-25B.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

"Sometimes I think that it could be cool to have a plane displayed like that, but not one as rare as the B-25B"

I agree, it should be back to what it looked like just before its last flight, not after.

i participated in compiling some info in the official appraisal for the wreck. i did some of the leg work with various aspects sought out. my friend robb hill of albuquerque n.m. did the the major work, as he's certified with the necessary credentials. i just assisted. i was initially approached by mr seigler to do the appraisal & passed it on to mr hill. it was a 3 month project. seigler contacted me after my instrument collecting article was published in air classics. the b-25 is being displayed diorama style because corrosion is bad, & if it's restored it's just another b-25 whether or not that rare lower turret is present or not.

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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!!

Sounds like a cop out to me. Are you suggesting it loses value if the broken forward fuselage is spliced back together? Preposterous!

At a minimum it should be back on its gear and not lying on the floor like a pile of junk. What kind of tribute is that?????

I can understand the diorama idea until funding can be obtained for the restoration, but not the "diorama" as a final answer.

it's the museum's choice. they are only doing what's practical. i'd like to see her with a face lift too, but it's not prudent as to expense & man hours.

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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!!

Hi, This B-25C is now at the Southern Museum of Flight in Birmingham AL. The link to the museum site and another site with pictures is below. I was not able to get off work to go down and she her before being disassembled and shipped to AL (d##m bills!)

http://www.southernmuseumofflight.org/whatsnew.html


http://community.webshots.com/user/lakemurrayb25


She is 41-12634 the 201st B-25C to be built and still had the rear upper turret and the rare lower periscope turret complete with .50's when pulled up. The plane was protected from vandals through the years by the water depth and bad visibility. As the photos show, she was damaged by the water landing (right engine ripped off and still lost) as well as the impact with the bottom after sinking (all of the crew were rescued by local boaters). You can also see what even fresh water does to magnesium and aluminum over the years. Given all this damage and corrosion (plus her rarity) I agree with the museum's plan to display her "as is" after a through cleaning and ACF treatment. If she was used as a basis for a flyable "restoration" 98% of the plane would be "thrown" away (IE using only the data plate and turret parts). If someone has the 2-5 million such a effort would require (ask Bob from Glacier Girl for a price quote) why not just use factory data and this plane as reference to build a completely new B-25 ? ( or ten to help offset the costs like the Me-262's ). On a parallel thread, I also think the B-24D in Alaska should be recovered and preserved in the same fashion so that she may be seen by generations to come instead of being consumed by the elements in thirty years after only two more people get permission to see her in person.

Just my last two cents for this year,
Happy New Year!
Brian

Sounds like it would make a good topic for a poll! Who really wants to see it the way it appeared at the bottom of the lake?

The Abandoned but Not Forgotten site has a page for Skaggs Island in Northern CA; scroll to the bottom and there are two pictures of T-33A 55-3021/N3497F which was at Solano City College. Link:

http://www.abandonedbutnotforgotten.com ... island.htm

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All right, Mister Dorfmann, start pullin'!
Pilot: "Flap switch works hard in down position."
Mechanic: "Flap switch checked OK. Pilot needs more P.T." - Flight report, TB-17G 42-102875 (Hobbs AAF)

I would like to see someone who can afford to restore it get a hold of it. Although, I see the Aero Trader C model being a much more viable restoration project considering the condition of the Lake Murray aircraft.

As far as it being just another B-25 I think that a restoration like this would end up being someone who just wants a C model and has the $3 million to put into it to make it factory. It isn't going to be someone who just wants a B-25. Look at "Apache Princess" and "How Bout That" if those 2 owners would have just wanted a B-25 they wouldn't have spent millions making those aircraft factory when they could just pick up one for $400,000. I have flown in "Apache Princess" and it isn't just another Mitchell. It is a work of art. Look at "How Bout That" they probably could have had an entire airframe for what they most likely have in rebuilding the spar but they wanted to have as much of the original combat veteran aircraft as they could despite the additional costs.

No Bucks...No Buck Rogers.

JimH