Who like to polishe

[Pat M.]

Re: Who like to polishe

Pat,
That's right. In my early days (1980s) flying re-supply missions from Thule AB Greenland to our station at Alert Northwest Territories we used to take the occasional 'detour' (about 20 minutes or so) off course to have a look at the B-29 on a frozen lake. It was pretty intact looking from the air, and given its location, some 300 miles from Thule, you had to wonder at the good fortune of the crew being found and rescued after their mishap in 1947. As I recall, the log book for that flight and several other items retrieved from the wreck were on display at Base Ops in Thule.

VERY interesting, Grant, to think you actually saw it in person so far away. I think it was the incredibly remote location, and being on a frozen lake, which made it unsuitable to try to transport back home, which is why they tried to fly it home. A really unfortunate set of events to hit such a noble effort.
At least the Glacier Girl was able to complete her mission!

Edit: Oops, I hadn't read Terry's link previously, which shows she was unable to complete her mission. Well anyway, she's still alive and well!

[John H.]

Re: Who like to polishe

For

Helluva bird - note the reverse rotation prop on the port engine.

[John L.]

Re: Who like to polishe

I saw parts of this plane at Lakeland in 94? It was at an EAA Spring show.
Talked with some of the guys putting it together who also took part in getting it up from the ice. They had some great stories. One was they pulled the nose cannon out and it still had ammo in it .They took it topside and hooked the electronic trigger to a snowmobile and fired off a few rounds...still worked after 50 years in the ice, Also scared the hell out of everyone. Also saw the pilots seat and radio which the pilot had fired his 38 into before he left the plane, there was still a bag of Beachnut chewing tobacco under the seat when they got to it. I made a $20.00 donation and I have a 16" X 24" photo of the plane under the ice in a large cavern carved out by steam.
War Birds and Corvettes what a great combination!!

[John L.]

Re: Who like to polishe

Just went downstairs and looked at the photo. it says they raised it in 92. I think when I saw it in 94 they were traveling around airshows with pieces of it and large photo displays showing them raising it trying to raise additional funds to restor it. I remembered asking them how they found it 280+ feet under the ice, they said they knew about where the 6 P-38's and the 2 B-17's went down. They used a side tracking radar unit off a F-14 fighter, by laying it flat on the ice and pulling it behind a snowmobile in a criss cross pattern over the ice. They found others but this one plane seemed closer to the surface so this is the one they went after. They said all the rubber hoses looked and felt brand new after being frozen for 50 years in the ice; also the engines had less than 20-30 hours on them since these were new planes being ferried to England when forced to land in Greenland on the ice. Most of the skin on the plane was dented up from the ice but the structure was in great shape. Oh well didn't mean to go off on a tangent. Let's talk cars.

[Pat M.]

Re: Who like to polishe

Oh well didn't mean to go off on a tangent. Let's talk cars.

No problem, John. I think this thread shows we're all cut from the same cloth: we're suckers for the resurrection of an old classic, be it Corvette or warbird. They're both American legends, no?!

[Steven B.]

Re: Who like to polishe