B-29 Tragedy.

[swiss]

Originally Posted by JVM

When I read all these irate comments made undoubtly from the safety of your computer seats, I would like to point out that:

- It was 15 years agon and really warbird interested people know about that since that time...I saw the original outing of the Nova episode: I do not remember venom-laced critics like the ones I just read, and yet there had been many critics at the time

- One of the big issues (as always) was money and extreme climatic constraints: it has been very hard to gather the funds...strangely, none of the critics of the time contributed...the one who did di d not critic (at least overtly)

- In case you did not notice the real painful point is less the unfortunate loss of the Kee Bird when everything seemed ready to go but a lot more Rick Krieger the chief engineer who overworked himself to death, literally...

- Rick was a long time friend of D. Greenamyer: don't you think he is still mourning his loss? DG hesitated for a long time and decided to try to honor his memory...one can only guess th eoutcome woul dhave been different if the chief engineer (who was the project leader) had been alive

- None of us was there, and we can only guess at the state of mind of the rest of the team...hindsight is so much of a marvelous thing, isn't it?

- D. Greenamyer was not really a coming out-of-the-blue moron: Lockheed SR-71 test pilot, held the fastest piston engine speed record for 2 years (over the Messerschmitt 209!), the fastest low altitude speed record (998 mph with a NF-104, 25m high...but was forced to land without the airplane), and won the National Air Races of Reno in "unlimited" category 6 times

Granted, humility and compassion are not very common virtues in this forum, but in this thread they are downright absent...

Who was talking about morons already?

JVM

PS: The engines and wings are there in perfect state for whoever will need them...under ice water in Northern Greenland they will be still in the same shape in 200 years...

What do want?
Ricks death sure is tragedy - but I couldn't care less about about Greenamyer records or achievements as a pilot. He could be an astronaut for all I care. If that B29 crashed during the flight this could have been important - did you see it take off?
They either wired it wrong or didn't follow the procedures. They fucked up simple as that, no force majeur involved.
If you realize you run out of time or money during project, you have to halt it, and return once you have raised both. Don't rush - just do it right.


and the parts were above the water before, not submerged as they are now. Water is better than ice I guess. They could at least have towed the debris a few hundred yards.
But that would require fuel, a "very precious good up there". That was the first time I wondered what they are doing. If I can't even afford to let 4 engines idle for a few hours - that's sign to stop and come back one you can afford it.
Not so our record winner: way too much ambition here, he's the man, he can, yes he HAS TO do it. Uuuuh *shivers*.

I'm done here, must stop, I'm already glowing bright white again.

[Flying Pencil]

I know the person who lead the project, that is I talked with him once on another airplane, initials of DG.

He did not strike me as a very careful person, make that more like gun ho.

And yes, that airplane he was also working on crashed and was destroyed.