Great stuff Terry! Thanks for the update.
The Dornier is lifted at last
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vikingBerserker
Lieutenant General
Excellent, thanks Terry!
fubar57
General
Great stuff Terry, and now we wait....
Geo
Geo
bobbysocks
Chief Master Sergeant
wow, she looks rough...a heck of a lot of work to be done there....
Thorlifter
Captain
Pardon me for being so skeptical, but I will never understand the "restoration" process. That stuff is so corroded it just can't be restored. It has to all be replaced, right? If your are going to replace practically everything, just build a new one. It would seem infinitely easier to me.
Lucky13
Forum Mascot
Wish them the best of luck! 
FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
Actaully more of it is restorable than you might think. Additionally it's easier to bebuild a structure when you have original components to work with, regardless if they are corroded or not. I've seen thse guys restore a few aircraft, it's amazing what could be done.
Westpac Restoration - News Resources
GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
There's several examples of aircraft that have been restored from corroded, tattered airframes.
A great example would be "Glacier Girl" (P-38) recovered from Greenland.
There's also "Swamp Ghost" (B-17E) found in New Guinea.
Fighters raised from Lake Michigan, aircraft salvaged from Russian lakes/bogs and the list goes on!
A great example would be "Glacier Girl" (P-38) recovered from Greenland.
There's also "Swamp Ghost" (B-17E) found in New Guinea.
Fighters raised from Lake Michigan, aircraft salvaged from Russian lakes/bogs and the list goes on!
Lot of work to be done, looking forward to further updates.
It's not going to be restored, but conserved. It'll be cleaned up and left in its existing state of disrepair. It'll be placed with a Hurricane that was recovered from a different beach in a similar state and will serve as a memorial to lost aircrew of the Battle of Britain. The Hurricane currently sits at the centre of the Battle of Britain Roll of Honour at the RAF Museum Hendon, although I don't know where they will put the two once the Dornier is finished; it'll take a while.
buffnut453
Captain
It's not going to be restored, but conserved. It'll be cleaned up and left in its existing state of disrepair. It'll be placed with a Hurricane that was recovered from a different beach in a similar state and will serve as a memorial to lost aircrew of the Battle of Britain. The Hurricane currently sits at the centre of the Battle of Britain Roll of Honour at the RAF Museum Hendon, although I don't know where they will put the two once the Dornier is finished; it'll take a while.
That Hurricane display has always been one of my favourites at Hendon. Most people just walk past it because it's an unsightly mess but, for me, it's the most moving of any of the aircraft. The names of the Fighter Command pilots who lost their lives in the Battle of Britain are memorialized next to the display, along with the account of the pilot who lost his life during its last sortie (the pilot baled out but his 'chute failed to open).
Don't get me wrong, I love seeing warbirds flying and pristine restorations are often things of beauty...but every once in a while, I need to remind myself of the cost associated with these old warplanes that I love so much. This exhibit in Hendon, perhaps more than any other, gives me that reminder. I look forward to seeing how the Do17 will be incorporated - hopefully both aircraft will receive greater prominence within the Museum.
GregP
Major
Hey Thorlifter,
"Swamp Ghost" has not been restored.
It is in "as recovered" shape. but is ready for restoration. It was at the Planes o Fame for about a year and we looked it over carefully. Definitely restorable, but as-yet unrestored.
"Swamp Ghost" has not been restored.
It is in "as recovered" shape. but is ready for restoration. It was at the Planes o Fame for about a year and we looked it over carefully. Definitely restorable, but as-yet unrestored.
GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
Perhaps in my iPad induced haste, i failed to say "restored or will be restored" in my post...
Thorlifter
Captain
So let me give an example with Swamp Ghost. So are you telling me the parts you see that are all corroded and corners rusted off/missing will actually be used? Stuff like that is still structurally strong? If that is the case, then it's just amazing what they can do with old "junk".
GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
They'll use as much as can be salvaged and replace what can't be saved.
Like the case of Glacier Girl...she was found buried about 200 feet deep and the weight of the snow/ice had crushed her. So they had to do an extensive repair/replace operation on her.
The B-17 they found near Glacier Girl was way beyond rescuing, though...
vikingBerserker
Lieutenant General
It reminds me of a Steven Wright joke, he had the original hatchet that Washington "used" to chop down the cherry tree, the handle and head were replaced but it occupied the same space.
