Swamp Ghost Fuselage on Display at Chino §
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NEWS VOL. 35, NO. 1 On display at the Planes of Fame, the B-17 “Piccadilly Lilly”, currently being restored. Photo By: Grant Millikan SWAMP GHOST FUSELAGE ON DISPLAY AT CHINO The forward fuselage of the fought off Japanese Zeros, had Ghost.” Over time, collectors famous B-17E Flying Fortress its right wing shot through by stripped the airplane of PICCADILLY LILLY known as Swamp Ghost can an antiaircraft shell that didn’t instruments, guns and its flight RETURNING TO be seen at Planes of Fame explode and then finally, it ran yokes, according to an October FLIGHT CONDITION Chino, on loan from Fred out of fuel. 2007 article in Smithsonian Hagan and John Tallichet. Magazine, authored by John Piccadilly Lilly II provides a welcome sight Capt. Fred Eaton made a belly Darnton. for visitors at the entrance to Planes of Fame The aircraft landed in the landing on what looked like Chino but she also is undergoing a restoration Papua New Guinea swamp a wheat field – pretty grass. Hagan, owner of Aero to flight condition. known as Agaiambo after Only the propellers were bent, Archaeology, obtained an being hit by ground fire and and the nine crew members export permit for the Swamp The B-17G aircraft, #44-83684, was the running out of fuel in February were all safe. However, Ghost from New Guinea’s last active B-17 Flying Fortress bomber in 1942, and there it rested upon opening the doors National Museum and Art the U.S. Air Force and retired in 1959 after until 2006. It took another Captain Eaton and the others Gallery in November 2005 nine years as a DB-17P drone director. She four years for Hagan and discovered they had landed in and with a crew of 43 people, became part of the Planes of Fame collection his representatives to see it water, up to eight feet of it. It including a B-17 mechanic, in September 1959. Founder Ed Maloney put returned to the United States. took them two days to reach had it ready for return to her to work as she appeared in TV”s “Dick dry land, hacking their way the U.S. the following year. Powell Theater” in a program about the 100th Papua New Guinea held a through kunai grass which was But, controversy arose over Bomb Group (called the Bloody Hundredth). rich treasure trove of World sharp as a razor. its departure and that lasted She became known as Piccadilly Lilly II when War II era aircraft, but none until 2010 when it was finally she was used in the popular 1960’s TV series attracted the attention that Mosquito-bitten, sleep cleared. “12 O’Clock High.” It last flew in 1971. Swamp Ghost has. It took deprived and with some off from Australia on the first starting to hallucinate, they On June 11, 2010, salvage The current B-17 restoration team was put long-range bombing mission finally encountered some local team members and aviation together in late 2008 and has made steady against the Japanese, intending villagers who helped them historians welcomed the progress since then. During the past year, to attack ships on Japanese- reach an Australian resident aircraft back at Long Beach, significant repairs were completed in the held New Britain. According magistrate. Less than three California. Thanks to Hagan waist, radio room and tail sections while both to stories written about the months after the crash, they and John Tallichet, president the top and ball turrets were restored. In mission, it encountered were back in combat. and CEO of Specialty numerous mishaps including Restaurants, the large forward addition, the radio room components and floor bad weather, bad maps, The airplane lay hidden until fuselage is available for all to were restored and are ready for installation novice pilots and mechanical Australian solders spotted it in see at Planes of Fame Chino. while the engines and propellers were cleaned problems. At the target area, it 1972 and dubbed it “Swamp § and painted. The aircraft is open to visitors. Where Aviation History Lives! www.planesoffame.org Page 2 Planes of Fame Air Museum COUPLE SELECTS PoF IN ESTATE PLANNING President’s Message terms of programs, restorations and flying would be impossible without the dedicated volunteers who comprise the Planes of Fame family. We never forget that none of this would be possible without all of you. 2011 is no different than other years in that we plan to “Keep Em Flying,” while providing more new and interesting experiences for our members and visitors. Steve Hinton, with the The year started with two programs in Planes of Fame’s silver Bearcat. January – the Focke Wulf 190 featured in the Living History event and a special program We frequently hear visitors comment on on the Wright Brothers and the First Military the changes the museum has made in recent Aircraft. We have events each month like years. They’ll tell us “when we first came this. here, the gift shop was in a little trailer,” or “I remember when some of these airplanes Air Show 2011 will celebrate the 100th were parked in an orchard in Claremont.” Anniversary of United States Naval You can take credit for the changes. Aviation. Scheduled for May 14 and 15, we Photo By: Britt Dietz look forward to an amazing show which will Linda & Charlie De Long in front of the Certainly we are proud of how the Planes provide both educational and exhilarating Planes of Fame’s P-51 “Wee Willie”. of Fame collection appears today, of the experiences for our audience. Linda and Charlie De Long started coming to displays of aircraft and memorabilia which stretch through some 100,000 square feet of Planes of Fame Chino more than 10 years ago But, the most encouraging part of it all is covered space in Chino with another 37,000 and “almost immediately became members,” that you have made it possible – and will square feet of hangared displays in Valle, make it possible – for Planes of Fame to get attending the monthly symposiums and air Arizona. We are also very proud of the more better and better. On behalf of the Board of shows as often as possible. Now they have than 100 flyable and static display aircraft in Directors and staff, please accept a heartfelt taken steps to insure those opportunities are the collection. here for future generations. thank you. As members and volunteers, you can be In their fifties and with thoughts of the future, proud of what has been accomplished as Keep ‘em flying! the De Longs felt it was time to develop a well. Planes of Fame is in its 54th year Steve Hinton trust. Without children, they each made a list of “Keeping Em Flying” and we are very President of where they want their inheritance to go. thankful for the tremendous support we have Planes of Fame, along with other nonprofits received. We are thankful for the County like St. Jude Memorial Foundation, came up of San Bernardino and Chino Airport for on the lists. their contributions to our success and for our Once the trust was finalized, Linda called the donors at all levels, as well as members and museum as well as others designated to let volunteers. Much of what we accomplish in them know. “It’s about legacy. We both have an the featured aircraft fly overhead. Charlie is in Education at the University of La appreciation for aviation and history,” says also very interested in the monthly member Verne, where she is an adjunct professor of Linda. “Charlie wanted to be a pilot and is drawings for rides in one of the vintage management and part of the administration. fascinated with World War II history. We aircraft. Charlie works for Corona-Norco Unified love this place.” Schools as a computer technician. “He finally won a drawing – for a ride in the “Being able to see and hear the people who P-51 last year,” Linda said. “That did it,” “In my studies, we looked at the importance flew these planes personally is very special,” she says. Between the ages of 12 and 14, of giving back and having a sense of she adds, saying that she and Charlie Charlie spent summers with an Air Force community,” Linda explains. “That’s a big attended the Taste of Flight fundraiser in couple in Las Vegas. There he visited Nellis part of what has inspired us in selecting October 2010 and had a great time. Air Force base and had the opportunity to Planes of Fame in our trust.” get in the cockpit of a F-105 Thunderchief Although neither has worked in aviation, the and F-4 Phantom. This experience Various options for including the museum De Longs both love being in the audience reinforced and accelerated his love of in estate plans can be found on the website, to hear about the aircraft featured at the aircraft. planesoffame.org. Estate planners can also monthly symposiums and then stepping be helpful in designating Planes of Fame in outside to hear the engines start and watch Linda has recently completed her doctorate creative ways. Where Aviation History Lives! www.planesoffame.org Page 3 Planes of Fame Air Museum BIRTHDAY VISIT INSPIRES PAPPAS FAMILY TO VOLUNTEER Justin Pappas’ thirteenth birthday visit the B-17 Piccadilly Lilly. As a child he who may be busy working on an airplane, to Planes of Fame Chino evolved into a saw her on the 12 O’Clock High television will stop and explain things.” gift for the entire family, as well as the series.