One of them remains on Atka Island, where it has rested since crashing in bad weather in 1942. Alaskans will take special note though of the chapter on two B-24 Liberators. There is an entire section on the "Frozen North" that includes a P-38 from Greenland and the famous B-26 "Million Dollar Valley" Marauders that crashed in 1942 while en route from Edmonton to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, and ultimately Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage. The "Sandbar Mitchell" is now part of a longterm project to be completely refurbished and showcased in the proposed Warbirds of Glory Museum.Īuthor Nicholas Veronico, a past president of the Society of American History, appreciates the hunt for crashed and long-forgotten military aircraft more than most and takes readers deep into the "epic stories of finding, recovering and rebuilding WWII's lost aircraft" around the world in his recent book "Hidden Warbirds." Heavily illustrated with color photographs and handsomely designed in a sturdy hardcover with glossy pages, Veronico's book shares tales of a variety of aircraft discovered in a multitude of locations, including an SB2U-2 Vindicator dive bomber recovered from Lake Michigan, a B-17E in Papua New Guinea, B-29s in California, and a P-51 Mustang in someone's garage. Most recently, a group from Michigan recovered a B-25 that crashed near the Tanana River in 1969 while on a firefighting mission. Most frequently, they are in search of military aircraft generally lost during the World War II era, when battles raged in the Aleutians and bases across the territory were also used to transfer aircraft to Russia. Nicholas Veronico finishes with an epilogue that will make most of this book's readers jump up and look for the many more remaining "Hidden Warbirds".Over the years aircraft hunters and museums have come through Alaska in search of pieces and parts to fill holes in aviation collections Outside. This story is told by a person who has been there and can relate his knowledge in a gifted way. He also describes how restoration, at first basic, became a craft of the highest order with incredible attention to detail and authenticity. He tells us how warbird restoration began and evolved with the times including the influence of internet resources. Veronico also does what the best non-fiction authors do - he provides context as well as perspective. Best, read this book for the stories of the service personnel who died within or survived the crashes that wrecked these aircraft - often, incredible stories of survival after becoming stranded in the remotest of territories are part of each war wreck's tale. Better, read this book if you want to learn the back stories of the recovery of many of these warbird wrecks from WW II to flying status as well as becoming exhibits in museums. "Read this book if you are interested in learning about the culture of people and organizations which search and find historic aircraft wrecks of the Second World War. Hidden Warbirds is aviation history at its best. Throughout, Veronico provides a history of the aircraft, as well as the unique story behind each discovery and recovery with ample illustrations. In this engaging new book, Veronico explores the romantic era of World War II Warbirds and the stories of some of its most famous wrecks, including the Dotty Mae (a P-47 submerged for over 60 years in the Traunsee in Austria and excavated and recovered with great care), the Swamp Ghost (a B-17e which crashed in New Guinea in the latter days of World War II and which was only recently discovered), and Glacier Girl (a P-38, part of "The Lost Squadron," which crashed in a large ice sheet in Greenland in 1942). His website, is the go-to source for enthusiasts who want to know more about how to locate vintage airplane wrecks and then tell their stories. Print Hidden Warbirds: The Epic Stories of Finding, Recovering, and Rebuilding WWII's Lost AircraftĪviation historian Nick Veronico has been investigating and writing about aircraft wrecks for many years.
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