LSFM Recovery

[Steve S]

In case you haven't heard - there are pics posted of the inside of the hanger at www.LSFM.org website. Also the Train musuem web site as previously posted by another WIX 'r has some shots of the area around the hanger.

After spending many years and thousands of hours of my life down there it is really heartbreaking to see all of this. It looks bad but, based on flood recoverys I have been invloved with in the past I don't think it is a total loss and can be put back toghether. It won't be easy and won't be possible without help from all of you. The hanger walls obviously have to be replaced in several areas, which won't be cheap, but luckilly the techniques are not that hard for this type of construction. The worst of it will be getting the mud out and washing down the place, which is compounded by the lack of fresh water.

While the airplanes are the most obvious asset of the museum there was whole collection of priceless artifacts and memorbilia in the Hall of Fame that is simply gone. I am also concered about the priceless manuals and literature that were in the shop office , have not heard if they were moved out in time and may or may not have survived (any info from anyone out there) Even the gift shop, whihc several feet above the hanger floor level, had a large investment in inventory, was destroyed and that inventory is gone as well- total financial loss.

I have mentioned this on two other threads already but I think it is worth repeating (and groveling over) -- the best thing that we can do right now is help out financially in any way possible. Keep in mind that most of the folks in the immediate era that are the core of the vonunteers donate regularly are now faced with there own expesnes and hurdles for getting there live back together, so they are going to be hard pressed for a while to help out.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE help out anyway you can. - I am especially asking those that may been able to experience the thrill of seeing the aircraft come to your local airshow, or perhaps you were able to spend some time talking airplane with one of the crews, and of course there is the work of folks like Elroy and Canso to keep the memory of our quickly fading greatest gerneartaion alive. I have consistently heard it mentioned on this board that whenever visiting the museum WIX member have been shown great hospitality and thoroughly enjoyed themsed. Please help us keep that up. If for nothing else the musuem must survive for the memory of the veterans from all generations that it is meant to honor.

I belive Larry Gregory is working on setting up something on the web page and he is trying to get the Post Office situation worked out so please stay tuned.

THanks
Steve S

[Jack Cook]

-- the best thing that we can do right now is help out financially in any way possible. Keep in mind that most of the folks in the immediate era that are the core of the vonunteers donate regularly are now faced with there own expesnes and hurdles for getting there live back together, so they are going to be hard pressed for a while to help out.

Hate me for saying it but the people need to come first. and the city needs to get basic services restored like water, power, sewer ect. I love airplanes but they're way down the list. I sure know how it feels like to lose it all

[k5083]

Might I suggest that some of the stuff that is a total financial loss be retained for its possible value as a sign of gratitude to donors. Assume, for example, that a lot of metal has to be replaced on the Spitfire, or the PB4Y, or any of the other aircraft because of salt water corrosion issues. A piece of airplane skin that is junk to the museum may be of value to donors and may spur more and larger contributions. Just something to keep in mind. Good luck.

August

[RyanShort1]

-- the best thing that we can do right now is help out financially in any way possible. Keep in mind that most of the folks in the immediate era that are the core of the vonunteers donate regularly are now faced with there own expesnes and hurdles for getting there live back together, so they are going to be hard pressed for a while to help out.

Hate me for saying it but the people need to come first. and the city needs to get basic services restored like water, power, sewer ect. I love airplanes but they're way down the list. I sure know how it feels like to lose it all

Spot on. Right now they're telling folks to leave, because of the lack of basic services - however, those people also have jobs, and lives, and need to either be able to get their stuff and start elsewhere, or begin the cleanup and rebuilding process. I'm serious about the thread here: http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/p ... hp?t=24425
And if anyone has ideas, I'd like to know. I don't have a ton of money, but if I could get some folks here interested, I'd be willing to do what I could to help make something happen. I already have permission from my folks to see about taking a crew of my friends out if a good opportunity presents itself.

Ryan

[Steve S]

-- the best thing that we can do right now is help out financially in any way possible. Keep in mind that most of the folks in the immediate era that are the core of the vonunteers donate regularly are now faced with there own expesnes and hurdles for getting there live back together, so they are going to be hard pressed for a while to help out.

Hate me for saying it but the people need to come first. and the city needs to get basic services restored like water, power, sewer ect. I love airplanes but they're way down the list. I sure know how it feels like to lose it all

Jack- Pleaes don't misinterpret what I am saying and I apoligize if wasn't clear- OF course the people come first. Trust me- I lived there for a very long time and a lot of my closest friends are struggling right now and there is nothign I can do direclty which is really hard. From first hand reports I do know that a lot of stuff is coming togther and things are getting better each day- still a long road ahead but it is looking up. Some are estimating up to 5 years to get the island back to the point it was at 1 week ago.

I was really directing this toward folks like yourself who are far enough away that may want to do something to help but can't get down there in person. As regular contributer to the Red Cross I don't plan to change that, but I am going to dig a little deeper into my "boat fund" this year to help out- I think it will be well worth it in the long run.

Steve

[Bill Greenwood]

From looking at the photos it's not clear how high the water was inside the hangars. I notice the motorcycle is still sitting upright and looks pretty normal. The photos don't show the Spitfire. I hope the airplanes weren't submerged. I don't see anything like a high water mark..
Getting the mud out is a big job, but it is easier since the floor is or was coated with high quality smooth paint. The mud can be shoveled and washed out when they have water again.

Last edited by Bill Greenwood on Wed Sep 17, 2008 11:42 am, edited 1 time in total.

[Django]

How is the Privateer and the B-58? I haven't seen any pics yet.

[skymstr02]

From looking at the photos it's not clear how high the water was inside the hangars. I notice the motorcycle is still sitting upright and looks pretty normal. The photos don't show the Spitfire. I hope the airplanes weren't submerged. I don't see anything like a high water mark, it's possible it was only a foot of water and mud on the floor.
Getting the mud out is a big job, but it is easier since the floor is or was coated with high quality smooth paint. The mud can be shoveled and washed out when they have water again.

In the one photo, the high water mark is about 8 ft above the hangar deck.
The B-58 has some damage where it floated over to an exterior wall. The 4Y doesn't appear to have moved but it had the 8ft of sea water in and around it. There is a fair amount of magnesium in the wheels and brakes, and mag doesn't react well with sea water. It more or less disolves in it.

[ChrisG]

Bill, if you look at the pic with the PB4Y wing showing you will see a very distinct line about 8-10 feet up the wall at the first visible horizontal beam.

[Steve S]

From looking at the photos it's not clear how high the water was inside the hangars. I notice the motorcycle is still sitting upright and looks pretty normal. The photos don't show the Spitfire. I hope the airplanes weren't submerged. I don't see anything like a high water mark, it's possible it was only a foot of water and mud on the floor.
Getting the mud out is a big job, but it is easier since the floor is or was coated with high quality smooth paint. The mud can be shoveled and washed out when they have water again.

Sorry to say bill report on the web page says the water was as 7-8 feet in the hanger. I heard that it was few feet deep in the gift shop which starts a few feet above the level of the hanger floor. If you look at the pictres of the wall with the wooden panelling (where you would come down the ramp from the gift shop) in front of the blue Ford SUV you will see an American Flag with what appears to be a water stain about 3 stripes from the bottom. I also saw a picture of a Cessna in the hanger with a mud line about a foot below the top of the rudder. I am pretty sure all of the fighter were submerged. The TBM may have gotten lucky from its size and only got half a dunking.
Not a pretty sight

Steve S

[Nathan]

So sad...may I suggest moving the museum to someplace where flooding will never be a problem?

[Ztex]

If it was this high on the airport...just think about all those houses and business' in town...

[peter]

I do hope they are able to get fresh water there as soon as possible in order to dilute and remove any remnants of the salt water.

[ZRX61]

For insurance purposes all those Cessnas etc that got dunked will be considered a total loss...along with all the vehicles.

[51fixer]

For insurance purposes all those Cessnas etc that got dunked will be considered a total loss...along with all the vehicles.

If they had insurance. Or would it be Hull Insurance for the aircraft?
I don't know the ins and outs for damage from a hurricane.
Some carry limited insurance if an aircraft is having a long term rebuild and isn't flyable.
Rich