B-17E Bomber “Swamp Ghost” returns home to U.S. 68 years after take-off

[Cirrus N210MS]

http://www.everythinglongbeach.com/b-17e-bomber-swamp-ghost-returns-home/


B-17E Bomber “Swamp Ghost” returns home to U.S. 68 years after take-off

2010-06-10 · By Editor

http://www.everythinglongbeach.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/swamp-ghost-250x166.jpgRecovered from a remote New Guinea crash site, the Holy Grail of military aviation is unveiled.

On Friday, June 11, more than 68 years after a B-17E Flying Fortress crash-landed in a New Guinea swamp, the surviving relatives of The Swamp Ghost were joined by salvage team members and aviation historians to welcome home the fallen aircraft and honor the heroes of World War II.
On Feb. 23, 1942, a B-17E Flying Fortress crashed in one of the most remote locations on Earth after participating in the first long-range U.S. bombing mission of World War II following Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor. The nine-member crew survived the mission, but damage from enemy gunfire and loss of fuel caused the pilot to crash-land the plane in a primitive swamp on the north coast of Papua New Guinea. After a harrowing six-week escape to safety, the crew returned to combat.
For the next 64 years, the bomber nicknamed Swamp Ghost slept beneath water and tall grass until it was salvaged in 2006 through a treacherous recovery effort. One of only four B-17E models ever recovered, Swamp Ghost will be restored, possibly to flying condition, for display at an aviation history museum in honor of America’s veterans. It is widely known as the Holy Grail of military aviation.
The Long Beach “welcoming committee” included surviving family members of the original Swamp Ghost crew and specially-selected individuals that were instrumental in the aircraft recovery efforts:


John Tallichet, Specialty Restaurants Corp. president and CEO, whose late father David Tallichet initiated recovery efforts in the mid-1980s and was a collector of World War II aircraft,
Alfred Hagen, Aero Archaeology founder and Swamp Ghost salvage team leader, who has helped locate seven missing aircraft and returned more than a dozen MIA airmen to the U.S.,
Linda Oliver, a Calif. resident and widow of aircraft bombardier Col. Richard Oliver, whose last wish was to see his warbird come home, and other surviving relatives of Swamp Ghost air crew.

<style type="text/css">.gallery-item { width: 33%; }</style> <dl class="gallery-item"><dt class="gallery-icon"> http://www.everythinglongbeach.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/swamp-ghost-150x150.jpg (http://www.everythinglongbeach.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/swamp-ghost.jpg)</dt></dl><dl class="gallery-item"><dt class="gallery-icon"> http://www.everythinglongbeach.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/b17e-cockpit-150x150.jpg (http://www.everythinglongbeach.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/b17e-cockpit.jpg)</dt></dl><dl class="gallery-item"><dt class="gallery-icon"> http://www.everythinglongbeach.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/swampghost-airlift-150x150.jpg (http://www.everythinglongbeach.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/swampghost-airlift.jpg)</dt></dl><dl class="gallery-item"><dt class="gallery-icon"> http://www.everythinglongbeach.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/swampghost-recovery-150x150.jpg (http://www.everythinglongbeach.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/swampghost-recovery.jpg)</dt></dl><dl class="gallery-item"><dt class="gallery-icon"> http://www.everythinglongbeach.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/swamp-ghost-salvage-150x150.jpg (http://www.everythinglongbeach.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/swamp-ghost-salvage.jpg)</dt></dl><dl class="gallery-item"><dt class="gallery-icon"> http://www.everythinglongbeach.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/b17e-swampghost-150x150.jpg (http://www.everythinglongbeach.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/b17e-swampghost.jpg)</dt></dl>
(Swamp Ghost recovery and salvage photos courtesy of Aero Archeology (http://aeroarchaeology.com/))
The B-17E Swamp Ghost returned to Long Beach, landing in the Reef restaurant parking lot, 880 Harbor Scenic Drive. The landing spot was close the Queen Mary, a ship that also has historic connections to World War II. The Swamp Ghost welcome event included:


P-51 Mustang and P-40 Warhawk formation flyover above the Long Beach Harbor
Presentation of Colors by U.S. Air Force Honor Guard
Unveiling of the remarkably intact B-17E front fuselage recovered from the New Guinea swamp
Poster-size images of wreckage and recovery efforts

For additional information about the B-17E Flying Fortress or the Swamp

[stansdds]

Possibly restored to flying condition? Wow! That's going to take some work. Even if she was restored to static display, it is still a great feat.

[stiz]

doesnt actually look in that bad a nick .. yea the engines look like they've had it but the actually shell of it looks pretty decent considering. Its amazeing what restorers can do with lumps of rust :jump:

[Bomber_12th]

The question of course, is how much "Swamp Ghost" will remain in "Swamp Ghost" after any given restoration, especially that of an airworthy restoration. From reports I have read by those that have seen it up-close, an airworthy restoration would mean dismantling what remains, mainly just for parts templates, and fairly much building a brand new B-17E, marked as the original "Swamp Ghost", with the original "Swamp Ghost" pretty much left in a pile of junked parts when all is said and done (though the restorers won't want to tell you this ;) ). The most likely case is that a static restoration will be undertaken, to preserve as much of the original aircraft as possible - it will certainly be interesting to see what comes of the aircraft over the coming years. Right now it is in storage in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Chino</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">CA</st1:State></st1:place>.

As interesting as it is, calling it the "Holy Grail of military aviation", as that article implies, is a bit of a stretch in my opinion - I'd by the claim if it were something like a P-43 or B-32. :)

[stiz]

true, but for a static surely all they'll need do is do that like sand blasting but not sand blasting thing and paint it??

as you can prolly tell though, i'm no expert :icon_lol:

[Bomber_12th]

I'm not sure what they might have left after doing a process like that. :icon_lol: I guess the most corrosion is in the area of the aircraft that was commonly below the water-line of the swamp.

Also curious why the article has a photo of a recovered P-47 instrument panel. ;)

[Willy]

The story dates from June. Makes me wonder what progress if any there has been.

[TARPSBird]

Bomber_12th is probably pretty close to the truth as to how much of the original Swamp Ghost would be left in the airframe after an airworthy restoration. I'd be really concerned about the integrity of the wing spars after the bird has sat in swamp water for 60+ years. The B-17D The Swoose was probably in better material condition before starting its restoration at the Air Force Museum, and it's not going to be flyable when it's completed.

[stiz]

well form their website

"Once the B-17 is back on US soil, owner Alfred "Fred" Hagen intends to display it at the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona. Initial plans indicate that 41-2446 will be exhibited in an 'as found' diorama, in a similar vein to HP Halifax II W1048 at the RAF Museum Hendon, with the emphasis on conservation rather than restoration"

[Bomber_12th]

The story dates from June. Makes me wonder what progress if any there has been.

Willy, the latest information I read, probably back in August or September, is that it is in storage, in sub-assemblies (as recovered), at the MARC (Military Aircraft Restoration Corporation, which are part owners) compound at Chino, no work having been done to it yet.

[Wittpilot]

As having experience with restorations like John talked about, I can say that he's dead on about flyable restorations. Bigtime restorers, I won't mention name, we'll call him T. Reilly for grins... will say "Oh this is 85% original!" Which is just complete BS most of the time. He once said something to that effect that Champaign Lady will be mostly original parts..... It is not. Sure we've got a lot of original stuff in there, but you have to think, evey piece of skin is new.... Things like that. Sure, we do use the original stuff as templates for new parts, but as for the plane itself, it's almost brand new!

[stansdds]

True, a ground up restoration to flying status is not likely to contain that much in terms of original parts, it's just not possible. The best part about restoring to flying status is that you put a classic aircraft back into the air. To me, Swamp Ghost looks relatively intact, but I know it is corroded to the point that very little of it could still be satisfactory for use in an airworthy restoration. The simplest restoration would be to just reassemble it in a giant diorama, thus keeping it original. The next would be a static restoration, but there you would have to fab up replacement parts. As much as I would like to see an airworthy B-17E, restoring this one to airworthy condition would take many years and millions of dollars. By the time such a restoration is finished, would there be any 100LL AvGas for it? Will there be a substitute AvGas suitable for these old engines? Many questions upon which to ponder. At any rate, whichever route is chosen, we will have another B-17E to gaze upon.