WIX Archives
Re: Newfoundland B-24 finally gets a chance for restoration
Posted by Richard Allnutt on Sun Mar 31, 2002 03:02:18 PM
In reply top Re: Newfoundland B-24 finally gets a chance for restoration posted by Mick on Sat Mar 30, 2002 08:42:06 PM
Hi Mick,
Yes, it is great news isn't it. From what I understand the aircraft was an RCAF B-24D coastal patrol bomber, which had actually got a U-Boat sinking to its credit. The aircraft encountered severe icing and was forced down. The pilot made for a frozen lake, and from what I understand they skidded sideways acroos the lake into some trees on the bank. The wing slipped between the trees, but the fuselage was broken aft of the wing, the tail coming off the aircraft. There was a small fire, but it was extinguished quickly by the snow. Some of the crew were thrown from the plane, one being smothered by snow and killed, and the other also buried by snow, but freed by his crew-mates. The poor chap was almost smothered too actually, the snow having been forced into his mouth and up his nose, but his crew managed to save his life. From what I understand, no one else had any severe injuries, but they had to endure two days and nights in the frozen (-40F!) wilderness until they were found by a trapper whom appeared out of no where. The trapper trekked 35 km through the night to Goose Bay, and a small plane arrived to pick up the wounded, but the uninjured crew members had to leave via a dog team. The wreck lay pretty much undisturbed for more than forty years until someone arranged a re-union for the crew at the site... that's when Tom Riley heard of the wreck. He worked with the Canadian government, and got permission to salvage it. Apparently, once Tom had recovered the airframe to Goose Bay (of course), the Newfoundland government suddenly decided the aircraft was a valuable relic, and had to stay in Newfoundland. So there it sat rotting away for another 8 plus years.... ! Anyway, the former pilot of the aircraft, J.D.L. Campbell campaigned really hard with the Canadian government, and unbeknownst to him, so did Riley. The pair of them eventually caused such a stink (since no one was doing anything with the aircraft in Newfoundland) that the authorities relented... or at least that's where it is now... who knows whether someone else will step in an mess it up!
From what I have been told, and I have seen some photographs of the wreck (a few years ago), the wings are in excellent shape, and there are a lot of useful parts from the fuselage as well. Still, as always, the newspaper article said "...it's possible the old B-24 will be in the sky again within a year. ..." Hmmmm, me thinks not, unless it's in the hold of a C-5!
Anyway, I hope that gives you a little idea of what the situation is.
Cheers,
Richard
: That IS very good news Richard.
:
: Any idea how much of the B24 is still there, is it complet
: e, more or less ?
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: TaTa
: Mick
: