warbird1 wrote:
Uh-oh, did anyone read the comments on the news article at the link?
From one reader, who wrote:
"A nice story but a little loose on the facts. Bob Struges of Troutdale was the pilot who flew the bomber to Troutdale airport. Bob was a WWII Boeing Service pilot and operated a B-17 parts business in Troutdale. His sons still run Columia Airmotive. According to Bob there was NO first B-17 that Art crash landed. His description of how he flew it was quite impossible.Bob also stated that the gov't never actually sold the airplane but rather released it for display purposes.Bob had copies of the original paperwork to back that claim up. The lack of ownership has precluded it's sale and the denial of IRS 501c3 staus has precuded any tax free donations. The CAF in Texas recently lost custody of the very rare F-82 fighter they had for 40 years to the USAF when they tried to sell it and voilated their display agreement. "
If the reader is correct on his assertions, that changes EVERYTHING!
I hope the good General isn't reading this. He could waive his magic wand and have another B-17 at the NMUSAF. Thinking about it, perhaps that would be a better fate than sitting out in the elements with no hope for restoration any time soon.
The "more complete" version of the story of this airplane has been around for decades and most people familiar with it find the Bob Sturges account much more credible. I documented it in
Final Cut and it's been done elsewhere also. I have a copy of the document showing the airplane transferred for memorial purposes for $1,500, and interviewed both Art Lacey and Bob Sturges many years ago. I don't think the ownership issue is viable because of incomplete records and I doubt very much the gov't could make a claim against the airplane without
any supporting paperwork. The Lacey group has worked hard to put their official version of the story out there as the true history of the airplane, and that effort continues today. Whatever they can do to raise interest and money to protect the airplane: more power to them. Until and unless someone with big bucks gets involved, or a concerted effort is made to raise money in a grass roots campaign, how is the situation going to change? It would take a million just to get the airplane off the pedestal, move it, and have a purpose-built building built to protect it. That doesn't do a thing to progress on a restoration. It looks to be a sad fate for the airplane.
Of course, it's easy to complain from the sidelines. It is a vaild question of anyone, myself included, who expresses outrage about the condition of the airplane: how much will you donate to get the airplane protected?
_________________
Scott Thompson
Aero Vintage Books
http://www.aerovintage.comWIX Subscriber Since July 2017
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