I don’t think I’ll ever forgive Daryl for screwing this up so badly. Here was a perfectly preserved airplane and their impatience caused its total loss.
Yeah, such a tragic story - they would have had the perfect chance to fully restore it and make it fly again, but in the end, it was all ruined by impatience and stupidity.
No, no one died in the plane, luckily the two guys on board managed to get out in time and remained uninjured. Bot one of the crew members died from health issues months before that.@@Iz0pen
I remember watching the episode of nova as a kid when they came soooooo close to rescuing it and feeling so heartbroken when it caught fire and burned to the ground especially because I was hoping they would have dedicated it to Rick Kriege, the chief engineer who put in so much work before dying of a blood clot.
draco man ya but most museum’s can’t fund a project like that, I was thinking if we could get Denmark (Denmark own’s Greenland) to fund the project as a scientific study to see how the ice has been affected by the metal we can get then to move the remains to the UK for shipping to the US for a full restoration by a team of professional’s What do think.
Yes you are so right. Why would you gather up all the big Investors, get the best men for the job, one even dies from his work, and then decide to taxi around on ice with an unsecured battery? What a huge loss all the way around.
Mike Jacobs It burned because they tried started the engines using the auxiliary power motor, mounted in the rear fuselage, which were renowned for leaking fuel and catching fire, even when they were new and hadn’t been buried under ice for 50 years, which is exactly what happened. And they had no fire extinguishers.
The official story is the APU broke loose and spilled gas in the fuselage and the plane caught fire. But how do we know it was an accident? It could have been a plan to claim insurance money because the investors were just in it way too deep......things to make you go HMMMMMM 🤔
Jordan Cunanan I don’t think so. What insurance money do you speak of? From what I heard, they lied about having life insurance for the guy who died. Also, they got sued to the moon because of this
I've always thought the same thing. They should have disassembled it where it was and rented one of those sky crane helicopters to sky lift the parts out of there.
@ Stephen Lyons - I think what we meant was to disassemble it where it had been sitting and bring it out in pieces instead of trying to fix it up and fly it out. This would have eliminated the fire and all the other problems associated with trying to fix it at the remote site where it had been sitting. Also remember that one of the mechanics trying to repair it at the remote site got sick and died as a result.
I remember watching that episode when I was a kid and was so disappointed when it caught fire. To get something running again after it sat abandoned for so long amazed me. But then to watch all your hard work go up in smoke. It was and still is my favorite NOVA episode.
The best docu I have seen on any airplane. This was a great find, It is hard to imagine what those men must have felt after working so hard and getting her ready to spread her wings. Powerful and heartbreaking
A fully restored vintage plane would need a throughout maintenance and test before the test flight. Daryl’s team did such a unprofessional decision rushing to fly it back and caused fire - before taking off.
+S K They were doing a patch-up ferry flight similar to what used to be done in the 1950s and 1960s with surplus piston aircraft. You get a ferry permit and then make proper repairs at another location.
TBH, this mission was likely doomed from the start. As much as I appreciate their efforts, this project was optimistic to say the least. They tried too much within too little time and with too limited resources, leaving little room for error and resulting in some poor decisions that led to this outcome. The finishing of the plane and the takeoff were rushed, they should have tanken more time to properly check the plane through, then the apu should have been recognized.
I remember seeing this on Nova back in the 1990s. It’s a damn shame this almost intact plane was lost to a fire from the APU. I believe that the hoses and fittings on the APU most likely were dry rotted from the years of being exposed to the cold temperatures. This team that attempted to fly this plane out should’ve checked all the fuel lines, and other rubber fittings for defects. If they had done this the plane should’ve been disassembled, flown out piece by piece and rebuilt with new fittings like the B 29 named Doc. I respect the men and crew for their dedication to their efforts for trying their best to preserve this abandoned plane. If this would’ve been successful Kee Bird would be flying with FiFi and Doc. I don’t know if there are any B 29’s left at China Lake or any other bone yard that could be picked over for spare parts for FiFi and Doc. David Page East Millinocket, Maine.
Such a sad story. She was on the cusp of freedom from her icy tomb. All the effort to bring her back to life. Dedication that eventually cost a man his life and all for naught. For the want of a couple of stronger bolts :(
Think they used a coat hanger to hang the gas can from the ceiling for the APU. Should have activated the actual fuel system to the APU since they were going to use it all the way home.
What a waste ! I saw the documentary and it about made me cry . What a priceless piece of history destroyed because some idiot didn't have a fire extinguisher !
It reminds me of some idiot who has a big cabinet that can't fit through his door. Instead of disassembling it, he decides to force it through, smashing the doors, chipping paint, an damaging the drywall. Pretty much the analogy for the Kee Bird
Dimitri Vladivikovic There is very little left to "build back up", it may as well be scratch built. The cockpit is completely gutted, as is most of the fuselage back to the empennage. After the original crash landing the wings were not airworthy, and having sat in water for so long this has been exacerbated. Logically the only thing reusable on this aircraft is the engines after a complete rebuild. Nothing is impossible, but I don't think you understand the work that is required to get this B29 airworthy again. Just build a new one if you can get hold of the engineering plans.
My grandfather was the pilot who rescued the Kee Bird’s crew from the Greenland ice; he would reminisce about how his hands were practically frozen to the controls of his C-54. For the rescue he received the Distinguished Flying Cross, amongst other honors. He went on to become the youngest full-bird colonel to that point in USAF history, flew the B-36 for SAC, and served as the USAF liaison for the Titan missile project.
What you notice when visiting such places is the silence. Your mind has difficulty taking in how some relic or piece of history has just sat motionless surrounded by nothing but silence, for years and years.
+paul chandler The water levels in Lake Mead have been at record lows and there is a B-29 just sitting there to raise up and place on a barge. But the National Park Service would probably not allow salvage if anyone wanted it.
Daryl Grenemayer's ego destroyed this acft. It killed one of the restoration crewman as well. Not from the fire. A waste of 4 rare props and engines that were hauled in to try to fly it out. STUPID!!
Every single thing about the attempted removal of the Kee Bird was badly planned. They should have dismantled it and hauled it out in peace. Shipped it back and rebuilt it.
I've seen this footage a while back and I have to say it's unbelievable, I think the Kee Bird should remain where it has been since 1947 because I feel like it belongs up there and has already been through a lot.
The aircraft is largely intact and well preserved. Tail section, and nose damage. Engines #2, #3, and #4 broke away upon impact Park service will not permit recovery sadly
The men who tried, and the one who died, trying to salvage this bird will go down in history as unlikely heroes. Heroes for trying so damned hard, and being rewarded with grief and failure. Bless them all. Bless them for trying!
Don't bless the leader Greenmeyer! He could have safely disassembled the aircraft and had brought by salvage boats. Instead he tried to grandstand and fly it out! Rebuilding a aircraft to make it flightworthy was stupid on Greenmeyers part!
@@philipme109 Yeah, if only a more competent person would have been involved, this probably wouldn't have happened. Greenmayer is a dubious figure and was heavily criticized for the way he handled the whole thing. He just saw the opportunity to make big money with little effort. Very irritating and telling is the scene where they sit and watch the plane burn down and don't seem to be too sad, even joking and laughing about it.
I can’t remember the man’s name who originally was organizing the Kee Bee’s Retrieval Crew his name was mentioned once if memory serves correct. He lacked the capital needed to fund the B29’s retrieval plan and get it to Thule The narrator said this guy butted heads with Daryl and they hated each other. The guy reluctantly agreed to Daryl funding the project but ended up leaving the project out of frustration. We as the audience were not privy. As a former flighline jet engine mechanic who worked C130’s and CH-53 Sikorsky Helicopters in the US Air Force, I’m guessing Daryl is not one of those pilots you really like because of mutual respect in making the airplane air worthy and being able to really fly it well. I’m gonna step out on a limb here and speculate that Daryl is one of those pilot’s who’s probably a real arrogant a** who acts above people and takes dangerous risks that get’s people hurt,or maybe he thinks he’s a know it all, or takes stupid risks that endanger’s lives, or maybe all of the above. There is some backstory here for sure. Maybe that’s why this personnel conflict wasn’t discussed in detail because it would give away the documentary’s shocking and tragic ending. One thing you don’t ever do is fly a plane with souls on board that has not been thoroughly inspected by experienced military trained or licensed Airframe & Powerplant mechanics who know B29’s inside and out. Also having a thoroughly documented Aircraft discrepancy & maintenance book that lists every grounding item, what was done to complete and test the repairs. Every single; nut, bolt, cable, gear, support, part, support equipment, engine, prop, servos, controllers, gage, safety, electrical generator, it’s fuel tank & support, prop, de-ice equipment, cabin heaters and thousands of other items are installed, torqued, secured, check listed to be 100% functional and verified to be safe before any taxi is considered to be taken. This especially without a Flightline fire department on standby. I’m guessing this is why Daryl was so disliked that the guy who should have been in charge of saying the B29 was safe to taxi was checked out and gone. There would have been a review of discrepancies, pre-taxis checklist before that plane moved an inch. It’s really sad this project was allowed to proceed. Accidents that set irreplaceable historical aircraft on fire just don’t happen. Rushing, skipping aircraft safety protocol and unprofessionalism cause accidents. Also the decision to use the “mothballed” Air Base boneyard Vietnam era cargo plane was a real POS. It should have been respectfully and professionally overhauled out of respect for the Vietnam Veteran’s. I worked with some of them who were my supervisors when I joined the Air Force. The best guys I ever had the opportunity to work with in my life. I’m surprised it didn’t kill everyone who flew on it. Daryl doesn’t know jack squat about doing a project like this and the guys who did, dis-served better, especially the poor man who died and we all lost a really awesome WWII Aircraft that should be sitting in a hangar with Fifi!!!
The lack of attention to detail in getting the Kee Bird out, the fact that APU was not a secure setup, speaks volumes of Greenmayer's shoestring budget and "quick let's get out of here and make a buck" mentality. In the end, maybe the Kee Bird just wanted to stay where she was. After all, one of her crew members did say that it was like disturbing an Indian burial ground. Also, I think that the warbird scene was very different 25 years ago. There just wasn't the money or support that exists now. Of course things were cheaper too.
Yeah, if only a more competent person would have been involved, this probably wouldn't have happened. Greenmayer is a dubious figure and was heavily criticized for the way he handled the whole thing. He just saw the opportunity to make big money with little effort. Very irritating and telling is the scene where they sit and watch the plane burn down and don't seem to be too sad even joking and laughing about it.
People who find, acquire, restore and then fly the world's rarest historic aircraft have in their hearts all the traits mentioned in these comments including impatience, bravado bull-headedness, luck and lust for adventure with a good amount of danger thrown in. Was one or more of these traits responsible for the firey end of the Keebird? Perhaps, but the truth is without these free spirits taking chances, it's likely very few of these great aircraft would be available for the rest of us to enjoy. Thank you, gents, for your efforts and please keep up the good work.
Truth be told, what really happened is, the APU had a bad fuel line/tank, instead of waiting for a proper replacement, the new team leader hung a gas can over the APU and jerry rigged the fuel connection. Being that it was a tricycle landing gear configuration, as the plane was taxied over the very rough, hastily prepared snow/ice runway, the tail section where the APU was mounted, was bouncing violently up and down, spilling fuel all over the hot APU and fuselage floor bulkhead, thus starting an uncontrollable fire. Being a WW2 aviation buff since childhood, I was in my 30's and so excited watching this documentary for the first time in the mid 90's (especially while taxiing) and was literally traumatized when it caught fire and burned to the ground, what a let down! To this day I have not been able to stomach watching the documentary for a second time, it's just too sad.
+Carl Schroeder Also something about the team member manning the APU stepped over to put on his goggles from the dust inside and that's when the fire started. They should have waited to fix that fuel pump or brought a spare.
As someone who appreciates history, watching the original documentary was incredibly sad when, on the cusp of returning, Kee Bird met its fate. If only the APU had been secured.
Even if so, it would still have been extremely dangerous to fly this thing and there could still have been a million other things going wrong. I doubt that the fuselage was strong enough to be airborne after being frozen in ice for 50 years. Imagine if the plane would have broke during flight and crashed to the ground - not unlikely imo.
The APU WAS secured. It was the gas tank that fell that dumped fuel on the running engine because they had it 'rigged' by hanging it from a stringer above the running APU to gravity feed it because the fuel pump failed. It was a V32 twin Andover (Fairchild) generator. Not clear on the wisdom of taking off or taxiing in that configuration. The pilot was only 'supposed' to bring it to the edge of the lake. No fire suppression or extinguishers would have put out that fire with that much gas. It was a real shame. Haste and impatience will always bite you in the ass in aviation.
TBH, this mission was likely doomed from the start. As much as I appreciate their efforts, this project was optimistic to say the least. They tried too much within too little time and with too limited resources, leaving little room for error and resulting in some poor decisions that led to this outcome. The finishing of the plane and the takeoff were rushed, they should have tanken more time to properly check the plane through, then the apu should have been recognized.
@@mikespillman3075 The account I read is that the APU gas pump wasn't working so a coat hanger was twisted and holding a gas can so gravity fed the APU motor. Standing still no problem. On bumpy runway - what could go wrong? Yes 'go fever,' indeed. Greenmeyer is on film saying he wanted to hop in and go. If he said that on film, you know with all four engines up to temperature and running he was saying 'go, go, go, go, go' to the crew. Compare that to the DOC and Fifi crews who are methodical in following their checklists before they get moving. Terrible waste of a treasure.
Way back when I first saw the NOVA documentary I thought they should have airlifted in the parts. And built a sled for it and towed the aircraft out of there. Trying to do that much repair work at that location and fly it out was just plain stupid.
I would check out hunting Warbirds, Its a great book that really goes far more in depth then the documentary did. as for the kee bird check out th-cam.com/video/lTrCtI7Dyw4/w-d-xo.html the original Kee bird was the mascot of the people who built the Alaska Canada Highway good little bit here www.explorenorth.com/library This link has some really good stuff VVVV hougengroup.com/yukon-history/yukon-nuggets/the-story-of-the-keebird/ I'd personally love to go get her, but the main setback would be money it would cost roughly half a million just to get her out of that lake and back to the states. Boeing probably could do it, but they would need someone to actually commit to restoring it
Don't despair, perhaps 100 years from now man will try again to remove Kee Bird from her resting place. She'll be there, waiting. I can't fathom how anyone could justify criticizing the end result of this bold attempt. Risk is part of life, be proud of them. Even the best of us fail, but let that fact never stop us from trying.
A lot of people criticise this and rightly so. With qualifications like that team - they knew better, but loved their spirit of adventure - the 'game" - as it was called more than sectioning it down and shipping it to a proper shop. Not some risky game but assured disciplined success.
Maybe someone will one day remove what's left of Kee Bird, but that doesn't change the fact that nowadays it's just a piece of rotten junk. It was in good condition and would have been able to be made airborne again, but then these morons came and ruined it with their incompetence, arrogance and pretension.
I live how easily everyone overlooks the fact that they went up there to try and get it to profit from it by selling it... not to save a piece of history or any of that shit. It was all driven by greed and it ended a lot better than it would have if they ever would have actually tried to take off through all those snow banks which would have made it break up juuuust about the time they got enough speed up to insure nobody could survive.
My heart simply sank to see what should have been a victorious flight go so tragically wrong. The only good spot is that it happened on the ground and not at 4,000 agl. A salute to all who gave so much in their attempt to add a rare page into the book of history.
@@davesaldana7263 and YOU are WHO? I have 58 yrs Aviation following and experience both military and civilian and associated activities including service with SAC 509 BW :)
Compete lack of proper planning and being to too big of a hurry and now a piece of history lies wrecked, burned and ruined. Isn't that a definition of "ego"?
Yeah, really sad how some poor decisions destroyed a plane that laid there in good condition for almost 50 years. Imo this mission was likely to fail from day one. As much as I appreciate their efforts, this project was optimistic to say the least. They tried too much within too little time and with too limited resources, leaving little room for error and resulting in some poor decisions that led to this tragedy. The finishing of the plane and the takeoff were rushed, they should have taken more time to properly check the plane through, then the apu should have been recognized.
I also watched the documentary about the attempt to fly it off of the ice. The man who was directing the salvage attempt had to leave just before the aircraft was ready to fly, and subsequently died. The B-29 had an Auxiliary Power Unit (or A.P.U.) mounted in the rear portion of the pressure hull that was fed Av gas from fuel tank in the rear of the fuselage. The A.P.U. in a B-29 had a nasty reputation with it's crews to begin with, it was cranky, smelly and leaked horribly. The most likely cause of the fire was the unattended, cranky and leaky A.P.U. In all practicality there was no aircraft left to salvage.
+JStephen Allington The fuel pump on the APU was broken and they had rigged up a gravity-feed can of gas for it, and this spilled avgas on the hot APU.
Saw the documentary when it first aired, incredible effort. What a tragic ending. Heartbreaking. Must have crushed the people involved in the restoration. 🇺🇸
I met Robert "Lucky" Luedke, Flight Engineer, and invited him to speak at our annual Commemorative Air Force dinner back in 2005 or so. Sad tale of this aircrafts destruction.
I remember watching the original NOVA documentary around the time when it first aired and being astonished by the technical experience and courage of the team. Regarding Darryl Greenamyer I'm shocked by all the negative comments. This guy financed the mission and risked everything to rescue this abandoned B-29. Had he made it he'd would have been hailed a hero and had he not tried there wouldn't have been a documentary and likely many who are so critical of him wouldn't even know about this plane. Comments like "paint Darrel's Fault" on it likely come from people who really haven't thought this through.
+@ The salvage was financed by a real estate mogul who wanted to "get in on the action" of warbird sales. They went in cheap to double the money. I think Darryl skipped some of the required medical insurance for his permits, which was why Rick's family sued after his death. The whole effort ended in the fire and lawsuits between all involved parties.
When I heard what happened, what caused the fire, I couldn't believe it. I watched that special years ago, and didn't realize it was their own negligence, not the condition of the aircraft or its age, that caused the destruction.
@@philipme109 Uh, a B-29 in a lake shouldnt be so hard to find. I mean, they also found the Lake Mead B-29 and she‘s still in a lake. And I wouldnt take her apart for spareparts too. She should be recovered from the ice and preserved at an museum.
@@Entity282 Key Bird caught FIRE from Greenmeyers stupidity. All that is left is the aft fuselage, burned out cockpit and the wings. It was almost a total loss. That Lake Mead aircraft is far more intact as long as they don't allow fools like Greenmeyer near it.
@@philipme109 I know. Kee Bird is still a piece of history and also a symbol to double check everything so we dont lose history again. I also know that the Lake Mead B-29 is in super condition but as there are shells living on it, it probably wont see sunlight again. Both B-29 probably wont get restored but they should be preserved! No matter what happened or what condition. Both are pieces of history and not be salvaged for spareparts.
When I was trying to search for rich sponsors willing to help fund the excavation of 30+ German fighters in a German Bavarian bunker, I called Cathy Hanson who was a large funder for the Kee Bird project. Cathy contributed a large portion of the finances for the retrieval of Kee Bird, but as we all know the story it failed. Cathy owns a large museum in northern CA, and has many aircraft of her own. I was directed to speak with her to see if she would be interested in owning several Fw-190s buried in fresh water we are retrieving this summer 2019. Thankfully the dig is 100% funded now, but I have yet to find someone willing to fund the shipping and restoration of the aircraft. There are around 30+ Me-262, Fw-190A&D and Me-163. Apparently the bunker, like most german bunkers at the end of the war with new technology like Jets were booby trapped with large bombs, just like this bunker. But thank God they decided to do that, because the US Army left them in there.
My grandpa cried when NOVA aired the episode on this plane... his brother was a B-17 navigator and when he himself followed and got into the USAAC in early 1945, he was in flight training to fly B-29s to Japan. In fact, they were getting ready fir a training flight when word came to shutdown... because Japan had surrendered. Within two months, the USAAC washed him out and he was sent home. The guy who tried to salvage it said “anyone can get it now, but only if they can fly it out of here”. That never made sense to me. I was only born in early 91, so I was a very little kid when NOVA had the program, but I remember it crystal clear still. Grandpa said “...he should’ve just disassembled her and flown her out on that cargo plane, any senseless recovery laws be damned...” I agree... he had the cargo planes, they could’ve done it. They took apart first one in 1992 and now apparently recently two of the P-38s of the Lost Squadron buried in the ice and flew the parts out on a DC-3, it’s how we got the Glacier Girl. He could’ve done it! Why not? “The glory of flying her home!” ...just a waste... but there looks to be more than enough to make a recovery worth it, even if just for parts for Doc and Fifi, a static display... or the base of a rebuilt to fly again!
their rebuild on the ice was pretty much flawless, I mean a fire like that can happen at any airport, they just needed fire equipment onboard, that was the main issue
The fuel pump didn't work so they installed a jury-rigged fuel tank over the apu that quickly started to spill fuel. That was highly unprofessional, they should have installed a new fuel pump, the this would not have happened. @@LoneWolf051
I think I've the series on trying to recover this plane three or four times and every time I'm just in tears. I hope they can recover this plane and get some of it in the air again!
Is there any way to still save the airplane ? I mean get it out the ice (with out setting it on fire ) and maybe save the parts that are still in good shape and mix it with parts of an other b29 if there still one which isn’t restored?
+World of Tanks Player Yes and no. Greenland was angry about the mess that they left and shut down permits for salvage for a while, but I think they would grant a permit now. But there are no roads anywhere near it so anything that leaves is going out by air and that is very expensive. The new engines and props were borrowed and still belong to the original owner. There are enough usable items left there to salvage if someone will fund it. But there are also a good number of other B-29 survivors that could be obtained for a flying example, most of which are already in museums for display or gate guards.
The water melts every summer so someone could do it if they wanted to. But it wouldn't be easy. They should have done that right after the fire though. .
I don't think there is much left to salvage except maybe a few single small parts. The plane rests on the bottom of a lake, meaning that it is often at least partially covered with water, meaning that the engines and all electric things are broken, and the fuselage and the cockpit were largely destroyed by the fire.
Kee Bird could probably be salvaged and displayed as found or rebuilt for static display. The only FW 200 Condor was in a much worse condition when recovered but she now looks nearly new.
+Defiant Shackleton There aren't any roads in the area but the remains could be lifted out if someone would pay for it. Nobody wants to display this aircraft as found as a monument to stupidity. It would be used for parts or a static rebuild, unless someone wants to spend major money to rebuild it completely.
Darryl Greenmayer was greedy, selfish, manipulative and, most importantly, cheap. It was Kee Bird's misfortune that it got the attention of such an awful character. He was in a hurry to get to the plane and make the quick buck before some aviation historical association or museum beat him to it. In the end he ended up destroying the plane and overworking and killing a highly skilled person.
Yeah, if only a more competent person would have been involved, this probably wouldn't have happened and might have ended well. Greenmayer is a dubious figure and was heavily criticized for the way he handled the whole thing. He just saw the opportunity to make big money with little effort. Very irritating and telling is the scene where they sit and watch the plane burn down and don't seem to be too sad, even joking and laughing about it.
@@markfrench8892 There was a WW2 Airforce Medal of Honor winner called 'Snuffy' Smith who saved a B-17 by putting out fires. He was,otherwise, an unpopular character.
I can honestly say, that plane wasn't leaving that place long before they tried to rescue it. One of the crew said he had torn feelings, and he felt that it belonged out there, and poor Rick died making it run, it was just a mess. God bless them for trying, yes it should have been shipped out in pieces LONG before being flown, but hey, 'Merica, and look at those ailerons after sitting for 25 years! Not bad! Lots of usable parts still.
Interestingly, I have read that at some point the Air Force fitted Kee Bird with Doc's tale fin................things like this makes me believe we really are living in a simulation.
Terrible to see such an interesting plane in that state, but it almost looks... natural, like she crashed like that. I don't know, just trying to romanticize a failed salvage. It was a damn good effort on their part though.
Yea.. if you consider blindly throwing bodies and borrowed parts at a venture in an ill fated attempt at making a quick few million bucks, hurried so much you couldn’t even be bothered to make a damn runway a “good effort” then yea.. they knocked it out of the park!
Hopefully one day somebody will make a trip up there and grab whats left of her and bring it home .. maybe use the remaining parts to rebuild another 29. So the old bird could live on in another air frame
Look at the wing.. after the fire they obviously drug it to where it was perhaps more shallow, damaging the wings in the process. You can see where the chains and stuff dug a quarter way through the wings
@@Halfstep2024 If that's true (and it's very likely as it would explain the damage to the wings) then it only even more shows their incompetence. Their effort was Murphy's Law at its worst, they never would have managed to make it fly safely, sooner or later it would literally have fallen apart anyway.
They were probably not worth salvaging after they got done dragging everything around with their mini dozer before they left it so it couldn’t sink to the bottom.
I give credit to Daryl and his crew for the attempt. They were so close to flying that plane home. Here is the entire video of it's attempt. th-cam.com/video/2g3ZU0ZEVRk/w-d-xo.html
Cant some of it still be salvaged for parts? Metal doesn't burn and those panels could help restore other b29s, there has to still be useful equipment on it?
This is the first time I've been able to watch anything about Kee Bird since I first saw the documentary where she burned. Such a stupid and tragic event that should never have happened, all because they wanted the bravado of flying it out of there. Such a waste. One of them even died doing it.
I tried going through as many comments that I could but never saw an explanation. Does anyone know why this aircraft has some of the damage that it does (besides original fire damage)? Why is the back part of that wing mangled like something crashed into it? Why are some of the props bent backwards like it landed gear up? I see landing gear and what appear to be tail parts in front of the rest of the wreckage. Strange.
+ @jamespowles3223 I'm not sure how much the team pushed things around before they left the site. But it also gets very windy up there from the cold ice sheets.
Such a shame! I think if those guys werent pressed for time they would have flown that plane out. But you know what happens when you hurry. You make mistakes.
Yeah, that was the big mistake - too little time. They tried to do too much within too little time with little room for errors, which resulted in some poor decisions. The takeoff was very rushed without properly checking the plane through. Otherwise they would have recognized the broken APU that led to this desaster.
So fucked up. Had it made. All the hard work was done and got in to big of a hurry at the last and lost it all. If they would had just smoothed put the taxi area and take off strip, hell if they just had a fire extinguisher. All that hard work. At least we have FiFi and Doc now.
After watching the documentary on this bird, I really agreed with the original pilots that the plane should've just been left there. It was a great effort in trying to rescue it but all the signs were showing that it wasn't meant to come home.
+Pavl Rakopv The engines were borrowed 0-time units. I think they technically still belong to the original owner, even if they are now trashed from being in water.
Daryl felt pressed for time. No excuse... Daryl and all of his techs should have known better. They should have seen the possibility of the equipment being loose in the tail causing an issue.
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I don’t think I’ll ever forgive Daryl for screwing this up so badly. Here was a perfectly preserved airplane and their impatience caused its total loss.
Yeah, such a tragic story - they would have had the perfect chance to fully restore it and make it fly again, but in the end, it was all ruined by impatience and stupidity.
Didn’t somebody die in the fire? So there’s that too
No, no one died in the plane, luckily the two guys on board managed to get out in time and remained uninjured. Bot one of the crew members died from health issues months before that.@@Iz0pen
No I'm not sure how that rumor started. An engineer died of natural causes before the accident. @@Iz0pen
@@Iz0pen no, they worked that poor man to death, in my opinion, but the official reason is some kind of medical problem
I remember watching the episode of nova as a kid when they came soooooo close to rescuing it and feeling so heartbroken when it caught fire and burned to the ground especially because I was hoping they would have dedicated it to Rick Kriege, the chief engineer who put in so much work before dying of a blood clot.
Same here. I was about 15 when I saw that episode. I'm still pissed about the outcome to this day.
I wish the Kee Bird could have been properly rescued without burning up. Who else wants to use whatever's left for a rebuild?
I'd leave it there, it's been there so long it's pretty much part of the ice now, but I do like your idea.
I'm down let's go get it.
I mean what would be the main source of money to get the thing out of there?
@@ivanvrkljan1056 perhaps we could get a museum to fund an excavation, and the. Rebuild it to aesthetic quality but not flight ready. Bam
draco man ya but most museum’s can’t fund a project like that, I was thinking if we could get Denmark (Denmark own’s Greenland) to fund the project as a scientific study to see how the ice has been affected by the metal we can get then to move the remains to the UK for shipping to the US for a full restoration by a team of professional’s
What do think.
One man makes a BAD decision in his impatience and the world loses a great airplane.
Yes you are so right. Why would you gather up all the big Investors, get the best men for the job, one even dies from his work, and then decide to taxi around on ice with an unsecured battery? What a huge loss all the way around.
Mike Jacobs It burned because they tried started the engines using the auxiliary power motor, mounted in the rear fuselage, which were renowned for leaking fuel and catching fire, even when they were new and hadn’t been buried under ice for 50 years, which is exactly what happened. And they had no fire extinguishers.
The official story is the APU broke loose and spilled gas in the fuselage and the plane caught fire. But how do we know it was an accident? It could have been a plan to claim insurance money because the investors were just in it way too deep......things to make you go HMMMMMM 🤔
Jordan Cunanan I don’t think so. What insurance money do you speak of? From what I heard, they lied about having life insurance for the guy who died. Also, they got sued to the moon because of this
@Johnny Sportcoat JATO just shorten the takeoff. obviously a B-29 can takeoff without them lmao
*They should've Pieced the Aircraft and Hauled it out of there, like they Pieced DOC*
I've always thought the same thing. They should have disassembled it where it was and rented one of those sky crane helicopters to sky lift the parts out of there.
Yeah but Doc was in much better shape. After the Kee Bird fire it destroyed so much of the air frame.
@ Stephen Lyons - I think what we meant was to disassemble it where it had been sitting and bring it out in pieces instead of trying to fix it up and fly it out. This would have eliminated the fire and all the other problems associated with trying to fix it at the remote site where it had been sitting. Also remember that one of the mechanics trying to repair it at the remote site got sick and died as a result.
@@StephenLyonsMusic before the fire idiot
Yes, yes and yes. Unforgivable the recklessness and loss of life that came from this "salvage."
I remember watching that episode when I was a kid and was so disappointed when it caught fire. To get something running again after it sat abandoned for so long amazed me. But then to watch all your hard work go up in smoke.
It was and still is my favorite NOVA episode.
Theres the episode....th-cam.com/video/2g3ZU0ZEVRk/w-d-xo.html
I had the same reaction. I watched it when I was 9 maybe. I was so interested in this plane and was absolutely crashed when it burnt up.
I watched Nova's "Frozen in Time" when it was first run. I was never so disgusted with a show's ending in my life.
TOO MUCH FACT FOR YOU? TOO MUCH REALITY? 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣
The best docu I have seen on any airplane. This was a great find, It is hard to imagine what those men must have felt after working so hard and getting her ready to spread her wings. Powerful and heartbreaking
A fully restored vintage plane would need a throughout maintenance and test before the test flight. Daryl’s team did such a unprofessional decision rushing to fly it back and caused fire - before taking off.
+S K They were doing a patch-up ferry flight similar to what used to be done in the 1950s and 1960s with surplus piston aircraft. You get a ferry permit and then make proper repairs at another location.
TBH, this mission was likely doomed from the start. As much as I appreciate their efforts, this project was optimistic to say the least. They tried too much within too little time and with too limited resources, leaving little room for error and resulting in some poor decisions that led to this outcome. The finishing of the plane and the takeoff were rushed, they should have tanken more time to properly check the plane through, then the apu should have been recognized.
I remember seeing this on Nova back in the 1990s. It’s a damn shame this almost intact plane was lost to a fire from the APU. I believe that the
hoses and fittings on the APU most likely were dry rotted from the years of being exposed to the cold temperatures. This team that attempted to fly this plane out should’ve checked all the fuel lines, and other rubber fittings for defects. If they had done this the plane should’ve been disassembled, flown out piece by piece and rebuilt with new fittings like the B 29 named Doc. I respect the men and crew for their dedication to their efforts for trying their best to preserve this abandoned plane. If this would’ve been successful Kee Bird would be flying with FiFi and Doc. I don’t know if there are any B 29’s left at China Lake or any other bone yard that could be picked over for spare parts for FiFi and Doc.
David Page
East Millinocket, Maine.
Should paint "Darrell's Fault" on it.
darryl
On it I'll get my spray paint
And a giant metal sign to put right next to her
Such a sad story. She was on the cusp of freedom from her icy tomb. All the effort to bring her back to life. Dedication that eventually cost a man his life and all for naught. For the want of a couple of stronger bolts :(
I don’t remember anyone loosing his life
No one died, only the plane
Think they used a coat hanger to hang the gas can from the ceiling for the APU. Should have activated the actual fuel system to the APU since they were going to use it all the way home.
YES somebody died....brilliant man too. Watch the show.
He got badly sick amd doed from a blood clot
What a waste ! I saw the documentary and it about made me cry . What a priceless piece of history destroyed because some idiot didn't have a fire extinguisher !
It reminds me of some idiot who has a big cabinet that can't fit through his door. Instead of disassembling it, he decides to force it through, smashing the doors, chipping paint, an damaging the drywall. Pretty much the analogy for the Kee Bird
They had a fire extinguisher on board. It was in the back where the fire was, so they couldn't get to it.
It was all because some idiot left a generator back there
No one on that crew was an idiot.
Dimitri Vladivikovic
There is very little left to "build back up", it may as well be scratch built. The cockpit is completely gutted, as is most of the fuselage back to the empennage. After the original crash landing the wings were not airworthy, and having sat in water for so long this has been exacerbated. Logically the only thing reusable on this aircraft is the engines after a complete rebuild. Nothing is impossible, but I don't think you understand the work that is required to get this B29 airworthy again. Just build a new one if you can get hold of the engineering plans.
My grandfather was the pilot who rescued the Kee Bird’s crew from the Greenland ice; he would reminisce about how his hands were practically frozen to the controls of his C-54. For the rescue he received the Distinguished Flying Cross, amongst other honors. He went on to become the youngest full-bird colonel to that point in USAF history, flew the B-36 for SAC, and served as the USAF liaison for the Titan missile project.
Watched that documentary years ago, don't think I can ever watch it again, heartbreaking.
What you notice when visiting such places is the silence. Your mind has difficulty taking in how some relic or piece of history has just sat motionless surrounded by nothing but silence, for years and years.
Weren't those engines on loan to the salvagers? What a waste...
Rcbif yep, they're still there would likely need overhaul but could definitely make a case going back for those engines.
Anon ymous take as much from the kee bird as possible and combine it with the lady of the lake fuselage in Alaska. good idea I thought
yeah why did they leave the new engines and props
+paul chandler The water levels in Lake Mead have been at record lows and there is a B-29 just sitting there to raise up and place on a barge. But the National Park Service would probably not allow salvage if anyone wanted it.
FiveCentsPlease, it's in rough shape anyway, I think that one should remain
Daryl Grenemayer's ego destroyed this acft. It killed one of the restoration crewman as well. Not from the fire. A waste of 4 rare props and engines that were hauled in to try to fly it out. STUPID!!
To bad... i have to agree. i wish you where wrong ;(
Every single thing about the attempted removal of the Kee Bird was badly planned. They should have dismantled it and hauled it out in peace. Shipped it back and rebuilt it.
I can't understand why they didn't bring the engines back.
You can use A/C instead of acft for Aircraft. I think we all know that one.
They tried to roadkill a b29...
I've seen this footage a while back and I have to say it's unbelievable, I think the Kee Bird should remain where it has been since 1947 because I feel like it belongs up there and has already been through a lot.
should have been left in one piece and forgotten, rather than destroyed first.
@@bennoakes2477 or dismissed and moved out in sections rather than fly something that hadn't moved in 40 years
That's a damn shame! How awesome it would to see her flying with Doc & FiFi?
atleast the liberty bell will eventually join them
The aircraft is largely intact and well preserved. Tail section, and nose damage. Engines #2, #3, and #4 broke away upon impact
Park service will not permit recovery sadly
The men who tried, and the one who died, trying to salvage this bird will go down in history as unlikely heroes. Heroes for trying so damned hard, and being rewarded with grief and failure. Bless them all. Bless them for trying!
+ricky4001cs They will be remembered for doing everything you not supposed to do. They went in cheap to make quick buck and went out with "go fever."
hero's??? what are you smoking???
You need to read more about this story. While I’ve heard the mechanic that died was ok, the guys in charge were just doing it to make a quick buck
Don't bless the leader Greenmeyer!
He could have safely disassembled the aircraft and had brought by salvage boats.
Instead he tried to grandstand and fly it out!
Rebuilding a aircraft to make it flightworthy was stupid on Greenmeyers part!
@@philipme109 Yeah, if only a more competent person would have been involved, this probably wouldn't have happened. Greenmayer is a dubious figure and was heavily criticized for the way he handled the whole thing. He just saw the opportunity to make big money with little effort. Very irritating and telling is the scene where they sit and watch the plane burn down and don't seem to be too sad, even joking and laughing about it.
I can’t remember the man’s name who originally was organizing the Kee Bee’s Retrieval Crew his name was mentioned once if memory serves correct. He lacked the capital needed to fund the B29’s retrieval plan and get it to Thule The narrator said this guy butted heads with Daryl and they hated each other. The guy reluctantly agreed to Daryl funding the project but ended up leaving the project out of frustration. We as the audience were not privy. As a former flighline jet engine mechanic who worked C130’s and CH-53 Sikorsky Helicopters in the US Air Force, I’m guessing Daryl is not one of those pilots you really like because of mutual respect in making the airplane air worthy and being able to really fly it well. I’m gonna step out on a limb here and speculate that Daryl is one of those pilot’s who’s probably a real arrogant a** who acts above people and takes dangerous risks that get’s people hurt,or maybe he thinks he’s a know it all, or takes stupid risks that endanger’s lives, or maybe all of the above. There is some backstory here for sure. Maybe that’s why this personnel conflict wasn’t discussed in detail because it would give away the documentary’s shocking and tragic ending. One thing you don’t ever do is fly a plane with souls on board that has not been thoroughly inspected by experienced military trained or licensed Airframe & Powerplant mechanics who know B29’s inside and out. Also having a thoroughly documented Aircraft discrepancy & maintenance book that lists every grounding item, what was done to complete and test the repairs. Every single; nut, bolt, cable, gear, support, part, support equipment, engine, prop, servos, controllers, gage, safety, electrical generator, it’s fuel tank & support, prop, de-ice equipment, cabin heaters and thousands of other items are installed, torqued, secured, check listed to be 100% functional and verified to be safe before any taxi is considered to be taken. This especially without a Flightline fire department on standby. I’m guessing this is why Daryl was so disliked that the guy who should have been in charge of saying the B29 was safe to taxi was checked out and gone. There would have been a review of discrepancies, pre-taxis checklist before that plane moved an inch. It’s really sad this project was allowed to proceed. Accidents that set irreplaceable historical aircraft on fire just don’t happen. Rushing, skipping aircraft safety protocol and unprofessionalism cause accidents. Also the decision to use the “mothballed” Air Base boneyard Vietnam era cargo plane was a real POS. It should have been respectfully and professionally overhauled out of respect for the Vietnam Veteran’s. I worked with some of them who were my supervisors when I joined the Air Force. The best guys I ever had the opportunity to work with in my life. I’m surprised it didn’t kill everyone who flew on it. Daryl doesn’t know jack squat about doing a project like this and the guys who did, dis-served better, especially the poor man who died and we all lost a really awesome WWII Aircraft that should be sitting in a hangar with Fifi!!!
The lack of attention to detail in getting the Kee Bird out, the fact that APU was not a secure setup, speaks volumes of Greenmayer's shoestring budget and "quick let's get out of here and make a buck" mentality. In the end, maybe the Kee Bird just wanted to stay where she was. After all, one of her crew members did say that it was like disturbing an Indian burial ground.
Also, I think that the warbird scene was very different 25 years ago. There just wasn't the money or support that exists now. Of course things were cheaper too.
Yeah, if only a more competent person would have been involved, this probably wouldn't have happened. Greenmayer is a dubious figure and was heavily criticized for the way he handled the whole thing. He just saw the opportunity to make big money with little effort. Very irritating and telling is the scene where they sit and watch the plane burn down and don't seem to be too sad even joking and laughing about it.
People who find, acquire, restore and then fly the world's rarest historic aircraft have in their hearts all the traits mentioned in these comments including impatience, bravado bull-headedness, luck and lust for adventure with a good amount of danger thrown in. Was one or more of these traits responsible for the firey end of the Keebird? Perhaps, but the truth is without these free spirits taking chances, it's likely very few of these great aircraft would be available for the rest of us to enjoy. Thank you, gents, for your efforts and please keep up the good work.
“You tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is, never try.” -- Homer Simpson
What a tragedy. She almost made it out. It’s like the place where she crashed didn’t want to let her leave
Truth be told, what really happened is, the APU had a bad fuel line/tank, instead of waiting for a proper replacement, the new team leader hung a gas can over the APU and jerry rigged the fuel connection. Being that it was a tricycle landing gear configuration, as the plane was taxied over the very rough, hastily prepared snow/ice runway, the tail section where the APU was mounted, was bouncing violently up and down, spilling fuel all over the hot APU and fuselage floor bulkhead, thus starting an uncontrollable fire. Being a WW2 aviation buff since childhood, I was in my 30's and so excited watching this documentary for the first time in the mid 90's (especially while taxiing) and was literally traumatized when it caught fire and burned to the ground, what a let down! To this day I have not been able to stomach watching the documentary for a second time, it's just too sad.
+Carl Schroeder Also something about the team member manning the APU stepped over to put on his goggles from the dust inside and that's when the fire started. They should have waited to fix that fuel pump or brought a spare.
As someone who appreciates history, watching the original documentary was incredibly sad when, on the cusp of returning, Kee Bird met its fate. If only the APU had been secured.
If only somebody brought a fire extinguisher.
Even if so, it would still have been extremely dangerous to fly this thing and there could still have been a million other things going wrong. I doubt that the fuselage was strong enough to be airborne after being frozen in ice for 50 years. Imagine if the plane would have broke during flight and crashed to the ground - not unlikely imo.
The APU WAS secured. It was the gas tank that fell that dumped fuel on the running engine because they had it 'rigged' by hanging it from a stringer above the running APU to gravity feed it because the fuel pump failed. It was a V32 twin Andover (Fairchild) generator. Not clear on the wisdom of taking off or taxiing in that configuration. The pilot was only 'supposed' to bring it to the edge of the lake. No fire suppression or extinguishers would have put out that fire with that much gas. It was a real shame. Haste and impatience will always bite you in the ass in aviation.
@@torstenscholz6243Very unlikely to have caused a major problem, considering the battle damage many made it back home with
All because of cutting corners with a dodgy fuel tank on the APU :( :(
And an impatient pilot. He went beyond the plan and it cost him.
TBH, this mission was likely doomed from the start. As much as I appreciate their efforts, this project was optimistic to say the least. They tried too much within too little time and with too limited resources, leaving little room for error and resulting in some poor decisions that led to this outcome. The finishing of the plane and the takeoff were rushed, they should have tanken more time to properly check the plane through, then the apu should have been recognized.
Worst case of "Go Fever" in world history.
if im reading you correctly, I agree....they were anxious and prolly cut corners and overlooked the obvious.....
If you watch the whole thing - they were bouncing it around way to much when they were taxiing.
th-cam.com/video/CE9j-W_8USw/w-d-xo.html
.
@@mikespillman3075 The account I read is that the APU gas pump wasn't working so a coat hanger was twisted and holding a gas can so gravity fed the APU motor. Standing still no problem. On bumpy runway - what could go wrong? Yes 'go fever,' indeed. Greenmeyer is on film saying he wanted to hop in and go. If he said that on film, you know with all four engines up to temperature and running he was saying 'go, go, go, go, go' to the crew. Compare that to the DOC and Fifi crews who are methodical in following their checklists before they get moving. Terrible waste of a treasure.
That accolade belongs to Captain Jacob Van Zanten.
This was No2.
Way back when I first saw the NOVA documentary I thought they should have airlifted in the parts. And built a sled for it and towed the aircraft out of there. Trying to do that much repair work at that location and fly it out was just plain stupid.
Wiki states the aircraft was wrecked in recovery attempt in 1995. So it has been there for about 19 years after the tv program at this time.
damn the Kee Bird got me i think about her every day
I would check out hunting Warbirds, Its a great book that really goes far more in depth then the documentary did.
as for the kee bird check out th-cam.com/video/lTrCtI7Dyw4/w-d-xo.html
the original Kee bird was the mascot of the people who built the Alaska Canada Highway good little bit here
www.explorenorth.com/library
This link has some really good stuff VVVV
hougengroup.com/yukon-history/yukon-nuggets/the-story-of-the-keebird/
I'd personally love to go get her, but the main setback would be money it would cost roughly half a million just to get her out of that lake and back to the states.
Boeing probably could do it, but they would need someone to actually commit to restoring it
thanks
Feuer Wolf Me too!
do you though?
Don't despair, perhaps 100 years from now man will try again to remove Kee Bird from her resting place. She'll be there, waiting. I can't fathom how anyone could justify criticizing the end result of this bold attempt. Risk is part of life, be proud of them. Even the best of us fail, but let that fact never stop us from trying.
+Naike West The end result was because of carelessness and impatience.
A lot of people criticise this and rightly so. With qualifications like that team - they knew better, but loved their spirit of adventure - the 'game" - as it was called more than sectioning it down and shipping it to a proper shop. Not some risky game but assured disciplined success.
Maybe someone will one day remove what's left of Kee Bird, but that doesn't change the fact that nowadays it's just a piece of rotten junk. It was in good condition and would have been able to be made airborne again, but then these morons came and ruined it with their incompetence, arrogance and pretension.
I live how easily everyone overlooks the fact that they went up there to try and get it to profit from it by selling it... not to save a piece of history or any of that shit. It was all driven by greed and it ended a lot better than it would have if they ever would have actually tried to take off through all those snow banks which would have made it break up juuuust about the time they got enough speed up to insure nobody could survive.
My heart simply sank to see what should have been a victorious flight go so tragically wrong. The only good spot is that it happened on the ground and not at 4,000 agl. A salute to all who gave so much in their attempt to add a rare page into the book of history.
I used to watch this with my grandpa :)
The results of impatience and a big ego.
College educated idiot with an ego problem-- AND no common sense---- NO FIRE EXTINGUISHER!!
@@teenagerinsacyour statement was pure stupidity
@@davesaldana7263 and YOU are WHO? I have 58 yrs Aviation following and experience both military and civilian and associated activities including service with SAC 509 BW :)
@@teenagerinsac They had one, unfortunately it was in the back where the fire broke out, so they couldn't get to it.
Compete lack of proper planning and being to too big of a hurry and now a piece of history lies wrecked, burned and ruined. Isn't that a definition of "ego"?
Yeah, really sad how some poor decisions destroyed a plane that laid there in good condition for almost 50 years. Imo this mission was likely to fail from day one. As much as I appreciate their efforts, this project was optimistic to say the least. They tried too much within too little time and with too limited resources, leaving little room for error and resulting in some poor decisions that led to this tragedy. The finishing of the plane and the takeoff were rushed, they should have taken more time to properly check the plane through, then the apu should have been recognized.
I'm an Aircraft Mechanic. This reminds me of something. Hurry, Hurry, Hurry, get the airplane done, visual progress, make the company money ??
+skytar63 Getting it out cheap for a profit was the goal, yes.
AAR, TIMCO, PEMCO, Commercial Jet...... Same idiocy rules there too.
I too have seen the documentary about "Kee Bird". After having seen "FiFi" and "Doc" here at YT, seeing the remains of "Kee Bird" is so sad. Damn...
I also watched the documentary about the attempt to fly it off of the ice. The man who was directing the salvage attempt had to leave just before the aircraft was ready to fly, and subsequently died. The B-29 had an Auxiliary Power Unit (or A.P.U.) mounted in the rear portion of the pressure hull that was fed Av gas from fuel tank in the rear of the fuselage. The A.P.U. in a B-29 had a nasty reputation with it's crews to begin with, it was cranky, smelly and leaked horribly. The most likely cause of the fire was the unattended, cranky and leaky A.P.U. In all practicality there was no aircraft left to salvage.
+JStephen Allington The fuel pump on the APU was broken and they had rigged up a gravity-feed can of gas for it, and this spilled avgas on the hot APU.
Thanks Daryl! you will forever been known for this!
Saw the documentary when it first aired, incredible effort. What a tragic ending. Heartbreaking. Must have crushed the people involved in the restoration. 🇺🇸
Imagine if they restored her properly. She could’ve been flying along side Fifi and Doc.
I met Robert "Lucky" Luedke, Flight Engineer, and invited him to speak at our annual Commemorative Air Force dinner back in 2005 or so. Sad tale of this aircrafts destruction.
I remember watching the original NOVA documentary around the time when it first aired and being astonished by the technical experience and courage of the team. Regarding Darryl Greenamyer I'm shocked by all the negative comments. This guy financed the mission and risked everything to rescue this abandoned B-29. Had he made it he'd would have been hailed a hero and had he not tried there wouldn't have been a documentary and likely many who are so critical of him wouldn't even know about this plane. Comments like "paint Darrel's Fault" on it likely come from people who really haven't thought this through.
+@ The salvage was financed by a real estate mogul who wanted to "get in on the action" of warbird sales. They went in cheap to double the money. I think Darryl skipped some of the required medical insurance for his permits, which was why Rick's family sued after his death. The whole effort ended in the fire and lawsuits between all involved parties.
@@FiveCentsPlease Thank you for this information.
When I heard what happened, what caused the fire, I couldn't believe it. I watched that special years ago, and didn't realize it was their own negligence, not the condition of the aircraft or its age, that caused the destruction.
This aircraft should be recovered as a source of spair parts to keep other B-29s flying.
Fuck no it's an important piece of history and should be preserved as one
@@SweatCookienese It can't be preserved where it is!
Its on a frozen lake and it could eventually be lost underwater!!
@@philipme109 Uh, a B-29 in a lake shouldnt be so hard to find. I mean, they also found the Lake Mead B-29 and she‘s still in a lake. And I wouldnt take her apart for spareparts too. She should be recovered from the ice and preserved at an museum.
@@Entity282 Key Bird caught FIRE from Greenmeyers stupidity.
All that is left is the aft fuselage, burned out cockpit and the wings.
It was almost a total loss.
That Lake Mead aircraft is far more intact as long as they don't allow fools like Greenmeyer near it.
@@philipme109 I know. Kee Bird is still a piece of history and also a symbol to double check everything so we dont lose history again. I also know that the Lake Mead B-29 is in super condition but as there are shells living on it, it probably wont see sunlight again. Both B-29 probably wont get restored but they should be preserved! No matter what happened or what condition. Both are pieces of history and not be salvaged for spareparts.
When I was trying to search for rich sponsors willing to help fund the excavation of 30+ German fighters in a German Bavarian bunker, I called Cathy Hanson who was a large funder for the Kee Bird project. Cathy contributed a large portion of the finances for the retrieval of Kee Bird, but as we all know the story it failed. Cathy owns a large museum in northern CA, and has many aircraft of her own. I was directed to speak with her to see if she would be interested in owning several Fw-190s buried in fresh water we are retrieving this summer 2019. Thankfully the dig is 100% funded now, but I have yet to find someone willing to fund the shipping and restoration of the aircraft. There are around 30+ Me-262, Fw-190A&D and Me-163. Apparently the bunker, like most german bunkers at the end of the war with new technology like Jets were booby trapped with large bombs, just like this bunker. But thank God they decided to do that, because the US Army left them in there.
Yeah, right. Nazi gold train, too. But at least you're a name dropper.
heartbreaking, but a valiant effort !
My grandpa cried when NOVA aired the episode on this plane... his brother was a B-17 navigator and when he himself followed and got into the USAAC in early 1945, he was in flight training to fly B-29s to Japan. In fact, they were getting ready fir a training flight when word came to shutdown... because Japan had surrendered. Within two months, the USAAC washed him out and he was sent home. The guy who tried to salvage it said “anyone can get it now, but only if they can fly it out of here”. That never made sense to me. I was only born in early 91, so I was a very little kid when NOVA had the program, but I remember it crystal clear still. Grandpa said “...he should’ve just disassembled her and flown her out on that cargo plane, any senseless recovery laws be damned...” I agree... he had the cargo planes, they could’ve done it. They took apart first one in 1992 and now apparently recently two of the P-38s of the Lost Squadron buried in the ice and flew the parts out on a DC-3, it’s how we got the Glacier Girl. He could’ve done it! Why not? “The glory of flying her home!” ...just a waste... but there looks to be more than enough to make a recovery worth it, even if just for parts for Doc and Fifi, a static display... or the base of a rebuilt to fly again!
their rebuild on the ice was pretty much flawless, I mean a fire like that can happen at any airport, they just needed fire equipment onboard, that was the main issue
The fuel pump didn't work so they installed a jury-rigged fuel tank over the apu that quickly started to spill fuel. That was highly unprofessional, they should have installed a new fuel pump, the this would not have happened. @@LoneWolf051
I watch the production of that video at the end it broke my heart
I think I've the series on trying to recover this plane three or four times and every time I'm just in tears. I hope they can recover this plane and get some of it in the air again!
Is there any way to still save the airplane ? I mean get it out the ice (with out setting it on fire ) and maybe save the parts that are still in good shape and mix it with parts of an other b29 if there still one which isn’t restored?
+World of Tanks Player Yes and no. Greenland was angry about the mess that they left and shut down permits for salvage for a while, but I think they would grant a permit now. But there are no roads anywhere near it so anything that leaves is going out by air and that is very expensive. The new engines and props were borrowed and still belong to the original owner. There are enough usable items left there to salvage if someone will fund it. But there are also a good number of other B-29 survivors that could be obtained for a flying example, most of which are already in museums for display or gate guards.
The water melts every summer so someone could do it if they wanted to. But it wouldn't be easy. They should have done that right after the fire though.
.
Plus there outta be a B29 airframe in China Lake they can use for the burned sections.
I don't think there is much left to salvage except maybe a few single small parts. The plane rests on the bottom of a lake, meaning that it is often at least partially covered with water, meaning that the engines and all electric things are broken, and the fuselage and the cockpit were largely destroyed by the fire.
Kee Bird could probably be salvaged and displayed as found or rebuilt for static display. The only FW 200 Condor was in a much worse condition when recovered but she now looks nearly new.
+Defiant Shackleton There aren't any roads in the area but the remains could be lifted out if someone would pay for it. Nobody wants to display this aircraft as found as a monument to stupidity. It would be used for parts or a static rebuild, unless someone wants to spend major money to rebuild it completely.
If I ever for 3 million to blow I'm going to kee bird
Carlito Stephano This plus the entire lost squadron lol.
@@Spacecat1969 At least they recovered and rebuilt Glacier Girl The P-38 from the lost squadron.
Darryl Greenmayer was greedy, selfish, manipulative and, most importantly, cheap. It was Kee Bird's misfortune that it got the attention of such an awful character. He was in a hurry to get to the plane and make the quick buck before some aviation historical association or museum beat him to it. In the end he ended up destroying the plane and overworking and killing a highly skilled person.
Yeah, if only a more competent person would have been involved, this probably wouldn't have happened and might have ended well. Greenmayer is a dubious figure and was heavily criticized for the way he handled the whole thing. He just saw the opportunity to make big money with little effort. Very irritating and telling is the scene where they sit and watch the plane burn down and don't seem to be too sad, even joking and laughing about it.
I hate to see such a legendary aircraft just going to waste like this :(
If "Snuffy Smith" were alive he could of pissed that fire out. It got a Congressional Medal of Honor for doing that in a B-17.
That's nothing more then a legion.
@@markfrench8892 There was a WW2 Airforce Medal of Honor winner called 'Snuffy' Smith who saved a B-17 by putting out fires. He was,otherwise, an unpopular character.
@@markfrench8892
French Foreign Leigon ?????,try *legend ♿ 🇺🇸
How sad. That was such a beautiful plane.
I can honestly say, that plane wasn't leaving that place long before they tried to rescue it. One of the crew said he had torn feelings, and he felt that it belonged out there, and poor Rick died making it run, it was just a mess. God bless them for trying, yes it should have been shipped out in pieces LONG before being flown, but hey, 'Merica, and look at those ailerons after sitting for 25 years! Not bad! Lots of usable parts still.
The ailerons (as well as the rudder) were resurfaced by the salvage guys.
Well they couldn't exactly disassemble her and fly her out of the icy grave
In the video, what was meant by "Washington Land" in far NW Greenland?
They changed the engines and gave her a big overhaul in that cold place and then she broke in half and burned. What a sad saving story.
Interestingly, I have read that at some point the Air Force fitted Kee Bird with Doc's tale fin................things like this makes me believe we really are living in a simulation.
I'm surprise the engine are still there. I think all four had fresh overhauls.
Why be surprised, they are destroyed
@@bennoakes2477 They weren't on the day of the fire.
@@norherman they were moments after when plane collapsed onto the propellers which are attached to the engine shafts, but thanks.
Sorry that was, “too big of a hurry and smoothed out the taxi area”. I got into too big of a hurry typing.
Damn You Darryl Greenamyer!
Terrible to see such an interesting plane in that state, but it almost looks... natural, like she crashed like that. I don't know, just trying to romanticize a failed salvage. It was a damn good effort on their part though.
Yea.. if you consider blindly throwing bodies and borrowed parts at a venture in an ill fated attempt at making a quick few million bucks, hurried so much you couldn’t even be bothered to make a damn runway a “good effort” then yea.. they knocked it out of the park!
Hopefully one day somebody will make a trip up there and grab whats left of her and bring it home .. maybe use the remaining parts to rebuild another 29. So the old bird could live on in another air frame
How did some of the propeller blades get bent? The engines were stopped when it burned down.
Look at the wing.. after the fire they obviously drug it to where it was perhaps more shallow, damaging the wings in the process. You can see where the chains and stuff dug a quarter way through the wings
@@Halfstep2024 If that's true (and it's very likely as it would explain the damage to the wings) then it only even more shows their incompetence. Their effort was Murphy's Law at its worst, they never would have managed to make it fly safely, sooner or later it would literally have fallen apart anyway.
Damage to the rear of the wing wasn't there before 🤔
A real loss, and surprisingly no one had any thoughts of salvaging anything off of it such as engines...maybe to much money to
+stepvan Joe The new engines and props were borrowed and the original owners would probably sue to get them back if they were salvaged.
They were probably not worth salvaging after they got done dragging everything around with their mini dozer before they left it so it couldn’t sink to the bottom.
I give credit to Daryl and his crew for the attempt. They were so close to flying that plane home. Here is the entire video of it's attempt. th-cam.com/video/2g3ZU0ZEVRk/w-d-xo.html
just like you give him credit for destroying the plane, it's a world of balance
I know you took something from that plane, what was it?
APU securing bolt
@@bennoakes2477 unused burnt fire extinguisher
@@Halfstep2024 Or Darryl's tools that were in the front.
Why are the prop blades bent if they were replaced and new and it never took off??
Even great people suffer disappointment, perhaps more than most, as they're much more likely and willing to try.
Its a god damn tragedy.
I wonder why the one prop blade is bent? The engines were shut down during the fire.
Thanks for the upload, so sad to see the state of it now, pity some parts couldnt still be salvaged....
+Charlie Collard Some will be in time and I think a salvage permit was issued for a few misc items.
Cant some of it still be salvaged for parts? Metal doesn't burn and those panels could help restore other b29s, there has to still be useful equipment on it?
+John Smith Greenland was pissed and shut down the site for a while. I think now there may be some salvage rights granted for small parts.
Aluminium melts in a fuel fire
@@MartintheTinman Magnesium wing panels burn very readily when flames touch them, so do wheel halves.
No..
This is the first time I've been able to watch anything about Kee Bird since I first saw the documentary where she burned. Such a stupid and tragic event that should never have happened, all because they wanted the bravado of flying it out of there. Such a waste. One of them even died doing it.
I watched the team try to recover it as a kid. This is just depressing, god speed Kee Bird
I tried going through as many comments that I could but never saw an explanation. Does anyone know why this aircraft has some of the damage that it does (besides original fire damage)? Why is the back part of that wing mangled like something crashed into it? Why are some of the props bent backwards like it landed gear up? I see landing gear and what appear to be tail parts in front of the rest of the wreckage. Strange.
+ @jamespowles3223 I'm not sure how much the team pushed things around before they left the site. But it also gets very windy up there from the cold ice sheets.
Such a shame! I think if those guys werent pressed for time they would have flown that plane out. But you know what happens when you hurry. You make mistakes.
Yeah, that was the big mistake - too little time. They tried to do too much within too little time with little room for errors, which resulted in some poor decisions. The takeoff was very rushed without properly checking the plane through. Otherwise they would have recognized the broken APU that led to this desaster.
So fucked up. Had it made. All the hard work was done and got in to big of a hurry at the last and lost it all. If they would had just smoothed put the taxi area and take off strip, hell if they just had a fire extinguisher. All that hard work. At least we have FiFi and Doc now.
After watching the documentary on this bird, I really agreed with the original pilots that the plane should've just been left there. It was a great effort in trying to rescue it but all the signs were showing that it wasn't meant to come home.
Thank you.
I hate watching this. Absolutely heartbreaking!
The prop is bent. How?
If only they had properly secured that generator.
fw1421
Yeah, "If a frog had wings he wouldn't bump his ass"a quote atributed to Willie Nelson !!!!!! ♿ 🇺🇸
What a sad day that was...
Did they put the old engines and props back on after it burned?
Wonder why these guys flew out to see her.
If it wasn't too far outta the way, why wouldn't you wanna go see? I know I would.
Hey, the Engines are nearly new xD
gordon mathew barely 4 years since this year...they were changed for operational...they are probably destroyed because of the fire
That's the one thay tryed to fly out on " NOVA FROZEN IN TIME " Documentry
The motors might be rebuildable ?
+Pavl Rakopv The engines were borrowed 0-time units. I think they technically still belong to the original owner, even if they are now trashed from being in water.
@@FiveCentsPlease Bummer... Such a sad ending..
Just wondering is there any plans to selvage what's left ......
Hope some day she flys again!!!! I cried as a little boy when the bird burnt up on the OPB program frozen in time.
Daryl felt pressed for time. No excuse... Daryl and all of his techs should have known better. They should have seen the possibility of the equipment being loose in the tail causing an issue.
+TwnetyOneTwelve The should have fixed the fuel pump on the APU instead of rigging up a makeshift fuel can. That's what started the fire.
This really was a tragic story
Very sad. Those engines are zero hour rebuilds.