PAM Spring2013nl.Pdf
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
NEWSLETTER SPRING 2013 | ISSUE #18 Photo Credit: Oliver, Frederique. Swamp Ghosts. 2007. Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C. Smithsonianmag.com. Web. 25 April 2013. Pictured, model showing a sample plan for the Swamp Ghost! One of the most talked about artifacts of American aviation Over the next 30 plus years, Alfred Hagen of Aero Archaeology history, the 1941 Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress bomber, serial attempted to recover the bomber. Finally, after years of number 41-2446 (aka Swamp Ghost), now makes its home at negotiations, John Tallichet, Alfred Hagen, and the Swamp Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor! Ghost Salvage Team were cleared to return this amazing artifact On February 22, 1942, aircraft 41-2446, along with four other to the United States in 2010. B-17s, took off from Townsville, Australia on a Navy mission to During this past year, Pacific Aviation Museum successfully attack ships at Rafael, a harbor the Imperial Japanese Navy held negotiated with the owners for the acquisition of Swamp Ghost, in New Britain. This flight was the first American heavy bomber and Matson Navigation brought the aircraft from Chino to offensive raid of World War II. Hawaii on April 2, 2013. Unfortunately, 41-2446 did not make it back. Having sustained Swamp Ghost will be one of the crown jewels in the Museum’s damage from enemy fire, it ran out of fuel and crash-landed in the aircraft collection, with plans to restore this aircraft to static exhibit. remote, primitive Agaiambo swamp on the north coast of Papua While funds are raised for restoration, Swamp Ghost will be on New Guinea. The nine-member crew survived the crash, and display in a specially constructed outdoor exhibit, resembling then had to battle malaria, fatigue, and heat exhaustion, while the Papua New Guinea swamp in which it was found, the perfect avoiding Japanese patrols. Miraculously, these brave men made backdrop for this historic artifact. Once restoration is completed it back to their Townsville base alive, leaving the aircraft behind. it will join our other vintage aircraft inside Hangar 79 on For nearly three decades, 41-2446 virtually “disappeared” in the historic Ford Island. remote swamp. It wasn’t until 1972, that Australian soldiers on routine Donors are invited to purchase a brick for a loved one, pilot maneuvers discovered the aircraft still partially submerged in the or crew member, which will help fund the restoration of this swamp. To the soldiers’ amazement, it was found to be in remarkable aircraft. To donate, please call 808-441-1006 or donate condition and fully intact. They nicknamed it Swamp Ghost. online at www.PacificAviationMuseum.org. SIGN UP FOR OUR E-NEWSLETTER AT WWW.PACIFICAVIATIONMUSEUM.ORG Published by Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor, 319 Lexington Boulevard, Historic Ford Island, Honolulu, HI 96818. There are no words to truly describe the priceless contributions that our Did you know that Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor has volunteers make to Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor. Nor are there words over 150 volunteers? They’re the reason we’ve been able to to describe the depth of appreciation we have for each and every volunteer who reach new heights every day! Our volunteers come from all donates his/her skill, knowledge, time, and talent toward the success of our daily backgrounds, and have many different skills and experiences. operations. Long before our Museum doors opened on December 7, 2006, Take Jim Will, a volunteer at our Museum and world champion the vision of our volunteers breathed life into a dream of building a first-class hang glider pilot. Jim once stayed aloft in his hang glider for military aviation museum in the Pacific. They helped raise funds, wrestled with more than 34 hours, beating Charles Lindbergh’s endurance paperwork, engineered the lighting, and assembled and rolled vintage aircraft into historic Hangar 37 for the grand record. But, Jim’s high-flying achievements don’t end there. opening. Our volunteers work in every department, toiling side by side with the Museum staff and, to date, have logged Jim is also a microlight pilot. What’s a microlight? It’s a over 160,000 hours of their time. Today, our volunteers lend valuable support to the Education department, Tours miniature aircraft designed to carry one or two people and and Operations department, Restoration Shop, Curatorial department, Development department, and Marketing has a maximum takeoff weight of less than 450 kgs. (just under department. Thank you to all of our volunteers for making Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor a special place for a thousand pounds). The pilot controls the aircraft by swinging residents and visitors from all over the world, enabling them to revisit a time and place that is honored in history. a handlebar and shifting his/her balance, with the wing We’re excited to share that Jim’s Chaser S microlight recently attached to a pivot point on the aircraft’s center of gravity. joined our Museum’s collection of aircraft. Designed by Aerial Arts in Britain during the 1980s, and currently Aloha, In 1998, to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Hawaii’s made-to-order by Cosmik Aviation, the Chaser S weighs statehood, Jim flew a Chaser S microlight aircraft the entire only 230 pounds and has a wingspan of only 26 feet. Ken DeHoff length of the state, island hopping for 500 miles from Kauai to the Big Island. Along the way, Jim honored Charles Lindbergh Shown in the photo on this page is Jim Will in the Chaser S microlight. by steering the aircraft past Lindbergh’s grave in Hana, dipping his wing in salute. On April 19th, we kicked up our heels and celebrated Volunteer Appreciation Month with a 1940s inspired dinner for our volunteers in Hangar 37. It was a small token of our appreciation for the work that they do. On any given day, our volunteers can be seen welcoming guests, providing memorable tours, helping guests reach new heights in the simulators, and restoring vintage aircraft to their former glory in Lt. Ted Shealy’s Restoration Shop. Since our doors opened in December 2006, our volunteers have logged more than 160,000 hours! They are invaluable in keeping Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor running smoothly. This year, we’ll also be joining the Oahu Museum Volunteer Leaders Organization, which helps museums on Oahu arrange reciprocal benefits to museum volunteers. We’ll partner with 18 other sites to honor our volunteers. Currently, 155 volunteers provide skilled services at our Museum and FRED L. TURNER 7 have donated more than 3,000 hours each! The next time you see one McDonald’s Honorary Chairman & Former CEO of our volunteers, please express your appreciation. They’re the ones 1933-2013 who keep us in the air! A good friend and supporter of our Museum SIGN UP FOR OUR E-NEWSLETTER AT WWW.PACIFICAVIATIONMUSEUM.ORG MAHALO NUI LOA TO OUR DONORS 2013 YEAR TO 6TH ANNIVERSARY Hagadone Printing Company DATE CONTRIBUTIONS DINNER SPONSORS & Pacific Basin Communications, LLC (AS OF DECEMBER 1, 2012) David & Carolyn Wilson Diamond Sponsor ($15,000) Darrell G Welch, Jr. & Peter Starn INDIVIDUALS Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. Dennis W. & Susan Fitzgerald Junior Aviators Take Flight! Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. Ernst & Young LLP $5,000 and above Sensor Systems, LLC The Museum was buzzing with activity during our annual “Discover Your Janice A. Nielsen Hawaiian Dredging Future in Aviation” event held on Saturday, March 23rd. Kids of all ages Joseph Scuro Gold Sponsor ($8,000) Construction Company, Inc. explored a variety of career opportunities in aviation, learned about the physics Richard A. Lenon Research Institute for Hawaii USA, Hawai‘i Gas of flight, and took a spin in our flight lab. This was also a great opportunity Richard Robb Christopher J. Damon Haig ($10,000) Hunt Companies, Inc. Kuhana Associates, LLC for Boy Scouts to earn merit badge credits. Mahalo to all our exhibitors Robert Ryker Basis Foundation, Nordic PCL Construction, Inc. and supporters for another successful event. See you back next year! Robert J. Wicks Michael & Carol Shealy Chuck Cotton, Clear Channel Outrigger Hotels Hawaii Mark Your Calendars! $1,000 and above Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. Penrose / Walsh FBI Honolulu, LLC We have two exciting events coming up this summer. On Friday evening, May 24, we’ll host the premiere screening of Alexander “Sandy” Gaston McDonald’s Restaurants of Hawaii, Inc. Wilson Care Group the movie, “Honor Flight: One Last Mission.” This feature-length documentary tells the story of World War II veterans and their Charlie R. James Donald A. Workman Silver Sponsor ($5,000) 6TH ANNIVERSARY memorable visit to the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. We’ll also honor some of our local veterans with DINNER DONATIONS a reception and screening of the movie in our Museum theater. Jeff Dahlgren Bank of Hawaii John V. Gibson dck Pacific Construction, LLC $10,000 and above The Battle of Midway was a significant turning point for America. On June 4, Jonathan Parshall, co-author of “Shattered Sword: Kazuo Nomi Hawaiian Hotels and Resorts Cynthia B. Foster The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway,” will join us for an evening of conversation about the historic battle. We’ll begin with a book Kris E. Draper signing at 4:00 P.M., a reception at 5:30 P.M., followed at 6:30 P.M. by Jonathan Parshall’s presentation. William L. Shankel Trust Bronze Sponsor ($3,000) $5,000 and above Alexander “Sandy” Gaston ($3,500) Dr. Thomas & Mrs. Mi Kosasa COMPANIES Architects Hawaii LTD. Aston Hotels & Resorts, LLC $1,000 and above $ 100,000 and above Aileen Blanc Colonel Richard M.