 | Cessna L-19 recovered after 47 years| Post-War Discuss Cessna L-19 recovered after 47 years in the Other Eras forums; Interesting
A Cessna L-19 Bird Dog was recovered on Saturday from the bottom of a Minnesota lake, where it ... |
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08-15-2005, 11:03 AM
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#1 | | "Shooter"
Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Moorpark, CA
Posts: 12,880
Country:  | Cessna L-19 recovered after 47 years
Interesting Quote: |
A Cessna L-19 Bird Dog was recovered on Saturday from the bottom of a Minnesota lake, where it had rested beneath 40 feet of water since 1958. The recovery team used a large winch mounted on a pontoon boat to hoist the airplane, then towed it to shore. Divers also found a flight log, parachutes and headphones. The wreck was discovered by accident in July 2004, when fishermen in search of walleye scanned the area with an underwater camera. The Army airplane crashed after the pilot, Capt. Richard P. Carey, reported he was low on fuel and then apparently hit some seagulls and crashed into the lake. Carey was killed and his body was recovered two weeks later, but the aircraft was never found. Local organizations, including an American Legion post and an EAA chapter, plan to restore the airplane and display it as a memorial to its pilot.
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__________________  http://www.vg-photo.com Wherever their bones may lie, the courage of heroes is consecrated in the hearts and engraved in the history of the free. Lt Col Honner DSO MC, 39th Commander speaking of the dead from the battle of Kokoda. | 
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08-15-2005, 03:30 PM
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#2 | | He who does not skim
Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia
Posts: 8,957
Country:  | Wow, what a great discovery. I mean it's a shame about the pilot, but it's nice that the Legion and the EAA plan to restore the plane. | |
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08-15-2005, 04:41 PM
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#3 | | IP/Mech THE GREAT GAZOO
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Colorado, USA
Posts: 13,586
Country: | WOW!
There are 22 Bird Dogs sitting at an Army base in Thailand, US property. When I was there in 2000, the base commander told me if you could figure a way to get the state dept. to turn them over to you, the're yours!
__________________ "IF ITS RED OR DUSTY, DON'T TOUCH IT"  | 
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08-15-2005, 04:42 PM
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#4 | | "Shooter"
Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Moorpark, CA
Posts: 12,880
Country: | Getting a response out of the state department might be more work than restoring this one! 
__________________ http://www.vg-photo.com Wherever their bones may lie, the courage of heroes is consecrated in the hearts and engraved in the history of the free. Lt Col Honner DSO MC, 39th Commander speaking of the dead from the battle of Kokoda. | |
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08-15-2005, 04:43 PM
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#5 | | He who does not skim
Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia
Posts: 8,957
Country: | 22 of them? I wonder why they just left them there. | |
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08-15-2005, 04:45 PM
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#6 | | "Shooter"
Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Moorpark, CA
Posts: 12,880
Country: | Probably left over in case some spooks want to use them at some future date. Joe, were they in flyable condition, or just left to rot?
__________________ http://www.vg-photo.com Wherever their bones may lie, the courage of heroes is consecrated in the hearts and engraved in the history of the free. Lt Col Honner DSO MC, 39th Commander speaking of the dead from the battle of Kokoda. | |
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08-15-2005, 04:45 PM
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#7 | | World Traveler
Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Royal Deeside/St Andrews, Scotland, UK
Posts: 11,751
Country:  | Good find, shame about the pilot but at least it is now being restored in memory of him
__________________  "Success is not Final, Failure is not Fatal, it is the Courage to Continue that Counts"
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08-15-2005, 04:48 PM
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#8 | | He who does not skim
Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia
Posts: 8,957
Country: | Quote: |
Originally Posted by evangilder Probably left over in case some spooks want to use them at some future date. | Hmmm. Could be.  | |
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08-17-2005, 10:06 AM
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#9 | | IP/Mech THE GREAT GAZOO
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Colorado, USA
Posts: 13,586
Country: | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Nonskimmer 22 of them? I wonder why they just left them there. | They were old MAP planes. The Thai army replaced them with T-41s. They were actually in great shape! I got some fuzzy photos of them, I'll try to post them when I get back to Colorado.
__________________ "IF ITS RED OR DUSTY, DON'T TOUCH IT" | |
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08-17-2005, 06:07 PM
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#10 | | He who does not skim
Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia
Posts: 8,957
Country: | That'd be great. Thanks, FJ.  | |
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08-23-2005, 05:28 PM
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#11 | | IP/Mech THE GREAT GAZOO
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Colorado, USA
Posts: 13,586
Country: | Hey, here they are
__________________ "IF ITS RED OR DUSTY, DON'T TOUCH IT" | |
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08-23-2005, 05:31 PM
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#12 | | He who does not skim
Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia
Posts: 8,957
Country: | Ah, right on. Thanks. | |
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08-23-2005, 07:55 PM
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#13 | | "Shooter"
Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Moorpark, CA
Posts: 12,880
Country: | Looks like at least one had a cockpit stripped.
__________________ http://www.vg-photo.com Wherever their bones may lie, the courage of heroes is consecrated in the hearts and engraved in the history of the free. Lt Col Honner DSO MC, 39th Commander speaking of the dead from the battle of Kokoda. | |
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08-23-2005, 08:30 PM
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#14 | | IP/Mech THE GREAT GAZOO
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Colorado, USA
Posts: 13,586
Country: | Yes - I showed how they varied from one extreme to another. Airframe wise they were all in great shape, although they had these hornets nested in some of them. The little buggers were tiny, their stinger couldn't penetrate the skin, but you could feel a pinch eveytime one of them tried to sting you!
One of the "Honchos" there told me that if you could find the right contact at the US State Deparment, you could have them. He also said they were taking up room on his base! 
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