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WW2 plane crash site given protected status


Whofan

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I remember reading about this wreck. My personal opinion is that they should try to recover this P-38 and display it in a museum in its current condition, as the elements will surely destroy it over time. The IWM, Air Force Museum, and National Museum of Naval Aviation have done this with several of the wrecks that they have recovered over the years. Perhaps a museum/ display dedicated to all of the aircrew/aircraft who lie in Wales?

Mike

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45 minutes ago, 72modeler said:

I remember reading about this wreck. My personal opinion is that they should try to recover this P-38 and display it in a museum in its current condition, as the elements will surely destroy it over time. The IWM, Air Force Museum, and National Museum of Naval Aviation have done this with several of the wrecks that they have recovered over the years. Perhaps a museum/ display dedicated to all of the aircrew/aircraft who lie in Wales?

Mike

A good idea. According to the report it should be fairly easy to recover it, but that is of course from the comfort of my armchair.

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15 hours ago, 72modeler said:

My personal opinion is that they should try to recover this P-38 and display it in a museum in its current condition, as the elements will surely destroy it over time.

It depends on who is going to spring the budget for a full recovery. In today's climate, privately funded museums tend to have to be careful where they spend their money on. As an example:

http://www.maam.org/p61/p61help.html

Full recovery & restoration costs estimated in the 2 million range.

Now, you could say just recovery and limit that to something in the range of 2-300.000 pounds. Still a lot of money. 

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34 minutes ago, alt-92 said:

It depends on who is going to spring the budget for a full recovery. In today's climate, privately funded museums tend to have to be careful where they spend their money on. As an example:

http://www.maam.org/p61/p61help.html

Full recovery & restoration costs estimated in the 2 million range.

Now, you could say just recovery and limit that to something in the range of 2-300.000 pounds. Still a lot of money. 

Think how many of your slowly-deteriorating exhibits you could place under cover for that sort of money.

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I think the P-38 should be left where it is. The listing gives it another layer of protection above what the existing protection of military remains legislation gives it.

 

It's spent 70 years in a shallow salty enviromennt, corrosion protection would take so much time and money. It's not a significant airframe, and there are other P-38s in the World (Unlike the RAFM Do17)

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Agreed. And, having been in salt water all that time, much like like the Do.17 if raised it will make a seriously disappointing exhibit anyway. Arguably worth the effort for a globally unique subject like the Dornier, but not for a common type of which there are 26 intact examples in the world.

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Interesting choice of wording in the article...

 

"The skeletal remains of an American fighter plane ...  officials say the resting place of the Lockheed P-38"

 

given it was on a training flight and the pilot walked away afterward.

 

Yes, it's certainly not going to last like castle or an abbey, and to preserve it would have to be recovered.

 

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Very good points, all. I was just thinking that since it wasn't resting very deep, it would be a lot easier to lift and recover than the Do-17, Bv-138, He-115, Fw-200, and other wrecks recently discovered underwater. I was also fearful that since its location had now been revealed to the world at large, then the inevitable vandalism would begin. Perhaps a prop or fuselage pod could be recovered and made into an outside  memorial where airmen from Wales are interred or as a display inside a  museum. Just wishful thinking- sort of like a prop from the B-24D Lady Be Good that is part of a monument at Wheelus AB and also I believe at the Air Force  Museum. (I guess I am getting more and more sentimental in my sunset years.)

Mike

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4 hours ago, 72modeler said:

 I was also fearful that since its location had now been revealed to the world at large, then the inevitable vandalism would begin.

Bear in mind that the only thing that's news is the increased level of legal protection. The existence and location of the wreck have been well known in the UK for more than 40 years. Most of the time it is completely inaccessible anyway.

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20 minutes ago, Work In Progress said:

As usual, everything that group of fantasists says can safely be disregarded

Doubly so, now it's been listed by Cadw (Welsh equivalent to English Heritage / Historic England) think they may struggle, just a little!

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