Friday, February 20, 2015

There once was a B 29 that sat in Greenland for 50 years, until rescue efforts went terribly wrong, and a fuel leak from an aux generator caused it to burn up while taxiing for departure to the USA



The Kee Bird generated so much publicity that I'm sure you've seen the PBS and National Geographic documentary, the story was epic.

In 1947 it was landed on a frozen lake, successfully. The Air Force never went back for it.


In 1994, some rich guys funded the engine replacement, got some B 29 crew and engineers together, and successfully repaired it for a moment.

 The B 29 was so intact that they replaced the motors and tires, and had it up and running... and taxiing to take off and fly. That is so remarkable, as there are no airplanes that sit for 50 years and get underway with so little effort, that we'll never see another get under power with less effort, and that they made it happen in the remote and desolate Greenland is further proof that it was a stunning and individual example of a plane that needed very little repair and was ready to fly again.



Found on http://www.warhistoryonline.com/war-articles/images-of-wreck-of-b-29s.html

No comments:

Post a Comment