And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Monday, January 20, 2025
After it had crash landed on a beach in England during the Second World War, an American P-38 fighter plane emerges after a heavy storm where it had lay buried for seventy years
What is valuable on that is its an intact airframe, long as somebody saves one piece of it, they can build an entire aircraft out of it and call it a legal P-38, though it requires a lot of money and labor, if that is not a issue with whoever wishes to restore it. Its been done before, somebody with the bucks may do so, there is not many P-38's existence so it has a certain value. Probably use parts made out of pure aluminum which does not corrode very much in salt water, they had started using corrosion resistant steels so there is that to work from. Hard part is finding the sheetmetal craftsman who are able to reproduce the airframe, the engines can be had, easier to find wire loom crafters, the b/p's exist, the superchargers could be a problem, they are labor and material extensive, all the other parts aren't much trouble, such as control cabling, hydraulic ridged tube assemblies, riveting etc, some can be repurposed from other planes. The control panel can used from other planes because if commonality. Its constructing the airframe thats the trick, building frame and wing jigs, and getting good experienced metal crafters. But if money is not an object there you go. Might get lucky with salvaged components like wing sections and tail pieces. Long as you use just one original airframe part your okeedokee. That is if its done in the US, not sure how that works in other countries
I'd like to see you repurpose "control cabling, hydraulic ridged (sic) tube assemblies, riveting etc"! Put it on youtube, I need a laugh.
30 years ago I was fabricating replacement control cables and tubing assemblies for DC-3s, Twin Otters and various Beechcraft. You can buy new rigid tubing, control cable, and AN (Army-Navy) fasteners and fittings.
The Imperial War Museum has a Spitfire that was force landed on the beach at Dunkirk and buried in the sand for 60 years. It was rescued in 2000 and flew again in 2014. Al_in_Ottawa
Pure Al? What do you consider 'pure' aluminum? That thing looks in great shape. Like you say, they've restored worse. All that stuff that screwed itself into the side of a mountain in Cali during training. Find a part with a serial number and build a new ship around it.
There is a guy in Australia who is building 3 or 4 P38's from wrecks. He acquired a large stock of new spares which has helped with parts you may have to make otherwise. Scanning and CAD machining has also helped so all it takes is money. There is a P38 submerged in a swamp in New Ireland after a belly landing following minor combat damage. It was virtually undamaged and will be in excellent condition, perfectly re buildable. Finding it is the problem at present followed by getting a permit for its removal but someone rich will eventually do it.
Your underwear called demanding a viking funeral.
ReplyDeleteThat P38 will polish up nicely . . .
ReplyDeleteWhat is valuable on that is its an intact airframe, long as somebody saves one piece of it, they can build an entire aircraft out of it and call it a legal P-38, though it requires a lot of money and labor, if that is not a issue with whoever wishes to restore it. Its been done before, somebody with the bucks may do so, there is not many P-38's existence so it has a certain value.
ReplyDeleteProbably use parts made out of pure aluminum which does not corrode very much in salt water, they had started using corrosion resistant steels so there is that to work from. Hard part is finding the sheetmetal craftsman who are able to reproduce the airframe, the engines can be had, easier to find wire loom crafters, the b/p's exist, the superchargers could be a problem, they are labor and material extensive, all the other parts aren't much trouble, such as control cabling, hydraulic ridged tube assemblies, riveting etc, some can be repurposed from other planes. The control panel can used from other planes because if commonality. Its constructing the airframe thats the trick, building frame and wing jigs, and getting good experienced metal crafters. But if money is not an object there you go. Might get lucky with salvaged components like wing sections and tail pieces. Long as you use just one original airframe part your okeedokee. That is if its done in the US, not sure how that works in other countries
I'd like to see you repurpose "control cabling, hydraulic ridged (sic) tube assemblies, riveting etc"! Put it on youtube, I need a laugh.
Delete30 years ago I was fabricating replacement control cables and tubing assemblies for DC-3s, Twin Otters and various Beechcraft. You can buy new rigid tubing, control cable, and AN (Army-Navy) fasteners and fittings.
The Imperial War Museum has a Spitfire that was force landed on the beach at Dunkirk and buried in the sand for 60 years. It was rescued in 2000 and flew again in 2014.
Al_in_Ottawa
What, are you some kind of a hole?
DeleteYup, one who has performed overhauls of airframes, fabricating new aircraft skins, tubing, control cables, etc.
DeleteAl_in_Ottawa
I love watching professionals that know their craft at work. Like watching a magic show only better. The word professional has real meaning.
DeleteIs the story behind this around? It would probably be interesting reading.....
ReplyDeletehttps://worldwarwings.com/p-38-lightning-harlech-beach/
DeleteAl_in_Ottawa
"a beach in England"?? You'll have riots among the sheep-shaggers after that, Harlech being in Wales when I last looked . . .
ReplyDeletePure Al? What do you consider 'pure' aluminum? That thing looks in great shape. Like you say, they've restored worse. All that stuff that screwed itself into the side of a mountain in Cali during training. Find a part with a serial number and build a new ship around it.
ReplyDeleteThere is a guy in Australia who is building 3 or 4 P38's from wrecks. He acquired a large stock of new spares which has helped with parts you may have to make otherwise. Scanning and CAD machining has also helped so all it takes is money. There is a P38 submerged in a swamp in New Ireland after a belly landing following minor combat damage. It was virtually undamaged and will be in excellent condition, perfectly re buildable. Finding it is the problem at present followed by getting a permit for its removal but someone rich will eventually do it.
ReplyDelete