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Buffalo recovery, by the guy that found it, comments?

Posted by Tony on Tue Jul 02, 2002 08:26:07 AM

Interview from the Karelian Government magazine.......

The chairman of public organization " Wings of the North " Alexey Dmitrenok considers.

the CORRESPONDENT: - Alexey, the recent history with the plane of wartime lifted from lake again, has stirred up public interest to a theme in which you are engaged for 15 years. Let's recollect background.

Alexey ?????????: - it Began in the USSR in 1978. Have understood then at last - the history of our domestic aircraft needs to be rescued. And not only domestic, you see hundreds of trophy planes were left after the war.

The Newspaper " Air transport " has organized expeditionfor updating a museum of the Air Forces in ??nino and a museum of Northern fleet in ????????. Under the direction of journalist Eugeny Konopleva, a graduate of the Kiev institute of engineers of civil aircraft, unprecedented work was carried out.(He) has flown about all Northwest, Far North, New Land, the Far East and has made a huge card file. In 1982 signed by the minister of civil aircraft the decision on creation of the Museum of civil aircraft in Ulyanovsk was accepted. As against Monino and ???????? where they(made) actually models, in Ulyanovsk planes should be restored up to a flying condition, approaching with the point of view authenticity. Used, say, then bone glue - means, bone glue and any substitutes.

Between all high schools and schools of civil aircraft distributed(allocated) types of planes. In our Riga institute restored ?-5, in Kiev - on - 2 and so on. Each aircraft factory restored production.

????.: - And how you have come to this theme?
?.?.: - I am engaged in it since 1984, from times of study in ??????. Participated in expedition(dispatch) to Pamir - we removed the passenger plane of 30th years ?-5 from Lenin peak. Restoration of this plane - a theme of my diploma. In Petrozavodsk when worked as the engineer at the airenterprise, " On traces of the lost planes " we began to search and find pilots whose fighting machines became their tombs.
????.: - Alexey, than the history of military aircraft in our edge(territory) is interesting?
?.?.: - the History of air war in Karelia - a dark wood. Who about it hasn't something heard?

But it was the most interesting, unique battlefield. It is a unique site of front of the second world(global) where opponents have applied such variety of types aircraft technicians within four years. And any stuff from all world, and the newest on those times samples - 94 (!) various types of the plane. And almost all of them lay on our woods and bogs. There is not only Soviet and - 153 and Dutch "??????" ?-21, maintained here very long, but also a huge German ???????????? "???????????-832"(sic), the average tank containing in! But the history is the planes not only brought down, but also pilots, those people that drove them in fight. They have left the memoirs - the whole library. And ours, and Finns.

????.: - the sight from that party(side) of front Is interesting. About what write?
?.?.: - Memoirs of the Finnish veterans are far from a policy(politics) - they regarded war as work. Anybody from them did not repair atrocities, behaved, as it is represented to me, adequately. In general, captured pilots from both parties(sides), yet did not fall into in hands of special services, felt like " on a visit at colleagues " well enough. .

????.: - we shall Return nevertheless to a history of search and restoration of planes in Karelia.

?.?.: - In 1992 (I then still worked on Petrozavodsk the airenterprise) Then the airboom began - have opened borders, the opportunity to take out unique to the aircraft technician has appeared. 20 planes was taken out in 1991-1993 years from Karelia and adjoining to it(her) of territories.

Just in time, we were helped by the ministry .From his(its) submission the government has issued the time decision behind signature ???????? which equated planes laying in woods to monuments of a military history and the military burial places falling under jurisdiction of the Ministry of culture and the Centre on protection of monuments.
In 1992 the plan of creation of the Russian aviation museum on the western sample - with the flying exhibits belonging, say, to any cities or regions, but used worldwide, participating in the international airshows for the dividends appropriate was born.

In Karelia have based firm " ???? ", founders of her(it) were Moscow and our Centre on protection of monuments (V.A.Dybin). She(it) was engaged in search and restoration of planes. So, the fighter and - 16, found by us and ?????????????????? in Novosibirsk as it was supposed, should enter this museum...


????.: - " Wings of the North " Also have appeared.

?.?.: - Yes, we were formed one and a half year back - has appeared adjust, there came enthusiasts. Thanking ??????? ???????? search in archives of Ministry of Defence was carried out(spent), official reports of pilots, reports of political workers are found. Has created a databank our programmer Michael Brezgin, by the way, the grandson of pilot Safonova. Interesting themes for historical researches, for searches have appeared...
????.: - You see it you have found that notorious "???????"? Tell, how it was.

?.?.: - I Have gone in 1993 to Finland under the invitation of the Central museum of aircraft
The matter is that as early as years eight ago, working in "????", I have found out, digging in archives, this the brought most down "???????", fallen on water of lake. I also have got acquainted there, in Finland, with the commander of that ?????????, that this plane has lost in 1942. The name of it(him) was - ???? ??????, and it(he) has devoted the rest of life to search of the brought down planes of the of 26-th airgroup. It(he) has lit up idea - to find the plane on which his(its) former subordinated lieutenant Lauri Pekuri flied. Has reduced there acquaintance and to other most interesting person - ???? ??????????, the Swiss businessman, the citizen of Sweden, the native of Vyborg and the "punched" fan(amateur) of airshow. From their submission I also have taken this order.
Where to search? ??????, I remember, swore: " ????? - the bad pilot, even could not orient, where has fallen... " Remembered only, that have brought down his(its) Russian somewhere in northeast sector ????????. Fight was transient, our pilots from 195-th shelf at once have brought down also it(him) and the partner. ?????? has planted(put) the plane on any ?????, has got out of a cabin, boots has drowned, ???????? and ????????? has overlooked on a coast, 20 kilometers to the stamped on a wood barefoot, has come to the commander and shouts: " Give me a rifle, I shall go to shoot these Russian! " By the way, mister the colonel in resignation ?????? and until now spitefully hates Russia and to hear about it(her) of nothing wants (at the end of war it(he) taken prisoner and sat at us in the Leningrad prison).
In 1996 we with ?????????? have made photographing of some lakes in that area, have shown them ??????, but it(he) at once could not identify a place. Then have made pictures from a motor-hang-glider, and one of small lakes was pleasant to it(him) most . Has arrived, has looked after 55 years: " Yes, it! " Finns name this lake ???????, but at us it has no name. Lake and lake...
????.: - Also what further?
?.?.: - Have decided to search for financing. And the plane to not touch from a place, there will be no yet a museum that will take it(him) and will restore. To extend the plane and to expose on sale is to it(him) only in harm. Water is you see as preservative. ??????? has pulled out "???????", and for two weeks the plane has lost very much much.
????.: - Including the motor?
?.?.: - Well, at ???????? nerves have handed over: has drowned the motor in lake in a place known to it(him), a pier, so not ????????? you to anybody! The motor in the plane - the most valuable, and, probably, about it(him) it(he) still will be, I believe to negotiate with potential buyers...
????.: - Alexey and how you treat to all this scandalous history? You see it was a pity, probably, that have withdrawn the plane found by you?
?.?.: - I Think, whatever wrote, and ??????? has acted(arrived) as followed: has taken the sanction from local authorities and in ????. And it is very reasonable in this situation our government has acted(arrived), having transferred the plane to firm " airspare parts ". She(it) has communications(connections) and is capable to place this order for any aircraft factory.
????.: - And where "???????" will depart? To Novosibirsk?
?.?.: - In general, under the concept of the Russian aviation museum to restore it is necessary on factories - manufacturers. I think, that "???????" will take away in USA - only there can make it as it is necessary.
????.: - And how speak in Odessa, " that we have from the goose? "
?.?.: - the Destiny of the plane will be solved on auction. And that will come from it to republic - depends on legal base which under it will bring. Search of her(it) borrows(occupies) now ours ??????????????????? and the Ministry of culture. In general it is necessary to define(determine): what to do(make) at a find of the plane? Whom to call: the museum expert or appraiser Vtortsvetmeta? The time decision is developed. By the way, it you see a problem not only ours, and and ???????????-"seamen", whose finds at the bottom sea. Legal base we shall not bring - anybody will not talk to us.
The Photo: the Finnish pilots from 2-nd covered 24-th airgroups "?????????", summer 1942, air station Tiksha, Karelia.
????.: - And how it is done(made) in the West?
?.?.: - There with such things do not hurry up. Restoration means work on ??????, on particles. An example: the scout "?????-?????-189" is found by us in 1991 under ???????. Was inhibited till 1997 while the private(individual) owner has not paid export. After huge work and competitive selection the firm has received 1 million pounds sterling on his(its) restoration. Admire: a photo in magazine. Behind a steering wheel - his(its) former pilot ?????????, after 55 years. By the way, it(he) was brought down because of his(its) own wild behaviour. Instead of photographing the Soviet air station, it(he) has decreased and began to water parking from machine guns. Well, we "??????????" have flied up and have filled up it(him)...
In general, senses that rare planes cost(stand) easy money that it ????, are incorrect. "???????????-109", that have found in Karelia not so long ago, has left for one million dollars. Somewhere also original English "????????" on which their well-known expert flied also cost. But it, as a rule, the state program of the rich state - restoration and operation of such plane.

????.: - Alexey why all the same we till now did not have a airmuseum? You see there are planes?

For the same reason have written offAnd still above-stated facts simply ?????? about necessity to rescue the history of our aircraft perishing on eyes... Whether we shall Rescue?
?.?.: - Should rescue. Also are obliged

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