Warbird Information Exchange

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Hi all

The tour goes on I'm in Singapore for a few days following up on a certain forum members interest in DH Hornet remains here

Qatar at the weekend to look at a job and then back to the Manilla P38s next week - hope to have lots to post next week

The weather is very nice and I miss you all!!!Well most of you - any truth in the rumor that the victorian collector has purchased the RAF and the USAF Museum ?

Kindest regards
John P

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Air Vice Marshall
Sunshine State Air Farce

When I saw in the thread title 'Singapore', I thought Hornet parts, I guess David was well ahead of me.
Good luck in your search.

Setter
Is the Paulaner Brewery still in Singapore? That was so so good! But it was also so so pricey for a pint. Its worth a stop if you haven't been there.

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www.tailhookstudio.com

Col Rohr

Wilco Col - shirts are in production right here right now - nice little screen printer next door

Regards
John P

_________________
Air Vice Marshall
Sunshine State Air Farce

Hi Guys

Singapore - very nice found Dave something good I think - beer was good and T shirts done
Qatar - check - looks like I am going there for a spell
Vietnam - found some more parts and spares - very good for 9 hour visit.
Manilla - Blow your socks off - P38 to end all P38s - 8 kill ex Bong Sqn machine -little corrosion or gravel rash - will be a stunner - USABound in time.

Short version
Long one when I get home on Wed your time

Regards
John p

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Air Vice Marshall
Sunshine State Air Farce

Woo-Hoo! An eight kill P-38.

Come on and 'fess up. How many machines did they recover, and will we see one coming down to Oz?

Enjoy the rest of your trip!

Cheers

Browny

These people have the contacts.
John when are you back.

Mick Getting on a plane now back tomorrow morning - 6 pm in Singapore monday night - be on line tomorrow night

Regards
John P

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Air Vice Marshall
Sunshine State Air Farce

Alright Setter,

Give us a hint, we know 5AF, but what FG/FS? Better yet s/n? Let's cut to the chase, PHOTOS please!

regards,

t~

C'mon Setter,you've been back a few days,what news??Do you have any pics you can enlighten us with??Cheers,Pete

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Give me a Centaurus over a Merlin any day

TEASE

regards,

t~

originalboxcar

OK I get the message

The machine was pulled / dug out of river bank and is in very good condition - serial still to be confirmed - I was only an observer and don't have access to it but it is from the same source as the other two P38s which went to the US last year.
Rob Rohr posted some good pics of the aircraft all being buried last year and if you look you will find them on the search facility.

The 60 plus aircraft were buried up against the eroded bank of a river nose first and then covered with earth 4 or 5 machines deep around a bend in the river,they were buried nose first and hoisted up on a crane by the horizontal stabilizer which buckled a little and buckled both booms however other than that they are remarkably well preserved. Most are war vets and have good histories I imagine - the serials etc should be easily discernable when they eventually front in the US but it is no place to be mucking around in ytheir current location given the security issues and the desire of the "owners" to keep this confidential. Only one or two machines a year are coming out and they are not going to be put on tthe general market - the principles are very7 aware of the price drop that flooding the market would cause.

It is a very dangerous place and I think I have probably taken my last visit for some time as it is in the middle of a shooting war.

Regards
John P

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Air Vice Marshall
Sunshine State Air Farce

John

I can well understand the cloak & dagger stuff in the Phillipines....but if two of the P-38s are in the US since last year, it seems a bit odd there hasn't been a peep out of anyone about them...hell even the 'illegal' exports that arrived from New Guinea were documented. So where are they in the US and is the secrecy to do with legal issues? Will they just 'appear' one day and fly....with none of the restoration work being out sourced, so no one has any idea they exist until the hangar door is pulled open....intriguing if not a little perplexing!

Dave

Dave

There have been a lot of references to them in the US - it was assumed - wrongly - that they were PNG wrecks and that they were in bad condition - I think this was deliberate on the part of the principles and the new owners to confuse them with the other PNG stuff which is subject to much conjecture at present.

For what it is worth I think there is a deliberate attempt to "make obscure" the source of these machines and hide them from public gaze for as long as possible as with the Arnolds et al - Not my call but I would far rather this was a whole lot more transparent so that there was a better chance for everybody to share in such a great discovery.

Regards
John P

_________________
Air Vice Marshall
Sunshine State Air Farce

There was always going to be intrest in the two P-38's from PNG.The contrversy over the legality of them could make the new owner want to hide them.
That owner may now want tio put them back on the market he has two better examples to work with,and less controversial.
There are a lot of Warbirds stil available in Asia,i would love to know the number of Mustangs stil in Indonesia.
Yes and the Phillipines?