B-17 at our local port

[Naki]

Apparently from PNG and its coming your way ...seems to have an interesting history......

http://rnzaf.proboards.com/index.cgi...d=10836&page=1

[Snuffy]

Pretty cool!

Thanks for the Heads Up!

[GT182]

Naki, if you can find out, does anyone have any idea on where it's final destination will be? It's always good to see an old warbird being saved, especially a 17. Hat's off to those who will do the restoration.

[lifejogger]

I wonder who is going to restore it and if they are going to restore to flying condition?

[PRB]

If it came from the Pacific, it must be an E or F model. It would be AWESOME to have a restored one of those!

[Snuffy]

If it came from the Pacific, it must be an E or F model. It would be AWESOME to have a restored one of those!

I'd say, based on that 4th picture, there doesn't appear to be a chin turret attached to the nose at this point.

[d0mokun]

Ah wow, so that's where that 'Swamp Ghost' is now!

It reminds me of that knackered up Cat that appear at Tauranga CF museum one day. Before I left that beast was looking superb.

Can't wait to see what the end result will be like.

Thanks for the HU.

Best
Dan.

[Reddog]

In the link to this one of the threads says that another PNG treasure stolen. I didn't Know PNG had or operated any B17's so i assume it is an american a/c so it doesn't belong to PNG anyway.

[GT182]

In the link to this one of the threads says that another PNG treasure stolen. I didn't Know PNG had or operated any B17's so i assume it is an american a/c so it doesn't belong to PNG anyway.

I imagine it cost them some money to get it out of PNG, so I don't think it was actually stollen.

Yeah, G models flew in the Pacific. I saw the nose turret but had to leave the forums before I could edit my post. F models yes, but I don't believe E models did.... tho I could be wrong.

[Wittpilot]

The story of Swamp Ghost is a very very long story. You could write a book about it for sure. It was held up in legal battles for decades. Eventually it was saved from the swamp, and sat on a dock for several years waiting for all the legal crap to be figured out. Now, it is on it's way home, to the good 'ole USA. Where? we don't know.... It's final destination is still shrowded in secrecy and i think we will not find out until she is here and in the new owners hands.

-Witt

EDIT It is indeed an 'E' Model...

[OBIO]

Okay, since you are all my brothers...I will let you know the scoop on the B-17. It's mine! My wife found in on E-Bay and bought it for me for my Birthday present. Once it gets here to Ohio, I am going to prop it up on some cinder blocks and use it as my new sim room/man cave. And could you believe, she got it for $45 with free shipping!

OBIO

[PRB]

... EDIT It is indeed an 'E' Model...

I "guessed" it was an E, based on the shape of the top turret. The E had that massively braced "squashed" top turret, which could be distinguished in the photos posted. Good stuff! BTW, the 19th BG in the Philippines flew D models in 1941/42...

[Willy]

Wonder what it finally took to get Swamp Ghost out of PNG?

[GT182]

Wonder what it finally took to get Swamp Ghost out of PNG?

Seeing I was wrong, let's go for 2.

Money. Hey, that usually does the trick.

[Naki]

Apparently its (its a B-17E btw) on the way to Pima Arizona..at least initially

Heres a website dedicated to the "Swamp Ghost"

http://www.theswampghost.com/

[PeteHam]

Rumour has it that this has been impounded pending some legal challenge.

Also the wharf authorities want to get it shifted to some other storage area.

Mmmmmmmm .......

Pete.

[Bomber_12th]

That doesn't sound good, Pete. Having followed it for quite some time, I was hoping that all of the legal issues were once and for all over with. With it still being held in an aura of secrecy, at least it feels so anyway, it may be a sign that all is not over with.

As outlined in one news report I read, when the aircraft arrives in the U.S., it will be sent to the Pima Air and Space Museum, only for assessment purposes. Hagen, the owner, would like to see the aircraft restored to flying condition, and tour it to various shows around the country. If it doesn't prove to be an ideal decision to restore it to flying condition, it may stay at Pima, to be put into static display condition.

The really cool thing about this E-model, is that it still retains its extremely rare ventral turret. Unfortunately, from various photos of its belly and elsewhere, the aircraft appears to be heavily corroded, and having spent more than a half a century exposed to looters, the aircraft is very much gutted on the inside. Any effort to restore it to flying condition, would certainly remove, I believe, a lot of history from the aircraft, as likely all of the skins would have to be replaced, as would most of the structure of the aircraft, basically making it a brand new aircraft, with its original parts in a heap somewhere.