I'm gett'n my shovel

[Shay]

I wish I found burried treasure like this in my backyard.

From the "HAWAII AVIATION PRESERVATION SOCIETY"

http://www.hiavps.com/

FEB 06 ENGINE RECOVERY AT BARBERS PT.

As part of our ongoing mission, we occasionally volunteer to help other non-profit organizations with their own projects.

We were asked by the Hawaii Museum of Flying to help remove some Pratt & Whitney R-1830 "Twin Wasp" WWII era engines from a ditch at John Rodgers Field (old Barbers Pt. NAS) The engines were partially buried where dumped by the USN, probably in the 1950s. The removal required the use of one of the museum's tank recovery vehicles and one of their deuce and a half trucks. In addition to the engines being a possible environmental hazard, the possibility of parts use for restoration purposes made the undertaking worthwhile.

The pictures in the photo gallery below were taken by Don Hinton

Very Cool

Shay
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Semper Fortis

[bdk]

Looks like they suvived much better under ground than they would have above. Hopefully they won't store them outside on those pallets awaiting "restoration."

Can they legally romove that USN property?

[Shay]

Any Idea what they might be off of?

Also what do engines in this condition bring on the open market?

I remember Gary larkins commenting that recovering the engine from the B-17 in Alaska would help finance the rest of the recovery of the Fort. Those engines weren't burried but submereged.


Shay
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Semper Fortis

Last edited by Shay on Sat Jan 13, 2007 9:07 am, edited 1 time in total.

[N3Njeff]

wonder how much more is out there.......................also I thought it was fitting that they returned in a deuce.............for the govt probably took them out there in one and just rolled them off the back and into the ditch.

[Scott Rose]

I think every aviation museum needs a tank recovery vehicle!

[mas]

If that's -66 on the data plate, it looks like these might be off of PBYs or early F4Fs.

[Shay]

Can they legally romove that USN property?

Didn't Navy's wording state if the relic was "Underwater"?

Also the downside to this is that I'm sure those engines weren't in perfect running order when they were dumped hence the reasoning for dumping them.

But it's good to see them out of the ground and going to a good home none the less

If that's -66 on the data plate, it looks like these might be off of PBYs or early F4Fs.

It looks to me that the data plate says "-66A".

Shay
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Semper Fortis

[retroaviation]

I think every aviation museum needs a tank recovery vehicle!

I was thinking the same thing! Could use that for plenty of "stress relief" around here too.

[Shay]

hey Gary

If the PBY used "-66"s engines did AM927 also use "-66"s as well?


Also can anyone tell me what the "A" on the "-66A" means???

Shay
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Semper Fortis

[B25PBYGUY]

The -66 was used ONLY on the PBY-3, AND the XF4F-2. Therefore, these are PBY-3 engines. The "A" meant they were built under license by Buick.
The "straight" Cats that fly today use the -92, 1200hp/side, [wartime PBY-5(A) and -6] some have been modified to -94's for 1350hp/side. Of course the Super Cat sports Wright Cyclone 2600's.

[retroaviation]

-75's and -94's on our B-24A.

Gary

[thundergull pilot]

If I am reading the data plate right it looks like those engines wre made by Buick in Melrose Park Illinois. During the war Dodge-Chicago made R-3350s for B-29s in Melrose Park and after the war Ford made Pratt & Whitney R-4360s in that same plant.