Warbird Information Exchange

I've had a friend of mine tell me he was on the island of Malekula in the 60's and in the jungle some miles out of town was the remains of a US (yes, i know, US) airbase full of bombers, fighters and carrier planes.

Does anyone know anything about this?

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There were scrapping operations ongoing through the 60s of aircraft and other war leftovers in the Pacific. There are photos of the parked aircraft floating around.

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Rich Palmer

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Well i'll say this: The google earth images are intresting..... theres clouds over most of the island, excpet it seems there are two airports overgrown by the jungle...

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My racing will fund my warbirding. Hopefully...

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/ChristopherDeshongRacing
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Might be able to see more using Bing maps instead of google?

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tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!

I can't even figure out how to get to images and now roadmap LOL

I still find it intresting how google maps shows airports in the jungle..

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My racing will fund my warbirding. Hopefully...

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/ChristopherDeshongRacing
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChrisDRacing

They are there for bush fliers, do you know how hard it is to get an arborvitae into the air??

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Tell TIGHAR you found a woman's shoe and cosmetics jar there and they'll be all over it.

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Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.

And they still won't find any planes.

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Mechanic: "Flap switch checked OK. Pilot needs more P.T." - Flight report, TB-17G 42-102875 (Hobbs AAF)

Chris....now that was FUNNY!!!!!!

Wild Child,
Take a look at all the old Fifth Air Force Strips along the North Coast of New Guinea and Moratai on google earth(Sansapor, Middleburg, Pitoe , Wama, Biak(3), Owi). They are all still there, but covered by jungle. It's possible to make out old building bases and hard stands. Incredible stuff............But no remaining intact aircraft.

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"If that's a goddamn 'Jug' in front of me, you sure as hell better wiggle your wings." 80FS/8FG Cape Gloucester, December 1943. And the entire 41st Fighter Squadron rocked their wings.

ALWAYS LOOKING FOR P-38 PARTS

If you are referring to the NHS as in Sannwich Ilands and now the Republic of Vanuatu, then yes, the aircraft are still there.

As of 2008 it was intended to establish a walking track for tourists but there were problems with ownership claims ( nothing like PNG this has to do with local Kustom
laws and established tribal procedures which have worked so well for nearly 8,000 years) but the condition of the aircraft are not what you are expecting. Most were flown into this site from remote satelite strips or areas were Radio and observation posts had operated. This are was very important to the US during 42 and 43 and played a major role in Coral Sea and Midway. The aircraft I have visited numbered about 14, consisted of Dauntless a couple of corsairs and I'm sure an F4F
As some point, the authorities (white people) decided that the aircraft could be dangerous (????? don't ask me) and so all the aircraft where burnt. Fires were started by simply lighting fires with local brush etc in the cockpits.

Today, I believe, that if all Dauntless were collected, two examples could be created, but an on site visit would need to be done by people who know what they are looking at.

hope this is of some assistance.

SD

As a point of interest about 15 years ago I visted the three airfields on Biak as well as Owi island ( a couple of miles off the coast of Biak). Only ONE derelict aircraft was found...a Hawker Hunter left over from the Dutch Air Force and in very sad shape. Here's a summary:

Sorido airfield - now a barracks / housing area for the Indonesian Navy
Boroke Airfield: an abandoned airbase from the Dutch AF/ Navy use in the1960's.
Mokmer Airfield: Current Intl Airport with 11,000 foot runway.

Owi Island: Totally abandoned from WWII. Lots of USAAF junk laying round. Oxygen bottles, hydraulic lines, an old truck, etc., etc. Actually rather interesting to walk around especially accented by cockatoos screeching in the trees over head. Some natives live there and would like to have spent more time exploring. At the time Garuda Airlines used to have a direct flight from LAX to Bali with a fueling stops at HNL & Biak. I was the only one to deplane from the fully loaded DC-10 at Biak.

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