Flight 19 A/C

[Ken Martin]

Hi I'm new here and I first read about flight 19 in elementary school and I still read about to now. But one thing has crossed my mind, even if the planes are found, positively identified and brought up, could they be restored to airworthiness?

 

[Crimea_River]

Welcome aboard.

"Restored" is a bit of a tricky term in that a true restoration would mean bringing an aircraft to its original condition. In most cases, such a restoration would not pass today's standards for issuing certificates of airworthiness. Many of today's flying warbirds are therefore built of new and better materials where the original materials have corroded or have become damaged beyond repair.

Realistically, the creation of a flyable Avenger from the wrecks of Flight 19 would involve a complete rebuild around one of the aircrafts' data plate and LOTS of money.

 

[Ken Martin]

So could all five be flyable again or would they be put in a museum?

 

[XBe02Drvr]

So could all five be flyable again or would they be put in a museum?

Realistically, the creation of a flyable Avenger from the wrecks of Flight 19 would involve a complete rebuild around one of the aircrafts' data plate and LOTS of money.

X 5! = LOTS & LOTS & LOTS & LOTS & LOTS of money!!!!!

 

[Ken Martin]

For a brief estimate or a guesstimate, how much?

 

[XBe02Drvr]

Five times more than you'll ever have in your piggy bank!
Ask GregP, he's in the business.

 

[Crimea_River]

Forgetting the cost of finding and raising them, I'd estimate $20MM for 5.

 

[Ken Martin]

After salvage how long would rebuilding and reprinting the planes take depending on the condition of the planes?

 

[Crimea_River]

How long is a rope?

 

[Shortround6]

What the guys are trying to say is all that would be usable from the wrecks would be the data plate

Everything else would have to built new. How long depends on how many workers you have, 20 or 200 and your facilities.

 

[Crimea_River]

Another variable is worker density. Let's suppose that it would take 50,000 manhours to build one aircraft. That would equate to 25 guys working on the plane full time for a year. It also equates to 10,000 guys working for 5 hours. Which is correct? It boils down to how many work fronts you can create and put people to work on efficiently and the answer to that is beyond my knowledge.

 

[Ken Martin]

If the restoration/rebuild is successful for all five, and the planes can fly again, what air museum would accept them? Any candidates?

 

[MiTasol]

Another variable is worker density. Let's suppose that it would take 50,000 manhours to build one aircraft. That would equate to 25 guys working on the plane full time for a year. It also equates to 10,000 guys working for 5 hours. Which is correct? It boils down to how many work fronts you can create and put people to work on efficiently and the answer to that is beyond my knowledge.

Ah yes

The old if one man makes one women pregnant and produces one child in nine months then nine men will cause the woman to produce a child in one month fallacy.

As you say - it depends on the work fronts to a certain extent but also the number of each tool available do no-one is waiting for a tool, the volume of the work area so that they are not getting in each others way, how many are required for coordination to ensure only the correct quantity of each part is made and no parts are not made, that part X is not fitted before part A because often part A can only be fitted before part X, etc etc

Your conclusion though, the answer to that is beyond my knowledge, is perfectly correct for anyone I have ever met.

 

[Crimea_River]

Not just tools, but also materials. Lack of materials can be one of the biggest factors for reduced efficiency.

 

[Gnomey]

What the guys are trying to say is all that would be usable from the wrecks would be the data plate

Everything else would have to built new. How long depends on how many workers you have, 20 or 200 and your facilities.

Basically sums it up. You're going to need very deep pockets...

 

[Ken Martin]

Would the planes be at a diveable depth or would an ROV have to be sent down?

 

[Tkdog]

Knowing that would take knowing where they are.

 

[Ken Martin]

Even after 72 years underwater and if the planes are brought up with intact engines and propellers, could the engines be restarted or would they have to be replaced?

 

[fubar57]

I think the salt water would ruin the engines....along with 99% of the rest of the aircraft

 

[MiTasol]

Magnesium parts such as used in instruments and many airframe parts such as pedals and levers can dissolve rapidly depending on the natural chemicals in the water and the water temperature. A crashed Cessna I was involved with post salvage in the 70s was only in the water for a couple of weeks in a actively volcanic area near the equator yet all the magnesium parts were substantially dissolved through chemical reactions with the water and/or dissimilar metal corrosion. They acted like the sacrificial anode used on small boats but much faster.