Warbird Information Exchange

Recovery photos here... serial is apparently L2896:

http://foto.vg.no/show_image.php?bid=95035858

_________________

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)

How soon til she's flying?

Beautiful effort!

Robbie

Great pics, thanks for the link! I'm surprised at how poor of condition it is, but hopefully they can make a complete aircraft when it's combined with the other parts. Being that it came from a freshwater, cold, source, I would have thought it would be preserved better. Remember the -111's and -88's that came out of Scandinavia a couple years ago? They seemed to be pristine compared to the Skua. I wonder what made the Skua deteriorate much worse?

It came from a salt water fjord.

_________________
Magister Aviation
It's all in my book

Oh, I didn't know that. That DOES make a huge difference!

wow.... rough shape......... a little duct tape ....... it will be good as new!! really bad condition!!

_________________
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!!

Do I detect a touch of "Red-Green" or "Tool Time"?

Hey, why don't WE have a show? "This Old Plane" ? "Yerp, the FAA kinda sorta frowns on this type repair, but if'n you don't tell nobody about it, well, you can possibly fly it for years... Had a friend do that once't, the wing ain't come off agin yet" Uh, nope...

lol..
Robbie

Ahhhh, Red Green!!! ...."Duct tape, the handymans friend."..., "If the women don't find you handsome, at
least let them find you handy!"

The time they decided to brew beer in the abandoned water tower and forgot to vent the tank...the resultant
explosion blowing beer-mash all over the town, souring and reeking for weeks!!!
F**king Priceless!!!!

_________________
He bowls overhand...He is the most interesting man in the world.
"In Peace Japan Breeds War", Eckstein, Harper and Bros., 3rd ed. 1943(1927, 1928,1942)
"Leave it to ol' Slim. I got ideas...and they're all vile, baby." South Dakota Slim
"Ahh..."The Deuce", 28,000 pounds of motherly love." quote from some Mojave Grunt
DBF

that's why my friends call me "tool time tom" i can't fix anything i'm tops in the jerry rigging department.

_________________
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!!

This may constitute 120% more Skua parts than were above ground or water last week!

Restoration?...I don't hold out much hope.

It will take a LARGE pile of Kroners to resurrect that.

Mudge the pessimist

_________________
Land of the free because of the brave

I have been communicating with the Operation Skua team. On the contrary, they say that they have restored planes in worse condition. (Although I admit I was discouraged when I saw how bad it looked, too). They already have parts from other Skuas, but needed some parts from this one, in order to make a complete plane. A few pieces fell off as the plane was being raised, so they are planning to try to find those pieces this week. Since only 150 of these Skuas were every built, this is a really significant project. I'm looking forward to a trip to Bodo to see their work in a year or two!

I also agree that the overall condition is actually quite good. Many of the parts seem to have been submerged in mud. The mud will act as a preservative by sealing off the oxygen and not allow corrosion to occur. It also looks like alot of the damage was not due to its salt water emersion. Fishing lines anchors etc., not to mention the crash.

A great find and good recovery. Congratulations to all.

NHC please take notice.

Pirate Lex
http://www.BrewsterCorsair.com

_________________
An ego is no match for gravity.