Solomon Island Recoveries

Vegimite?

Vegemite, an Australian icon…but owned by an American company. 🙂

Mark

So is it sort of like Hagus then:eek: Oh and I understand the tatse thing you know me the Drinker of Moxie ask anyone not from the Northeast of the US and they wil tell you it taste like Motor Oil.:diablo:

The aircraft moved in the early 1970’s were the easiest aircraft to move. Similarily they were either rare or of value at that time. The B-25 and B-17’s
were plentiful in the U.S at that time – P-39’s and P-40’s were not . Similarily
Tallichet recognised that the likes of Beaufort would have a value due to their rarity. David Tallichet was a successful businessman – the aircraft left behind like the Japanese aircraft hadn’t become collectable in the 1970’s.

Very True David,

But my talks with Mr. Tallichet on the subject and reading the notes and official paperwork he had planned on going back to recover around 30 Japanese aircraft many were as you stated very easy to move. As for the two B-25 the Pappy Gun Bird and another which the id escape me at this minute he planned on getting them do to the fact they were rare types of 25. David always has said that instead of playing around at one of the dumps for two days he should have removed Swamp Ghost he knew that is was very rare. Don’t forget David was a B-17 Pilot and he was already on the look out for a 17 to add to growing aircraft collection.

The funny thing is he told me that he left the Spits there because he didn’t think there was a market for them while he was saying this he was laughing and going with his hand next to his head crazy.

The aircraft moved in the early 1970’s were the easiest aircraft to move. Similarily they were either rare or of value at that time. The B-25 and B-17’s
were plentiful in the U.S at that time – P-39’s and P-40’s were not . Similarily
Tallichet recognised that the likes of Beaufort would have a value due to their rarity. David Tallichet was a successful businessman – the aircraft left behind like the Japanese aircraft hadn’t become collectable in the 1970’s.

Vegimite?

Vegemite, an Australian icon…but owned by an American company.

Mark

Hi Mark, Merry Xmas & Happy New Year,

I’m not sure either spelling is in the KP Spell checker smiles, but you are correct the Kraft spelling is Vegemite, perhaps I should register the other spelling for a locally owned version.

Interestingly local Aviation identity Dick Smith has a locally owned range of foods including Peanut Butter, but hasnt yet created a locally owned competing product to Vegemite, however there are a number of similar products around.

It is an acquired taste, I couldnt stand it as a kid, now I enjoy it, but the same is true of many other foods etc.

We have never owned much locally, originally it was all owned by the “mother” country and after WW2 with relaxation of trading outside the Sterling block much of Australia and its businesses became US owned, along with Japanese owned (much easier than invasion).

Interestingly I think the UK still holds the majority of foreign ownership in Australia despite the might of the US and Japanese investors post war.

Despite oversea’s ownership of Vegemite it is still locally made ( I enjoy the fumes from the Port Melbourne factory on the way to work) and I dont think there is much of an overseas market other than with ex-pats

Regards

Mark Pilkington

Rob,

We use Vegimite as a citizenship test for immigrants to weed out sleeper cells smiles, for those who dont like it vegimite is pure torture, those of us born here are injected with some at birth and therefore are immune to its taste and actually like it.

Mark Pilkington

Vegimite?

Vegemite, an Australian icon…but owned by an American company. 🙂

Mark

well said Mark, surely the most balanced post on this subject for ages.

damn mark after all these years and i’m not an aussie:eek: (i must have missed out on my injection
paul(the sleeper)

Rob,

We use Vegimite as a citizenship test for immigrants to weed out sleeper cells smiles, for those who dont like it vegimite is pure torture, those of us born here are injected with some at birth and therefore are immune to its taste and actually like it.

I am pleased at least recoveries in the Solomons are proceeding, I know there is a lot of baggage regarding the recent PNG recoveries and National Museum dealings, most recently relating to Swamp Ghost, however I think most of us are all in agreement that while the pacific islands have saved these remaining wrecks through isolation, ongoing exposure to the elements and local scrap driving will remove most of them from viable recovery and restoration within the next decade.

The recovery and restoration of rare (and in many cases extinct) Japanese aircraft has been the “unfinished business” from the Darby/Armstrong recoveries for Tallicet in the 70’s, we have seen the population of P40’s, P39’s and Bostons swelled through those recoveries from a handful of survivors to effective production lines of restorations of these three types, hopefully these current recoveries will do the same for these Japanese types beyond the current “Tony” projects.

In relation to Justin Taylon, I think we shouldnt be too hard, he is entitled to his opinion and position on these issues, he is still a heritage activist, just with a different view on the world. In some ways leaving some of the wrecks insitu undisturbed, or recovered but conserved in their unrestored state in the local communities or countries would be a valuable heritage outcome for future generations, however there is no security currently in these crash sites from environmental or scrapping damage, and where the airframes are unique last survivors they are certainly worth trying to recover rather than to be left to rot away.

Unfortunately all of these pacific nations have fundamental social and economic issues far more pressing than the preservation of wartime wreckage, and in many cases the central governments have no real control over the destruction of wrecks by local individuals and land owners.

All we can hope for is that the current Solomons recoveries are successful, and considered successful and beneficial by the locals as well, and may re-open recoveries from PNG in the longer term.

regards

Mark Pilkington

the b24 that’s being restored only has the wings from png the fuselage and id came from an ex raaf one recovered from in gippsland(south easter australia).
it’s great to see the recoverys happening(inspite of mr taylon)as we need survivors from both sides,if it wasn’t for forward thinker like david and charles these thing would all be gone.
i hope theat swamp ghost is finally resolved soon as if it’s kept in the salt air to long it may not be worth restoring.
as to vegemite i hate the stuff it’ just an aussie saying when your very happy and all this japanese stuff makes me very happy:D
paul i might still be a little sick 😮 😉 as i like beaufighters more than mosquito’s:p
ps didn’t they also talk about the black pass b17

i’m hoping for at least 1 ki 46-11 as imho it’s one of the best loking aircraft of the war,i just cant get over the scale of these recoveries as for years i’ve been wanting to see japanese aircraft but never thought i would other than zero’s now the potencial is for a fair representation of a number of types and various uses,since getting the charles darby book ive though that leaveing the petes,jakes,betty’etc was a major waste now it looks like we’re going to see these and more:D .
paul
now we just need a beaufighter and mosquito to fly and i’m a happy little vegimite;)

As for the stuff that Charles and David left behind it wasn’t like they didn’t want to recover those aircraft when I talk to David about the recoverys he told me that they were given a time period to get stuff moved and that they had planned on going back for a second and third trip to recover allot more stuff including Swamp Ghost,the B-24 that is now part of the Aussie Museum and allot of the Japaness aircraft. But do to allot of different reason they never made it back. The interesting thing is that the PNG Government never took away the ownership of the aircraft from MARC. Hence why Swamp Ghost was allowed to be finally recovered but we all know what has happen since then.

You really eat Vegimite my god you a sick person Paul:diablo: 😀 :p 😮

i’m hoping for at least 1 ki 46-11 as imho it’s one of the best loking aircraft of the war,i just cant get over the scale of these recoveries as for years i’ve been wanting to see japanese aircraft but never thought i would other than zero’s now the potencial is for a fair representation of a number of types and various uses,since getting the charles darby book ive though that leaveing the petes,jakes,betty’etc was a major waste now it looks like we’re going to see these and more:D .
paul
now we just need a beaufighter and mosquito to fly and i’m a happy little vegimite;)

any word on the j1ni in that area,also intrested in the n1l1-j as i didnt know of any survivers id love to see a ki46 in the air(do you know if they are talking of ki 46-11″s or ki 46-111’s)this sounds like a great collection i just hope the mister taylons of this world dont get in the way of saving these

Paul,

As for the sub-types I’m not sure which one they are but since the Japaness Army operated both versions of the Ki-46 I wouldn’t be surprised if there are a few of both laying around.

any word on the j1ni in that area,also intrested in the n1l1-j as i didnt know of any survivers id love to see a ki46 in the air(do you know if they are talking of ki 46-11″s or ki 46-111’s)this sounds like a great collection i just hope the mister taylons of this world dont get in the way of saving these

it’s about time someone recovered a few petes and vals and a jill will be nice to see,and last but far from least the world should have a restored betty.
damn good time for us lover of japanese aircraft.
are these going to be restored at wangarrata?
paul

Hi Paul,

I’m not 100% sure that they will be going to Wangarrata but it would make since since they have the Tonys their. I’m interested in seeing the Betty myself by what I’ve been told that they have a line on six other in the same location two being somewhat complete. Also by what I understand the following types have been found and will be looked at for recovery’s.

Aichi E13A
Kawanishi N1K1-J
Kawasaki Ki-45
Kawasaki Ki-48
Mitsubishi J2M
Mitsubishi Ki-46
Mitsubishi Ki-67 only part of the tail section and the wings the whole nose section was blown apart.
Nakajima Ki-43
Nakajima Ki-44
Tachikawa Ki-54 two have been located in a remote part of one of the five airdromes sitting in the woods.

Now mind you these are what have been found most of these wrecks are well know stuff at various former Japaness airbase’s.

But you know if Mr.Taylan had his way they would all sit and decay even more:rolleyes:

it’s about time someone recovered a few petes and vals and a jill will be nice to see,and last but far from least the world should have a restored betty.
damn good time for us lover of japanese aircraft.
are these going to be restored at wangarrata?
paul

Rob,

excellent news, its great to hear of more recoveries of rare Japanese aircraft and in particular exotics like the Val, Pete and Betty

regards

Mark Pilkington

Mark,

Yes it is they should be showing up on your shore sometime soon I’m not sure when but by what I understand they plan to bring them there for rebuild.

There is another operation planned for 2008 this also is looking to recover some Japaness aircraft along with some US and RAAF stuff.

So when are you going to move the Cat downunder ?

Rob,

excellent news, its great to hear of more recoveries of rare Japanese aircraft and in particular exotics like the Val, Pete and Betty

regards

Mark Pilkington