Warbird Information Exchange

Hahaha! Touche Mark.

If you follow the India-crash B-24 links...they say she was a J, but she doesn't haev a nose turret. Any help for a confused guy?

EDITED TO ADD...

http://miarecoveries.org/gallery/fullsi ... ell_fs.jpg

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"Anyway, the throat feels a bit rough...the legs have gone...but I'm still able to chant, so let's get going."

Joe Strummer, 1999

fotobass,

Good catch. I have an explanation for you.

There is no doubt that the "Hot As Hell" in the Internet photo on the miarecoveries.org website is 42-40075, a B-24D model with a glass "greenhouse" nose. The "Hot As Hell" which is the subject of the MIA search in India is 42-73308, a B-24J model with a nose turret. The four-digit number in the wreckage photo is the Construction Number for 73308; no actual aircraft serial number has yet been found in the wreckage, but the 2878 Constr. No. (also found by Clayton Kuhles hand-painted with a brush on another wreckage piece) is clearly linked in records to 73308.

There is a common connection between 42-40075 and 42-73308: same air force (14th), group (308th BG) and squadron (425th BS), and same skipper, navigator, and radio operator:

Pilot 1st Lt. William A. Swanson, 0-728935
Bombardier 1st Lt. Robert E. Oxford, 0-663308
Radio operator S/Sgt. Harry B. Queen, 11021096.

It seems that when his trusty B-24D was replaced by a new B-24J, skipper William Swanson decided to give the new bomber the same name as the previous one. Possibly the new one was called something like "Hot As Hell II" – signifying that this B-24J was carrying on the name and nose art of the earlier "Hot As Hell".

It is also possible that the new B-24J had not yet been painted with nose art when it was lost, but that William Swanson had intended for the "Hot As Hell" name and nose art to be added when time allowed.

No photos have yet materialized of 42-73308, but there definitely was scuttlebutt about it being at least referred to, pre-crash, as "Hot As Hell".

The kin of all eight crewmen on 73308 refer to it as "Hot As Hell", and the media has run with it.

Clayton Kuhles has been meaning to alter his website so that the very confusion you picked up upon can be avoided.

It looks like JPAC will be reaching this site this year -- and Clayton says that the local hunters have seen bones there. They are very afraid of the spirits, he was told. When he was taken to the wreck in Dec '06 there was just enough snow on the ground to prevent him from discovering the obvious bones.

This site will result in at least some of the crew's remains being recovered.

Regards,

Matt

Over the past 15 years, as a regular visitor to Australia on business, and now in retirement, I have watched the progress of the Werribee B-24 with much interest.

Here are some shots from March this year. Clearly the bar has been raised substantially on the engineering front in more recent times, with some of the earlier work being revisited.

Engine running and taxiing is now an achievable goal under the current regime.

PeterA

Shots using the IXUS 75

WOW, that looks great! I hope someday to get down there to see it.

Tim

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www.tailhookstudio.com

Thought there was some oddball early-J model thing I was missing. Thanks!

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"Anyway, the throat feels a bit rough...the legs have gone...but I'm still able to chant, so let's get going."

Joe Strummer, 1999

I like the pedal car - although on first glimpse I thought it looked like a Walrus!

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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)

Iam going to probably ask a Dumb ? But I am sure it had been covered . If they are hoping to be able to get it to Taxi and running engines what is to keep it from Flying ? Damage to the Main spar or is it some other reason ? I think it is fanstastc that they have a goal to even get it running for taxi runs if any thing else . In advance I say thank yu for all that respond

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Always Keep Em Flying !

Glen

Lookie Capt Jim! Wham! Wham! ...............................Termights

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I suspect there are three basic reasons:

1. Money
2. More Money
3. The objective is to preserve a B24 in Australia, and the current outcome achieves that.


There is grass-fire damage and corrosion to the wing centre section recovered from PNG, and I understand that structure survived a belly landing? so there may be structural disassembly and repairs required, beyond that undertaken so far for static display. The fuselage has had significant work to rebuild keel structure that was badly corroded, and to reskin the bomb bay doors etc.

All of this has been undertaken by association members of either significant age as former wartime air or ground crew, or younger volunteers with no formal aircraft engineering qualifications, thats not to say the workmanship is poor, but it has not been managed and documented towards an airworthy outcome. The Association's objective is to "preserve" a B24 in Australia for posterity, they do intend to get it to the status of engine runs and taxi-ing condition, but have never sought it to be an airworthy outcome.


This project has achieved an unbelievable outcome so far, but has spent significant dollars and significant man-hours to get there, all of which has relied on fundraising, donations and volunteers, an airworthy restoration would have been a significantly more complex and costly process as compared to the restoration of a static but active complete B24, even that has been considered an ambitious outcome on their resources.

While I have no doubt with enough resources of time and money the aircraft could be made airworthy, thats not their objective.

regards

Mark Pilkington

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20th Century - The Age of Manned Flight
"from Wrights to Armstrong in 66 years -WOW!"

Mark
Thank you for the Info on that ? that I ask. I think from the photos they have done a wonderful Job and they should be very proud of what all that they have done so far She is going to be a awsome addition to the Warbird Movement !

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Always Keep Em Flying !

Glen

Lookie Capt Jim! Wham! Wham! ...............................Termights

That really is the next best thing... a living breathing B-24.