This blows my mind!

[daiv]

I'm interested in lots of things in history. One thing that I especially like is early aviation - especially during the WWII era. The old "war-birds" as they are called.

I ran across this website of a P-61 Black Widow recovery and restoration project by the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum.

http://www.maam.org/p61/p61_recovery.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

For those who are not that interested, these guys went out in the jungle to get this:



and after 20 years they have it looking like this:



Still a long ways to go before it will fly, but that's their goal.

I just can't believe it, but they are doing it.

Anybody else know of any restoration projects like this?

[peterb]

wow, that is truly amazing.

peterb

[SnowFella]

Nicely done restoration indeed!

Think 2 others that comes to mind, although it unfortunately failed, would be the "Kee Bird" and "Glazier Girl. Kee Bird was a B29 Superfortress that did an emergency landing on ice in Greenland back in 1947. A salvage team started working on it back in 1994 with the intent of making it airworthy and flying it to Thule AFB for further repairs. Unfortunately it caught on fire as they taxied it for takeoff and ended up a total loss.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kee_Bird

Glazier Girl is a P38 that was recovered and restored to flying conditions after spending nearly 50 years buried in 200+ foot of ice.
http://p38assn.org/glacier-girl.htm

[majcka]

No such enthusiasts in this area.

But we have some other:

http://24ur.com/novice/slovenija/bolje- ... itost.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Some enthusiasts colored the tank infront of the Museum. Over night it become pink. It says: 'Bolje roza kot groza!' it means: 'Better pink than horror!' And it's rhymes in Slovene language. Police still working on who did this.

But it happend in several cityes in Europe so we're no exception.

[daiv]

Man, that Kee Bird story is such a shame!

Well so is the pink tank! Ick!

[cactushobbyman]

Years ago I bought a Black Widow model for my son to build. That period in time has some of the coolest planes and names. The nose art is not bad either.

[Peterthecactusguy]

I don't know about any airplane restorations, but awhile ago they dug up a T-34 Russian tank that had German colors on it that was captured by the Germans and then dumped into river or a lake (I'm sorry I can't remember which) when the Germans withdrew from that area of Russia.

I know that they are renovating all the tanks at Aberdeen Proving grounds and sending them to a base that is located in Virginia.
(I have always been fascinated with history and esp military history. I have been to both Air+Space Museums. The one by Dulles is neat)

[John C]

Wow! Thats quite a restoration!

[Peterthecactusguy]

it's backlash against Soviet (Russian) Opression. Those both were Russian tanks. T-54 and an IS ... (JS which is a Joseph Stalin tank)
Yes I am into tanks.

[SnowFella]

Found some pretty decent examples of that stuck in peatboggs and lakes throughout Europe.
Here's some photos and video of that German marked T34 recovered out of a lake in Estonia
http://englishrussia.com/2006/09/17/rus ... een-there/
Check the video clips out, 50 years underwater and the tracks are even turning!

I'm a military nut of old, make somewhat worse by having served back in the 90's and after that doing mod and freelance work as a 3d modeler mainly doing smallarms but also vehicles and aircraft.

[Peterthecactusguy]

yes, I have seen that video before. The tank was in great shape. I dont know what it looks like now.. hopefully they preserved it.

[cactushobbyman]

Spray a little WD-40 on it and it will be good as new. Remember the commercial where an archaeologist dug up an old VW beetle and then it drove away???? Good old German engineering. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsKQoy1hG2I" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[peter]

Incredible
This I call it enthusiasm!

I know a restoration of a historical glider
Gliders are not that danger!

Historical gliders

Restoration of a glider

[daiv]

Thanks for posting the new examples. Amazing that that tank was in such good shape!

[Peterthecactusguy]

Daiv, it was in a non-oxygenated area. I am sure that they had to do something to keep it from instantly rusting to nothing once they got it out.
All of these are amazing. I am glad people take the time to repair things like them and restore them..