The Lost Squadron

[mako88sb]

I was talking with one guy at work about WW2 restored aircraft and he had never heard about Glacier Girl or the unbelievable effort just to recover her. He's only 5 years younger then me so if an old fart like him hadn't heard about it, I suspect there's a lot of youngsters who haven't either. I got the book just before Christmas. I think He thought I was pulling his leg when I told him how deep the ice was from were the lost squadron was now entombed. The first plane reached was a B-17 but the only thing recognizable was the top turret:



Part 1 of 4:

[Kptlt. Neuerburg]

Oh yeah, I remember a couple of years back History Channel did a program dedicated it to the Lost Squadron, and as it turns out my friend up in Washington State works with a guy who helped find and recover that P-38.

[Jimbuna]

Mother nature usually reveals her secrets...eventually.

[Eichhörnchen]

I'm vaguely aware of the TV series in your link, but I think it may have been in a previous post on here; I don't know whether it's actually been on TV in the UK.

How much material have they actually recovered, or did the whole project founder?

I know... "Get the book!"

[Cybermat47]

I learnt about them when my Dad got a 1/48 scale model of Glacier Girl. I don't know much about the plane though, and didn't realise there was a whole squadron in the ice, so I'll definitely give the doco a look

[mako88sb]

Originally Posted by Eichhörnchen

I'm vaguely aware of the TV series in your link, but I think it may have been in a previous post on here; I don't know whether it's actually been on TV in the UK.

How much material have they actually recovered, or did the whole project founder?

I know... "Get the book!"

As far as I know, they only recovered one P-38 and a few parts from one of the B-17's. Yes, I know. I need to read my book. lol. I've only had a chance to leaf through it, look at the pictures and read the intro. I'm not positive but I think this was the most difficult and expensive war-bird recovery effort ever taken on. They got a lot of financial backing from a tobacco company but the harsh location and depth of ice they had to contend with really exacerbated the usual problems encountered with projects like these. Plus the Herc they relied on for the majority of logistics hauling was suddenly unavailable due to Iraq invading Kuwait.