Kee Bird?

b29driver · **Posted:** Tue Mar 05, 2013 11:04 am

The Inspector wrote:

b29driver wrote:

Last time I was in Thule it was a July 15th and it was 33 degrees and blowing snow.

Race ya to the beach!!! :lol:

And there was an iceberg floating not too far off the end of the runway.

Ken · **Posted:** Thu Mar 07, 2013 6:50 pm

As has been said in the handful of other Kee Bird threads, if you had money and wanted a B-29 to throw it at, there are airframes in the CONUS that would yield better results and provide less hassle than the effort required to return to remote Greenland. As far as we know, though, the Kee Bird parts are still sitting where they were left, Doc sits where it was left, etc, etc. I know I don't have the financing to be anything other than a spectator in the B-29 game.

Ken

p51 · **Posted:** Thu Mar 07, 2013 7:14 pm

Ken wrote:

As has been said in the handful of other Kee Bird threads, if you had money and wanted a B-29 to throw it at, there are airframes in the CONUS that would yield better results and provide less hassle than the effort required to return to remote Greenland. As far as we know, though, the Kee Bird parts are still sitting where they were left, Doc sits where it was left, etc, etc. I know I don't have the financing to be anything other than a spectator in the B-29 game.

It's the whole, "something for nothing" deal that so many people have in their head. Imagine this conversation taking place (I heard this almost word for word, from a guy who got a 'free' WW2 vehicle and spent more getting it out than someone selling one in better shape wanted for it close by. The owner never did understand how that didn't make sense...

New B-29 owner: "Hey, I didn't have the money to buy that Superfort, so I got new timed engines, bought a plane, flew to [insert endge of the Earth location here], we worked two months and got her flying. Now, the FAA is saying I gotta take her all apart, but I didn't have buy it!"
Bystander: "Yeah, but, by the time you have a bird you can take to airshows, you'll have as much money in it than you would by buying an airframe already here and getting it flyable..."
New B-29 owner: "No no no, you don't get it, we worked hard but got the bird for free!"
Bystander: "Uh, no, I added up everything you spent on your 'free' B-29, you actually spent as much, if not more, than what was being asked for [insert available B-29 here]."
New B-29 owner: (rubbing his eyes in disgust) "You're not getting it, we got the bird without having to pay for it..."
Bystander: "You're an idiot. I'm glad you're not in banking."

phil65 · **Posted:** Thu Mar 07, 2013 7:32 pm

p51 wrote:

Ken wrote:

As has been said in the handful of other Kee Bird threads, if you had money and wanted a B-29 to throw it at, there are airframes in the CONUS that would yield better results and provide less hassle than the effort required to return to remote Greenland. As far as we know, though, the Kee Bird parts are still sitting where they were left, Doc sits where it was left, etc, etc. I know I don't have the financing to be anything other than a spectator in the B-29 game.

It's the whole, "something for nothing" deal that so many people have in their head. Imagine this conversation taking place (I heard this almost word for word, from a guy who got a 'free' WW2 vehicle and spent more getting it out than someone selling one in better shape wanted for it close by. The owner never did understand how that didn't make sense...

New B-29 owner: "Hey, I didn't have the money to buy that Superfort, so I got new timed engines, bought a plane, flew to [insert endge of the Earth location here], we worked two months and got her flying. Now, the FAA is saying I gotta take her all apart, but I didn't have buy it!"
Bystander: "Yeah, but, by the time you have a bird you can take to airshows, you'll have as much money in it than you would by buying an airframe already here and getting it flyable..."
New B-29 owner: "No no no, you don't get it, we worked hard but got the bird for free!"
Bystander: "Uh, no, I added up everything you spent on your 'free' B-29, you actually spent as much, if not more, than what was being asked for [insert available B-29 here]."
New B-29 owner: (rubbing his eyes in disgust) "You're not getting it, we got the bird without having to pay for it..."
Bystander: "You're an idiot. I'm glad you're not in banking."

Nail soup?

The Inspector · **Posted:** Thu Mar 07, 2013 9:52 pm

phil65 wrote:

p51 wrote:

Ken wrote:

As has been said in the handful of other Kee Bird threads, if you had money and wanted a B-29 to throw it at, there are airframes in the CONUS that would yield better results and provide less hassle than the effort required to return to remote Greenland. As far as we know, though, the Kee Bird parts are still sitting where they were left, Doc sits where it was left, etc, etc. I know I don't have the financing to be anything other than a spectator in the B-29 game.

It's the whole, "something for nothing" deal that so many people have in their head. Imagine this conversation taking place (I heard this almost word for word, from a guy who got a 'free' WW2 vehicle and spent more getting it out than someone selling one in better shape wanted for it close by. The owner never did understand how that didn't make sense...

New B-29 owner: "Hey, I didn't have the money to buy that Superfort, so I got new timed engines, bought a plane, flew to [insert endge of the Earth location here], we worked two months and got her flying. Now, the FAA is saying I gotta take her all apart, but I didn't have buy it!"
Bystander: "Yeah, but, by the time you have a bird you can take to airshows, you'll have as much money in it than you would by buying an airframe already here and getting it flyable..."
New B-29 owner: "No no no, you don't get it, we worked hard but got the bird for free!"
Bystander: "Uh, no, I added up everything you spent on your 'free' B-29, you actually spent as much, if not more, than what was being asked for [insert available B-29 here]."
New B-29 owner: (rubbing his eyes in disgust) "You're not getting it, we got the bird without having to pay for it..."
Bystander: "You're an idiot. I'm glad you're not in banking."

Nail soup?

Here's a frightening thought, maybe he IS your banker :shock:

Rocket88 · **Joined:** Wed Mar 13, 2013 6:54 pm **Posts:** 23

Sorry to knock the dust off this topic, but does ANYONE have a copy of the original VHS tape taken by Darryl and crew before the NOVA people came along? I would pay $$ for a copy as the story of this aircraft has sort of become a obsession of mine.

Jesse C. · **Posted:** Thu Aug 08, 2013 8:55 pm

You can get it on DVD from PBS

http://www.shoppbs.org/product/index.js ... rogram_dvd

wwrw2007 · **Posted:** Thu Aug 08, 2013 11:12 pm

Here's where I found my copy
http://product.half.ebay.com/B-29-Froze ... 76&tg=info

N3Njeff · **Posted:** Fri Aug 09, 2013 1:34 pm

I believe he is looking for the VHS tape that was made by the team on the initial trips to evaluate the kee bird. I've seen it as I know some one who was a "investor" on its removal. There is plenty of footage that was left on the floor from the produced Nova film. I have explained it in past threads on the subject.

maxum96 · **Posted:** Fri Aug 09, 2013 1:48 pm

This is not the video in question, but here is a trailer from a video where Greenamyer talked back in 2012 about trying to recover the Kee Bird.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gf2Df_LNAgc

aerojock · **Joined:** Sat Mar 12, 2005 2:58 am **Posts:** 148

It was playing on youtube.

Rocket88 · **Joined:** Wed Mar 13, 2013 6:54 pm **Posts:** 23

That would be correct Jeff. The home video they shot in 93 when they put her on her wheels and started an original engine, etc. I would love to see her as found, even though shes wasted now.

N3Njeff · **Posted:** Sun Aug 11, 2013 8:28 pm

Rocket88 wrote:

That would be correct Jeff. The home video they shot in 93 when they put her on her wheels and started an original engine, etc. I would love to see her as found, even though shes wasted now.

At some point I will go down and see him. He is in his 80's now and I did not see him this year as of yet. He may still have his copy. I remember that footage like it was yesterday. Very pathetic how it started out. Only if Paul Allen was there to help finance things, it might have gone better.

Rocket88 · **Joined:** Wed Mar 13, 2013 6:54 pm **Posts:** 23

I can't imagine starting one of those engines with that bent ass prop was very kind to the bearings or rotating assembly, which was probably junk after the props smacked the ground. I'm sure they didn't attempt to rev it any, because it was still attached to the wing afterwards

I'm sure if the recovery would have been attempted now it would have been gone about differently as the value of a B29 has gone up exponentially since then.

I've read about many aircraft being salvaged in a similar manner to this, jack it up, wind landing gear down, new props and maybe engines, and get it out. If they would have walked through her to make sure their heads weren't in their ass before they went bouncing around on the ice, well.....maybe that video would be a little more available. I would LOVE to see it though Jeff if you can get ahold of it.

Warbird Kid · **Posted:** Sun Aug 11, 2013 9:38 pm

Rocket88 wrote:

I've read about many aircraft being salvaged in a similar manner to this, jack it up, wind landing gear down, new props and maybe engines, and get it out.

Which? The only other one I can imagine is Taigh's PV-2. Of course that was in a waaaaay more hospitable location.

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