Warbird Information Exchange

Where did they recover it from?
Seems like in the 1990's a B-26 nose lying around would've drawn a lot of attention unless it was wildly over priced.
Jerry

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"Always remember that, when you enter the ocean or the forest, you are no longer at the top of the food chain."

It's been outside since it was parked @ Chino and scrapped in 1946. From there it went to Pacific Palisades, then in 84 was purchased by Tallichet. So nothing's changed. But still, ashame.

Shilo53, I'm sure if you are willing to write a fat check for a storage facility for every warbird carcass that is sitting outside everyone would be happy to put them indoors???

A friend of mine at work who used to fly around that part of the country swears that there was still a fuselage in Million Dollar Valley that never got recovered. He claims he saw it last about ten years ago but hasn't been back since.

you forgot your statement retraction!

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EVERYTHING that CAN fly should be ALLOWED to FLY!
IWO JIMA'S best narative..."GOD ISN'T HERE"
http://www.amazon.com/God-Isnt-Here-Ame ... 0976154706


P: Noise coming from under instrument panel. Sounds like a midget pounding on something with a hammer.

S: Took hammer away from midget.

For what I was right. This is part ex-tallichet bird. A static museum is going to save this aircraft, and you have a problem with it? No matter what any one ever does, if it involves a static aircraft, you crap on them. Tough sugar. Go butcher some historic aircraft to go fly them around a pylon.

What should we do with it man? There is not enough there to make a flyable aircraft. The MAPS one is the same way. So should we just scrap the reamains since there is not enough to make a flying aircraft.?

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Director

Thats the camper version 26.I remember that nose sitting in the back yard at chino.I think it was bought after the war right there on the airfield and then Dave got it from him.I think the bottom had some cut out areas but heck thats been 20 years ago when I was working there.

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Hang The Expense

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There is a Maraulder wreck shown in Charles Darby's "Pacific Aircraft Wrecks" book on page 41, that forced landed in a swamp on the Island of Kiriwina , wrote off its cockpit/nose, killing a number of the crew, but was shown relatively intact on its back, (from an air to ground photo) but with many skins sliced off by the natives.

I dont know if that wreck survives, and of course the Swamp Ghost situation still precludes ant other recoveries, (this is/was located on an Island forming part of PNG) and this wreck may be considered a war-grave, or suffering corrosion/fire damage, or ongoing scrapping and therefore beyond recovery in any case? but it would seem to me that the B-26 is still significantly rare enough to contemplate a recovery of that wreck, and mating this cockpit into an eventual complete static example?

The problem is that even as a war grave, its not really protected from illegal scrapping in one go, or via cuts of a thousand blades, it would seem to be "too much" of an aeroplane not to see a recovery considered and incorporation into a complete static example?

http://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/b-26/40-1426.html

Pilot Christian I. Herron, O-406130 (KIA)
Co-Pilot Squadron Leader Charles Raymond Gurney, 160 (KIA)
Navigator 2nd Lt. Noel A. Wright
Bombardier 2nd Lt. George D. Barnhill
Engineer Pvt Nelson V. Donaldson
Radio Sgt Robert F. Jordan
Gunner Pvt Fred J. Mikels (FL)
Crashed May 2, 1942

Crew History
Gurney was an experienced Qantas pilot, who had flown in New Guinea prior to the war, including Junker G.31 to Bulolo. As an RAAF officer, he was flying missions with the USAAF, when he was killed in the crash of this B-26. Milne Bay's No. 1 Airfield was re-named in Gurney's honor, which is still used today. Gurney was also a former Qantas pilot.

Aircraft History
Assigned to the 22nd BG, 19th BS in February 1942 with Powell as pilot. Ferried to Australia by 1st Lt. Perrie G. Powell, arriving at Archerfield on March 24, 1942.

Mission History
On its first combat mission, flying out of Kila Kila (3-Mile) near Port Moresby to bomb Simpson Harbor at Rabaul. Hit by anti-aircraft fire over Simpson Harbor and flew to Kiriwina on one engine, forcing it to gradulaly loose altitude. It attempted a wheels down emergency landing on the southern end of the island. They came down on swampy ground and when they touched down, the gear collapsed and flipped the bomber upside down. Both pilots were killed in the crash. The other crew members escaped without serious injury. The surviving crew were returned to Port Moresby by an RAAF PBY Catalina.


Pics in 1974 & 1985


http://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/b-26/40-1426/1974/darby.html


http://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/b-26/40-1426/1985/upside-down-vert.html

Regards

Mark Pilkington

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

Hang, et al.

If this is the camper nose, any idea what nose is on 1501?

I someday would love to know for sure which B-26 is made from which parts, and just how many noses there are. Everytime I think I figure it all out, someone comes up with more info.

Jim

P.S.: I heard the Hill wreak was recovered in Alaska.

Here it is at Chino in '83, along with its tail sporting Hollywood meatballs and bullet holes:



So where's the tail now?

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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)

This is a David aircraft. The meatballs were painted on there when it was used in the film "A guy named Joe". I believe the rear fuselage is in Akron with the MAPS Air Museum.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Director

The rear fuselage with the meatballs is at Pima. The camper guy had 2 nose sections. The one at Pima is one of them.

James

That makes sense. We also had a bunch of these sections at Air heritage. The main effort of that B-26 is "Charlie's Jewel" at Akron.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Director

Here's one more fuselage that is in Borrego Springs, Ca....

Is that owned by Aero Trader, or is it just stored there on behalf of Tallichet's estate?