LIFT IT OR LEAVE IT?Debbie Corbett, regional archeologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which oversees these historical Aleutian areas, said the sites chosen for new national monument designation will help illustrate the overall story of the war in the Aleutians. And for pushing 70 years of exposure to the elements, she thinks the Atka B-24 is in relatively good shape.
Spencer, who'd like more than anything to see the plane brought in and restored, doesn't agree.
"It's really beginning to suffer," he said.
The muskeg is slowly swallowing the wreck. High winds have blown away parts and pieces. And then there are the souvenir hunters.
The late Kevin Bell, captain of the 120-foot Fish and Wildlife research vessel, the Tiglax, visited the crash site a couple of years ago and sent Spencer a series of photographs documenting its condition.
"I was shocked at the amount of looting that had taken place on the airplane," Spencer said. "They've chopped away the trailing edge of both wings. The propeller blade was extracted from one of (the) propeller hubs. Somebody also chopped off the left wing tip with a hatchet."
There's more, but you get the picture.
"Over the years I've watched this plane, there have been a number of attempts by people to salvage it," Spencer said. "There are a lot of dreamers out there in the war bird business. But it's a huge task dismantling it, taking (it) out, reassembling it, restoring it. It's a gigantic project that takes a lot of vision and a lot of money."
In the meantime, he's hopeful this new Valor of the Pacific National Monument designation will help protect the aging bomber.
"Even though it's been recognized as a historical object for three decades, I don't think any resources have been dedicated to preserving it. This really puts icing on its historical importance and hopefully resulting in some resources and action."
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http://www.adn.com/2008/12/28/636258/ww ... z1C6Zyfafs
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