FIFI Reveals Why WW2 B29 Kee Bird was Destroyed

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  • Опубліковано 16 лис 2024

КОМЕНТАРІ • 226

  • @markwheeler202
    @markwheeler202 Рік тому +83

    That was the saddest Nova program I ever watched. What a heart-breaking ending. I can't imagine how the guys felt watching the thing catching fire and burning to the ground after the years of effort to get it so close to flight.

    • @ZippyThePinhead
      @ZippyThePinhead Рік тому +12

      Ditto! I went from being ecstatic to heartbreak in a matter of seconds.

    • @mikethompson2650
      @mikethompson2650 Рік тому +11

      I remember screaming at the TV. How could they? Well the "good" thing is that it happened on the ground and not while flying.

    • @WarMysteries
      @WarMysteries Рік тому

      They were probably thinking what anyone with half a grain of common sense would have surmised right at the beginning: the airframe should have been parted-up and flown to a suitable restoration facility. Not rebuilt on a bloody glacier at the arse end of the world. Terrible decision fuelled by ego and nothing else.

    • @monapause8108
      @monapause8108 8 місяців тому +4

      I cried when it burned. I wish they would've taken it apart, shipped it back to the states and restored it here.

    • @dicksonfranssen
      @dicksonfranssen 5 місяців тому +1

      The saddest part wasn't the loss of the plane but the loss of Darryl Greenamyer who just worked through the pain and never complained until it was too late.

  • @alfarebel8770
    @alfarebel8770 3 роки тому +83

    Kee bird would’ve been so cool to see flying in the air. These things are really pieces of art

    • @ronaldunderwood4353
      @ronaldunderwood4353 Рік тому

      Yes sir they are, I would've been excited to see inside of it. 😀😀😀😀

  • @jtuttle11
    @jtuttle11 Рік тому +78

    Kee Bird was destroyed because the PILOT got in a hurry and wouldn't wait one more day for the taxiway to be bulldozed smooth. In the back of the plane there was an improperly secured piece of equipment filled with flammable liquid that fell over and ignited while taxing along the unprepared surface. Simply put, PILOT ERROR

    • @aaronnelson7702
      @aaronnelson7702 Рік тому +9

      This needs pinned as it IS the correct answer.

    • @bennoakes2477
      @bennoakes2477 10 місяців тому +1

      no need to even watch the silly video on this page.

    • @astron4606
      @astron4606 10 місяців тому

      Absolute idiot, destroyed a priceless piece of history in seconds, hope his license was revoked for that

    • @adamhoffman3687
      @adamhoffman3687 8 місяців тому +2

      Makes me want to throw up and cry at the same time every time I watch it

    • @EEE-1409
      @EEE-1409 4 місяці тому +1

      They said bulldozing wouldn't work. It only made the surface even worse. But the problem is certainly impatience and cheap tactics. If they had been more careful and took their time it would've worked out.

  • @pauld6967
    @pauld6967 3 роки тому +56

    It was heartbreaking to learn what happened to _'Kee Bird'_
    I have time in _'Fifi'_ in my log book and was one of the early donors to get her airworthy. A beautiful aircraft.
    We are now fortunate that Boeing stepped up with a restoration effort and we now have TWO flying B-29s; _'Fifi'_ and _'Doc'_ .

    • @HistoryX
      @HistoryX  3 роки тому +5

      Thanks for the comment, Paul. We'll be posting more about the Kee Bird this winter.

    • @pauld6967
      @pauld6967 3 роки тому +6

      @@HistoryX I just saw a video this morning of the remains as they appeared in 2014 (if I remember the title correctly) but didn't save the link. Otherwise I would've shared it here.

    • @HistoryX
      @HistoryX  3 роки тому +10

      @@pauld6967 You're correct. There are a couple of videos that show the aftermath / remains. One as recent as 2019 I think. We'll be featuring those videos, as well as an interview with Darryl Greenamyer shortly before his death where he reminisces about the recovery attempt. I am also attempting to secure an interview with Vern Rich. Hoping you'll consider subscribing!

    • @pauld6967
      @pauld6967 3 роки тому +2

      @@HistoryX 👍

  • @fmlrommel
    @fmlrommel Рік тому +18

    i was just a kid, not even 10 years old when i watched this on NOVA and was so inspired by it, and then heartbroken when she burned. i rewatched the series last year and it was so hard to see it catch fire

  • @Khemtime
    @Khemtime 2 роки тому +11

    I watched that Nova episode when I was 10 years old. It started my interest in aviation. I’m in the Air Force now because of it.

  • @42lookc
    @42lookc Рік тому +11

    I always thought they rushed trying to get the Kee Bird into the air. Hanging a fuel tank above a running engine in such a way that it could slosh fuel on uneven ground was a surprisingly reckless thing to do with such a priceless, storied aircraft after such an incredible amount of effort and expense. In such raw and inhospitable working conditions, some shortcuts were to be expected just to get it out of there to a more civilized working environment, but flammable liquid fuel storage was not something to be jerry-rigged. They gambled big and lost huge.

  • @KiphartAZ
    @KiphartAZ Рік тому +2

    I just saw the story about the Kee Bird just last month. This story properly ends that one. Thank you.

  • @marshalltravis3217
    @marshalltravis3217 Рік тому +4

    I remember driving by the field in Texas where FiFi was, about 25 years ago. I stopped and went inside and got a few pictures with her. The guys were so nice to talk and take pictures. There were pieces of nose art from various planes also.

  • @hoppinonabronzeleg9477
    @hoppinonabronzeleg9477 Рік тому +7

    I watched frozen in time on TV in about 2000. Very sad for Daryl to lose his friend. But at least it happened on the ground, and not at 20,000ft.

  • @01ZO6TT
    @01ZO6TT Рік тому +7

    Thank you for posting this. I knew it was something to do with the APU leaking gas but, never knew what exactly happened. That would’ve been so cool to have that one flying as well. I could only imagine the devastation they all felt watching it burn after all that work. Bummer for sure.

  • @stupidsmart-phone6911
    @stupidsmart-phone6911 Рік тому +2

    I remember watching that NOVA documentary when it first aired. Saw it at the Walmart electronics department. Totally engrossed, watched it all, shocking ending. Never saw that documentary again until it was posted on UA-cam many years ago and I did a search for it. Thanks for giving a clearer picture on how that APU fire started.

  • @stearman456
    @stearman456 2 роки тому +19

    The tail skid not retracting is kind of a red herring. It didn't make any difference at all to the story because Kee-Bird was LOST - bigtime! Going to Greenland was never part of their flightplan, but they got lost because they couldn't get above the weather that day to get any star or sun shots (they navigated up there with a sextant and an astro compass in those days) and they couldn't pick up any stations with their radio direction finding equipment. It's very, very easy to get screwed up that far north because that close to the Pole everywhere on earth is essentially SOUTH. But all the tailskid did by being down was slow them down, maybe twelve or fifteen knots per hour. The amount of fuel that you burn per hour in an aircraft is based on your power settings and your altitude, and those are fairly rigidly laid down in your aircraft's performance charts - even little Cessnas have them. So because the skid was down they weren't running higher power to compensate for that, they were just taking the speed hit and still burning the correct amount of fuel per hour. The essential facts are that they ended up about eighteen hundred miles from where they thought (and hoped) they were because they had been unable to establish an actual position for about ten hours, and with nothing to go by... they were essentially guessing which way to go. That they lived to tell about it was not much shy of a miracle.

    • @HistoryX
      @HistoryX  2 роки тому

      Thank you for the comment, Dan. I follow along with your line of thinking, that being lost took higher priority than the added drag due to the tail skid not retracting. Their mission was to last approximately 26 hours with fuel to spare. However, the crew was forced to ditch after just 19 hours due to low fuel. As a pilot I was taught there is no reason to ditch when you still have fuel in the tank. If you have the fuel and the time, then keep flying and try to determine your location. I cannot help but wonder... If the Kee Bird had that additional seven hours of time, would they have eventually been able to get a fix and navigate to a suitable runway? I feel the tail skid was still the main problem... It robbed them of time. Your thoughts?

    • @stearman456
      @stearman456 2 роки тому +1

      @@HistoryX I doubt they landed because of the immediate lack of fuel, but rather because they didn't have enough fuel to make it through the night to the next morning. Or they may have had a mechanical issue that precluded them being able to use all their fuel. (The B-29 "BocksCar" almost ran out of gas on the Nagasaki mission with some six-hundred gallons of fuel still onboard because a fuel pump in the aft bomb bay packed up and they couldn't transfer the gas out of their bomb bay aux tanks. I lost access to six thousand pounds of fuel in a Hercules one night the same way). I read the Wikipedia thing and I don't believe they were down to "four minutes of fuel". You can't tell four minutes of fuel from zero or from fifteen minutes, so I call bullsh*t on that. But, I digress...
      My understanding is that it was getting awfully dark awfully fast and bailing out of the airplane would have meant no chance of survival for any of them. The pilot made the best choice he could in landing while he could still see. Running the gas off until they had to land in the dark likely would have killed them all because if you've never seen a moonless, inky night in the arctic (I've seen many) it gives DARK a whole new meaning. The drag from the tailskid wouldn't have entered into it. They weren't out of gas after nineteen hours, they just didn't have enough fuel to stay airborne until it became daylight again. And after being airborne for nineteen hours, half of those essentially hopelessly lost, those guys were wiped. Coffee, cigarettes and adrenaline can only keep you awake for so long. Had they known where they were, had they been able to get on top of the weather and shoot some stars and figure out a position, they might have made it to Frobisher Bay or Thule, but in 1947 I'm not sure they even existed yet. Since we know they had weather issues and couldn't get on top, they might also have been in and out of icing and that would have eaten into their fuel because the weight and drag of the ice would have meant they had to push the power up and they probably spent a lot of extra time at climb power trying to get on top. But, ultimately, Lt Vern Arnett got his crew on the ground safely that night, and I hope he got a medal for it.

    • @HistoryX
      @HistoryX  2 роки тому

      @@stearman456 I don't think their decision to ditch was due to it getting awfully dark awfully fast. Keep in mind it was 10:10 am when they finally belly-landed, so lack of daylight was not an issue at all. In fact, it was the increasing daylight that was impeding the astro-navigator's ability to get a celestial fix. I still feel Arnett's decision was based on fuel loss due to the drag caused by the failure to retract the tail skid.

    • @stearman456
      @stearman456 2 роки тому +1

      @@HistoryX You've talked to some of the guys who were on the crew so I'll defer to you here, but it was 10:10 where? Alaska? Is that the time in the Nav's log that they said they landed at? And did the crew tell you what time they actually landed? 10 am in Alaska would be about 3 or 4 pm in Greenland, and in February it's getting dark there about then, especially on an overcast day.
      Unless they pushed the power up to regain the speed they lost by having the tailskid down (and I don't know any professional pilot in those circumstances who would do that) then how did the tailskid eat up their fuel? I suppose it's possible if they had bags of gas and just wanted to get it over and done with, but it's unlikely. The engines on the B-29 were not very reliable so I imagine they stuck pretty religiously to their long-range cruise power settings. But being in ice and trying to climb will burn up a lot of gas, and having a mechanical fault can isolate fuel from you. In some airplanes if you transfer fuel improperly you can actually end up blowing it over the side accidentally - that's been done many times. The tailskid would have slowed them down some but it wouldn't have eaten into their fuel. But I am curious, how did you know it was still down? I've never read a B-29 AFM so I don't know if you can lower it independent of the landing gear, but it was certainly down after they landed.
      What you might be able to do though is contact the Air Force and see if the accident investigation report is available (I expect that it is). I have no idea where you'd start looking but somebody at the Wright-Patterson museum could probably get you pointed in the right direction. I'll dig through my stuff at home and copy some photos I have of the airplane from about 1981. My dad flew past it a few times in an Air Force Herc and they photographed it. Kee-Bird's kinda melted flap indicator sits on my bookshelf at home with my B-29 books and one of Greenamyer's ratchets lives on in my toolbox. A friend of mine flew a crew into the site afterwards to clean it up and he salvaged a few items and sent them off to me. Always great to meet another enthusiast! (And where's Part 3?!?) LOL

    • @HistoryX
      @HistoryX  2 роки тому

      @@stearman456 You know, that's a good question about the time zone. I actually read that time in Carl Hoffman's book, 'Hunting Warbirds', which chronicles Kee Bird's last flight in the second chapter. One of the problems the three navigators faced was dawn was approaching when the plane finally broke into fairly clear skies. The looming sunrise prevented them from getting a decent fix on the remaining few stars. Also, while things were clearing up, the morning sun was still hazy, so getting a horizon fix on the sun was far from precise. But there was also a comment about them losing sunlight after they landed, which allowed the navigators to vaguely determine they were somewhere on the 80th parallel. So I'm a bit confused about the daylight/night-time situation. On another matter, one thing I do want to be clear on, so I do not confuse anyone, while I have talked at length with most members of the recovery expedition crew, unfortunately I never had the chance to talk with the original Kee Bird aircrew.

  • @IslandJoe45
    @IslandJoe45 2 роки тому +20

    Getting to see the APU location and hear how they had rigged a fuel tank makes me even more sad for what happened to the airplane. I understand why they had done that, but that was a serious rookie mistake to make once they decided to do taxi tests with the airplane. I hope someday somebody can go salvage what's left of the Kee-Bird and bring the remains back so that maybe the plane could be rebuilt, or at least cleaned up and parts of it restored for display.

    • @frankbodenschatz173
      @frankbodenschatz173 Рік тому +7

      From the looks of it no amount of 3d printing will bring that beauty back.

    • @agustinblanco7673
      @agustinblanco7673 Рік тому +3

      that is complete possible i been two years studing how to do it and there is one option there because the kee bird did not burt at all . the center of the fuselage with wing is dam solid to this days son best way is tow out of the lake with a helicopter later hook up to a vertical winch and from take avery thing apart flaps . engines landing gear , separate the wings from the last cone fuselage parts . and the only way to carri all is using 6 chinooks helicopter from the airforce because they carry alot payload just for the wings i think the rest can pick up with caribou the been using y the rescue on the 90s

    • @oldmanonthehill8858
      @oldmanonthehill8858 Рік тому +5

      Was Daryl ever held accountable for destroying that plane ?

    • @agustinblanco7673
      @agustinblanco7673 Рік тому +2

      @@oldmanonthehill8858 you are right sir

    • @robbramos2047
      @robbramos2047 Рік тому +2

      It was hubris, plain and simple. And if I recall someone died during the restoration process.

  • @geriegan389
    @geriegan389 2 роки тому +21

    It was a good thing that APU sprung a leak when it did. Can you imagine what would have happened if it sprung a leak AFTER they were airborne?

    • @flyingfortressrc1794
      @flyingfortressrc1794 2 роки тому

      Good point

    • @FiveCentsPlease
      @FiveCentsPlease 2 роки тому +12

      + Geri Egan The APU didn't leak. The fuel pump was broken and they decided to rig a can of avgas above it, and the fuel dumped all over the hot APU.

    • @geriegan389
      @geriegan389 2 роки тому +5

      @@FiveCentsPlease Even worse.

    • @andrewdonohue1853
      @andrewdonohue1853 2 роки тому +9

      @@FiveCentsPlease their carelessness caused the loss of that aircraft that very well likely would have been airworthy. you shouldnt "rig" things on priceless aircraft where only a few examples left that can be made to fly again.

    • @ralfie8801
      @ralfie8801 Рік тому +2

      @@geriegan389
      It’s worse in the context that the fuel spilled during the taxi, as rough as their makeshift runway was, that and possibly starting off with too much fuel in the makeshift tank are what caused the fuel to spill. If they had put just enough fuel in the APU tank to get them airborne and then topped it off after the rough ride settled down we could probably be enjoying 3 airworthy Super Fortresses at the air shows these days.

  • @roywhitman7109
    @roywhitman7109 Рік тому +2

    Great info!! Such a tragic loss!! I'd heard a few different stories. Glad you cleared that up! Thanks!

  • @knucklehead7456
    @knucklehead7456 Рік тому +13

    They did it to themselves. They got impatient and negligent

    • @HM2SGT
      @HM2SGT Рік тому

      One wonders if you'd make good decisions after months of mind numbing, body wracking work and freezing temperatures. They were exhausted, but it was a long way from incompetence.

  • @flyingfortressrc1794
    @flyingfortressrc1794 2 роки тому +7

    Wow I always wondered what caused the APU fire.
    What a shame..

    • @HistoryX
      @HistoryX  2 роки тому +2

      I've actually been researching the Kee bird expedition over the last year. Have had a chance to interview many surviving members of the salvage team, as well as the original NOVA film crew. There is definitely more to the story. Tune in for a LIVE session Saturday morning to learn more!

  • @bowman321123
    @bowman321123 Рік тому +5

    Sad end to a great and historical bird.

  • @pancudowny
    @pancudowny Рік тому +3

    My dad lost a Chevy Beauville (van) the same way... only he was stupidly trying to feed the carburetor via a handheld coffee can, full of fuel. The carburetor backfired, and....😕

    • @jimshoe402
      @jimshoe402 Рік тому

      On Chevy's Gas Filter in Carb.AFTER u put it IN u Watch for 5 mins to See IF it Leaks 😝😝😝😝.Tiny piece of Junk most switch to Huge outside one safer too BUT watch.Sorry for ur Dad Big $$$$.😁😁

  • @GeekBoyMN
    @GeekBoyMN Рік тому +2

    I remember watching the Nova series back in the day and how heart wrenching it was seeing the Kee Bird go up in flames after all the work they did.

    • @HM2SGT
      @HM2SGT Рік тому

      Doubly so when it cost the life of one of the men on the project. The whole thing is a tragedy with a capital T

    • @GeekBoyMN
      @GeekBoyMN Рік тому

      @@HM2SGT Yes I remember their main mechanic getting sick and passing. So tragic!

  • @gomertube
    @gomertube Рік тому +4

    What a reckless undertaking. That fire probably saved their lives.

    • @zynched_
      @zynched_ 6 місяців тому

      Took one, and then reminded the rest why rushing a flight is a bad idea.

  • @orlandonostagiafever1964
    @orlandonostagiafever1964 Рік тому +1

    Imagine FIFi ,Doc and Kee bird flying together.

  • @Parr4theCourse
    @Parr4theCourse 3 роки тому +9

    All that work, literally went up in smoke . . .

    • @timmanboy1
      @timmanboy1 3 роки тому +7

      It's sad it happened. They were also rushing too. I know it was extremely cold and I hate working line maintenance in 0 degree weather. I couldn't imagine how they dealt with l Temps that were probably colder in that month of May they returned to the plane

    • @torstenscholz6243
      @torstenscholz6243 Рік тому

      @@timmanboy1 Yeah, I respect what they did - no one can imagine what they went through. Doing such hard and difficult work for months under such extreme weather conditions must be extremely exhausting and really requires bravery. Yet still they are to blame for what they did - they made some terrible mistakes and poor decisions that led to this tragic ending.

  • @chrisloomis1489
    @chrisloomis1489 Рік тому +2

    Why did they hang the tank like that , higher , and how well was it connected ? I watched that NOVA show , as my Dad was on B-29's , and seeing it burn was heart breaking.

    • @HM2SGT
      @HM2SGT Рік тому +1

      The fuel pump wasn't working so they let gravity do the work, that's why they placed the tank above the generator. Question is why wasn't it better sealed so that petrol couldn't splash like that?

    • @jimshoe402
      @jimshoe402 Рік тому

      Not a Good idea //@@HM2SGT

  • @HM2SGT
    @HM2SGT Рік тому +9

    *The guys were exhausted, physically and mentally. If you haven't been there, you can imagine the conditions they were working in. At the end of the day, yes, they made a bad decision- but it was largely because of how weary they were and how fatigue acts like inebriation affecting decision making.*

  • @crushingvanessa3277
    @crushingvanessa3277 2 роки тому +6

    Hard to believe the tail skid caused so much drag. Witth Lake Mead going down so much, maybe a salvage of that B-29 could be done. I know it's wrecked but would be nice to get out of there since it likely still has fuel and oil in it. At least it might be restorable to static condition.

    • @HistoryX
      @HistoryX  2 роки тому +1

      Thank you for the comment. I've often thought about any fuel, oil, and hydraulic fluid that would have been on board when that B-29 went down. I imagine those storage tanks would have degraded to the point that the fuel, oil and fluid would have slowly leaked-out and floated to the surface over the decades. My guess is that none remains down there at the bottom of Lake Mead. Your thoughts?

    • @FiveCentsPlease
      @FiveCentsPlease 2 роки тому +1

      @@HistoryX It depends on the oxygen content in Lake Mead. With the water level dropping, the lake chemistry may change and rapid corrosion of the aircraft may begin including the tanks. I think it is a water pollution time bomb and the US Park Service should let a qualified team come in and barge it out. It's also a risk for boat strikes and much more accessible to souvenir thieves now.

    • @Warhorse500
      @Warhorse500 2 роки тому

      Not doable, for a variety of reasons. Still kinda deep, although your point about the dropping water level is well made. At some point in time, somebody introduced zebra mussels into the lake, and the a/c is now completely covered with them. Those mussels have, in all likelihood, deteriorated the structural integrity of the a/c still further, and I don't think that one can truly be salvaged.
      As to the subject of fuel/oil leakage, at the time the a/c crashed, it was nearing the end of its flight. The tanks were mostly empty. As Lake Mead is freshwater, not salt, even if the tanks had started leaking there wasn't much left to leak out. I've gotta believe the NPS has looked into that situation and determined that there's no real problem.

    • @crushingvanessa3277
      @crushingvanessa3277 2 роки тому

      @@Warhorse500 To bad abut the mussels, don't know why people are bringing them into bodies of water, I guess some don't care. I guess only time will tell on what happens with it. Thanks for the extra info.

    • @ksztyrix
      @ksztyrix Рік тому

      ​@@FiveCentsPlease"Thieves"

  • @dannyclark9820
    @dannyclark9820 Рік тому +1

    I watched that program when it first aired on pbs. I Wes devastated when it burnt

  • @bad74maverick1
    @bad74maverick1 Рік тому +3

    I still have hope for Kee Bird! If glacier girl can be restored we can get Kee Bird back too!

  • @TheOneTrueDragonKing
    @TheOneTrueDragonKing 3 роки тому +7

    The Kee Bird is now a skin for the B-29 for War Thunder, BTW.

  • @raymondyee2008
    @raymondyee2008 2 роки тому

    Thanks for pointing that out History X.

  • @newlunarrepublic8469
    @newlunarrepublic8469 Рік тому

    Sadly during the recovery add the keyboard with taxing the auxiliary power unit caught fire destroying the keyboard there is also a documentary call Frozen in that time

  • @benjamincastillo8450
    @benjamincastillo8450 Рік тому

    Wow i just watched kee bird documentary again and was wondering about APU issue. This video with visual explanation is short of a miracle as well

  • @stanleybest8833
    @stanleybest8833 Рік тому +2

    The APU fuel system has burned more than one saved bomber.

  • @94Whiskey
    @94Whiskey 5 місяців тому

    Heart breaking......

  • @ddbrock9675
    @ddbrock9675 Рік тому +15

    Kee Bird was destroyed through imaptience and gross incompetence

    • @clevlandblock
      @clevlandblock Рік тому +4

      Looked like a total cowboy operation, a product of network executive fantasy, producer deadlines, and loose sponsor money. RIP, the main mechanic.

    • @HM2SGT
      @HM2SGT Рік тому

      Yes, but not really. The guys were exhausted, physically and mentally. If you haven't been there, you can imagine the conditions they were working in. At the end of the day, yes, they made a bad decision- but it was largely because of how weary they were and how fatigue acts like inebriation affecting decision making.

    • @ddbrock9675
      @ddbrock9675 Рік тому

      @@HM2SGT So, impatience and gross incompetence because they were fatigued. Splitting hairs, Buddy.

    • @marka8947
      @marka8947 Рік тому

      ​@@ddbrock9675
      I sure don't see your name on the list of Kee Bird volunteers. You have no idea how it was trying to get that bird in the air. So why don't you open your mouth wide and make your head disappear....
      Buddy..

  • @chrsn
    @chrsn Рік тому +4

    Would've been so nice to have another flyable b-29 around. Somebody took the gamble--and lost.

    • @cplcabs
      @cplcabs Рік тому +1

      No gamble, just incompetence.

    • @FiveCentsPlease
      @FiveCentsPlease 9 місяців тому

      +@chrsn If the US Parks Service would allow the Lake Mead B-29 to be removed there could be another example. But the Parks Service considers it a biological preserve at this point.

  • @markkilgore5509
    @markkilgore5509 Рік тому +3

    I have a hard time believing that the tail skid, with as little frontal area as it has, would seriously reduce the range of a plane as large as a B-29. Drag is all about frontal area, skin friction, and speed. The higher a plane flies, the less the density of the air, hence less drag force.

    • @GlennPowell-ls3lg
      @GlennPowell-ls3lg Рік тому +1

      You may be surprised that the 3350 engines had a habit of running too hot with the risk of exhaust valves filled with sodium snapping causing a blowtorch fire.The crews opened the cooling gills in flight which caused enough drag to compromise the wings lift.The 29 had a davies wing which was very highly loaded so even opening those gill plates on one engine could stall a wing.

    • @jimshoe402
      @jimshoe402 Рік тому

      @@GlennPowell-ls3lg That's True I read that.I met a ww11 radio man they were SCARED of the plane not Japs.😝😝😝

  • @robinj.9329
    @robinj.9329 Рік тому +1

    I've always heard that the fire started the magnesium skin of the plane to ignite. And that was why it was impossible to put the fire out.
    During the war, aluminum was hard to come by. So some planes were at least partially skinned with magnesium.
    Am I right????

    • @FiveCentsPlease
      @FiveCentsPlease 9 місяців тому

      +@robinj.9329 You are not correct. It was a fire from spilled fuel inside the plane.

    • @HootOwl513
      @HootOwl513 2 місяці тому +1

      As far as I know, the Boeing B-29 was skinned in aluminum. You may be thinking of the Consolidated B-36 which used magnesium structural skin sections in non-pressurized areas. The Peacemaker was notorious for catching fire on crash landings.
      Also the Superfortress' four powerplants were Wright R-3350 Duplex Cyclones which had magnesium blocks. If one of the engines overheated and caught fire, the whole wing could burn off.

  • @todd3205
    @todd3205 Рік тому +2

    Didn't one of Darryl's team die from back problem complications on this mission?

    • @torstenscholz6243
      @torstenscholz6243 Рік тому

      Yes, in Winter 1994, Rick Kriege fell ill and was transported to a hospital in Iqaluit, Canada, where he died from a blood clot two weeks later. R.I.P., he was a great engineer and was said to be the most competent of the team - with him maybe this would have been prevented.

    • @FiveCentsPlease
      @FiveCentsPlease 9 місяців тому

      +@todd3205 The Caribou plane had hard landing and heavy items fell onto Rick Kriege. He was injured but initially refused medical treatment. He had internal bleeding and was in bad shape when he was taken out.

  • @bobkohl6779
    @bobkohl6779 Рік тому

    Was on FiFi early on. She was in rough shape

  • @50calpulse76
    @50calpulse76 Рік тому +1

    Yeah those guys totally blew that recovery

  • @604cuinkillah
    @604cuinkillah Рік тому

    That was the saddest thing I ever saw on TV. The B29 is the greatest thing humans ever created. There are a million reasons why

  • @lancomedic
    @lancomedic Рік тому +1

    What is the APU used for in the 29? Was it really necessary for this flight?

    • @FiveCentsPlease
      @FiveCentsPlease 9 місяців тому

      +@lancomedic On the B-29, the APU runs various electrics and hydraulic systems for ground taxi and until takeoff. The generators on the engines take over at higher RPM.

    • @lancomedic
      @lancomedic 9 місяців тому

      @@FiveCentsPlease Thanks

  • @airworks61
    @airworks61 2 роки тому +3

    So I am not sure where you have gotten your information. I was there and there is a bit more to the story then you have reported.

  • @ShelLeader
    @ShelLeader 11 місяців тому

    My father - the radio operator on the Kee Bird - called the APU a "Put-Put".

  • @CAPEjkg
    @CAPEjkg Рік тому +2

    Cooler heads didn't prevail on that day and what a waste of a historic asset.

  • @bernadettegarbers9552
    @bernadettegarbers9552 10 місяців тому

    Is there any chance of saving what's left of the Key Bird.....

  • @cbspock1701
    @cbspock1701 Рік тому

    I’ve seen FiFi fly several times over the years

  • @BilllFisher
    @BilllFisher Рік тому

    Heart breaking about the Kee Bird

  • @alsnyder7017
    @alsnyder7017 11 місяців тому

    I saw a documentary about this, 17 years ago. In it, they said that the reason of the fire was the rims of spare tires put in aft section, on the cables, which caused a short circuit. Now, it's a different story. I'm confused.

    • @FiveCentsPlease
      @FiveCentsPlease 9 місяців тому +1

      +@alsnyder7017 It was flash-fire from a fuel can used to by-pass the APU fuel pump.

  • @dannygranberry6365
    @dannygranberry6365 9 місяців тому

    My father in law worked on restoring fi fi.

  • @GodzilarOG7337
    @GodzilarOG7337 3 роки тому +5

    It's very surprising despite all that talent and knowledge they had up there (getting that plane ready to fly in those conditions is already a colossal feat in itself) that they managed to be so careless with something that seems to be common sense. I didn't see exactly how it was rigged but placing a fuel tank directly over a hot manifold and exhaust isn't very bright to say the least. Everyone believes the lost of this b29 is the tragedy but in reality Rick is the real tragedy. If that half ass fuel setup caught fire after takeoff, they would all most certainly be dead...
    This story is very fascinating, if you can get in touch with people who can obtain lost footage or pictures of the kee bird (I remember Darryl talking about a video of the first expedition) that would be special.

    • @HistoryX
      @HistoryX  3 роки тому +4

      Ayrton!!! This an awesome post! Not because of the Kee Bird being destroyed, but because of the loss of Rick Kriege. I never mentioned his name in this video and for that I will lose MAJOR points when I present myself before St Peter. I only know of the written word of the first expedition from Carl Hoffman. If anyone has video of that Huey trek to the Kee Bird site with Gary Larkins where they start an engine, I would love to hear about it!

    • @GodzilarOG7337
      @GodzilarOG7337 3 роки тому +1

      @@HistoryX If you take a look on UA-cam "Chasing Reno Gold Darryl Greenamyer bonus video", there is an interview with Darryl talking about the first expeditions with several Huey choppers + the fuel stops etc and also about him having a video of that first start up that wasn't filmed by nova so it probably does exist.

    • @HistoryX
      @HistoryX  3 роки тому +1

      Ayrton: I know they had to make six different flights in Darryl's Huey helicopter to plant fuel along the route in order to eventually get to the Kee Brid's location. However I am not aware of any video that may exist. I am going to start digging. Thank you!

    • @FiveCentsPlease
      @FiveCentsPlease 3 роки тому

      @@HistoryX It would have cost a lot more money, but salvaging the Kee Bird with a heavy lift chopper like an Mi-26 with staged fuel stops would have been a much safer and smarter approach. But their motivations were profit. There were no roads near the Kee Bird (perhaps some old survey roads) so getting it out by air was the only option. Rick was injured in a hard landing when some equipment fell on him and he refused medical care initially. But he was having internal bleeding.

    • @stearman456
      @stearman456 2 роки тому

      @@FiveCentsPlease I think it might have been reasonable to fly it out, but not on a shoestring budget. My biggest question would have been what kind of condition the fuel tanks were in seeing as how they would have been the original, self-sealing, rubber bladder type. I can see them being prohibitively deteriorated after fifty years.

  • @DSRT888
    @DSRT888 3 роки тому +5

    Well at least it didn't catch fire while on take off or in flight.

    • @HistoryX
      @HistoryX  3 роки тому +2

      Thank you so much for this comment! You know, with all of the investigation I've done on this subject, that never once occurred to me. I appreciate the input!

    • @FiveCentsPlease
      @FiveCentsPlease 3 роки тому +2

      @@HistoryX From what I understand, someone was in the back operating the APU but there was a lot of dust inside the cabin. They stepped away to put on a pair of goggles and that was when the rigged up can of fuel spilled onto the APU and started a flash fire. Darryl's harness would not release and he almost could not get out.

    • @HistoryX
      @HistoryX  3 роки тому

      @@FiveCentsPlease Thank you for the comment! I had not heard the part of the story where Darryl had trouble getting out of his harness. I was aware that someone was stationed in the tail and that it was an incredibly jarring and rough ride as the Key Bird was taxiing across the tundra to the improvised runway. However I did not know about the dust and the hasty search for goggles. Thank you so much for the input!!

    • @bobvanderveen3528
      @bobvanderveen3528 2 роки тому +3

      @@HistoryX this is accurate. I was the guy in the back.

    • @HistoryX
      @HistoryX  2 роки тому

      @@bobvanderveen3528 Wow… Bob Vanderveen! A thrill to hear from you! Plenty love to play the armchair quarterback. But you didn’t have a front row seat, you were in the middle of the game! I have so many questions… What went through your head during the first landing on the tundra? How do you look back on it nearly 30 years later? Would you be available for an interview?

  • @karlkratzer4928
    @karlkratzer4928 3 роки тому +1

    i saw that when it happed i wish that had been better secured

    • @HistoryX
      @HistoryX  3 роки тому +1

      Hey, Karl. Thank you for the comment! When you say you 'saw that when it happened', do you mean the documentary? Or were you actually there in Greenland?

  • @magna4100
    @magna4100 2 роки тому

    If the fire started in the back how did it spread so quickly (down the tunnel?) to the cockpit area?

    • @HistoryX
      @HistoryX  2 роки тому +4

      Great question. It wasn't so much the fire as it was the orange smoke from the burning insulation that was the initial problem. According to Bob Vanderveen, the fire spread quickly in the back. However everyone up front had no indication of the fire except what Bob yelled through his headset, which would only work one-way. In other words the cockpit could hear Bob in the back of the plane, but Bob could not hear them. Once the crew up-front shut-down all four engines, the thick smoke poured into the cockpit. Eventually as the aircraft burned, the fire spread closer to the front, but the nose of the plane never actually burned. I hope that answers your question?

    • @torstenscholz6243
      @torstenscholz6243 Рік тому

      Interesting. This shows how dangerous the situation was - the two guys on board were lucky to make it out in time an remain unhurt. @@HistoryX

  • @2007MXV
    @2007MXV Рік тому

    All four engines running, the APU should have been OFF. Had that been the case, Doc would have been the third B-29 flying.

    • @FiveCentsPlease
      @FiveCentsPlease 9 місяців тому

      +@2007MXV The APU is running until takeoff and before landing, per the handbook. It operates several systems on the ground while the engine generators are offline.

  • @marktaylor7115
    @marktaylor7115 2 роки тому

    Who salvaged the airworthy props and engines? Wreckage shows original damaged props refitted?

  • @pat36a
    @pat36a Рік тому +1

    Wasn't the original mission of the Kee Bird to test navigation up there becouse they were so close to the North pole? The instruments messing up was the start of it. Making the crew rely on the old methods?

    • @FiveCentsPlease
      @FiveCentsPlease 9 місяців тому

      +@pat36a No, Kee Bird was on a classified mission to map invasion routes into Russia.

    • @pat36a
      @pat36a 9 місяців тому

      @@FiveCentsPlease wouldn't that fall into the navigation field?

    • @FiveCentsPlease
      @FiveCentsPlease 9 місяців тому

      @@pat36a Kee Bird was an F-13 conversion for photo reconnaissance.

  • @greghayes9118
    @greghayes9118 Рік тому

    This oversight is beyond belief. That’s like using fish tank hose and mower can to get a classic Ferrari home.

  • @markbass7145
    @markbass7145 6 місяців тому

    They didn't have any fire extinguishers...

  • @androidemulator6952
    @androidemulator6952 Рік тому

    Kee-bird apparently was a B50 (B29 with later engines? 4350 Corncobs ?)

    • @FiveCentsPlease
      @FiveCentsPlease 9 місяців тому

      +@androidemulator6952 It was not a B-50.

  • @rpestess
    @rpestess Рік тому

    Not sure I can believe that the tail skid could cause much drag let alone enough to leave them short several hundred miles from their destination. Got to be more to the story here...

  • @Mike-dh6nb
    @Mike-dh6nb Рік тому +3

    When it burnt why did they leave those new engines they didn't look burnt at all

    • @HistoryX
      @HistoryX  Рік тому +2

      That is a great question, Mike. I think it had to do with the weight of each engine, as well as the time disassemble. It was hard enough to change engines when they were on a proper wing on an intact airframe. It's quite another thing to do it when the wing is laying on the ground attached to a burned-out fuselage. All that extra weight without the equipment to lift it. That's my guess.

    • @FiveCentsPlease
      @FiveCentsPlease Рік тому +4

      @@HistoryX My guess is that they blew out of there before the local Greenland officials found out what happened and the mess that was left in a natural area. The new engines belonged to another party and were borrowed, and I think that was another lawsuit.

  • @Hopeless_and_Forlorn
    @Hopeless_and_Forlorn 3 роки тому +3

    Nice video. Greenamyer had limited resources, and I believe that he had to take a risky gamble in selecting the mechanic to oversee the attempt to make it fly again. It would have to be a guy who had the necessary skills, of course, but also willing to take short cuts that would leave the airplane several degrees removed from any definition of "airworthy," even for an intended maintenance ferry flight. Read the FARs Part 91 if you disagree with that statement--I will be happy to explain the meaning of any specific requirement that you do not understand. Meanwhile, the results speak for themselves. I would thank Darryl for trying, but he lost his bet.

    • @FiveCentsPlease
      @FiveCentsPlease 3 роки тому

      + Hopelessand Forlorn They were taking the 1950s and 1960s approach to surplus piston aircraft, which was to patch them up enough for a ferry flight to another location for more work. This was done with many Mustangs and other aircraft from as far as South America when they were retired. There were accidents back then, and it was not a smart approach for a rare B-29. I think the Kee Bird salvage is a textbook example of go fever. They should have stopped to fix the APU instead of jerry-rigging a solution and starting a fire. They were given advice to get spare parts for the APU but they did not from a what I understand.

    • @thomasjackson6746
      @thomasjackson6746 2 роки тому

      It had nothing to do with limited resources. In regards to airworthiness how would you have a clue not having been there. We call this Fence talk from the birds sitting on the fence. It’s pretty obvious that you have never been involved in recovery of an aircraft if this type and especially not in those conditions.

  • @marcoaraujo6295
    @marcoaraujo6295 Рік тому

    Por que ninguém lembrou de levar extintores de incêndio ? O avião ficou abandonado por cinquenta anos, ele podia esperar por mais algumas horas. Muita pressa para decolar !

  • @nathansealey6270
    @nathansealey6270 Рік тому +1

    Gee’s so it was actually their own fault, I also heard that they in their haste failed to switch it off as well, if they had done so it could have well been a different story

  • @isaacsrandomvideos667
    @isaacsrandomvideos667 2 роки тому

    So damn sad.

  • @casperbecker3794
    @casperbecker3794 Рік тому +1

    Sounds like it was so very close to making it. Probably would of flew if the fuel didn't leak.

  • @Fireworks753
    @Fireworks753 2 роки тому +2

    It’s my life’s goal to buy that plane and turn it into my house

    • @agustinblanco7673
      @agustinblanco7673 Рік тому

      Weel be a nice project to and even cheaper the A House

    • @HootOwl513
      @HootOwl513 2 місяці тому

      Might be cheaper than a new Airstream...

  • @nated4488
    @nated4488 Рік тому +2

    Negligence and stupidity destroyed the kee bird

  • @DK-gy7ll
    @DK-gy7ll Рік тому +1

    To think that so much time, money, and manpower was spent trying to rescue Kee Bird, only for it to be destroyed because of a simple yet idiotic decision like that. I'm not an aviation mechanic, but even I can see that hanging a fuel tank like that and letting it feed by gravity was going to spell disaster the moment it was allowed to shake loose.

    • @torstenscholz6243
      @torstenscholz6243 Рік тому

      The whole thing was more or less doomed to fail from the start. Greenamyer is a dubious figure that is not well-liked in the aviation scene and was heavily criticized for the way he handled the whole mission. With a more competent team, maybe it would have had the chance to succeed.

  • @kaykiekid
    @kaykiekid Рік тому

    Way too much bouncing? Because of that very rough frozen lake runway? RIP Kee Bird.😔❤️

  • @tituspullo9210
    @tituspullo9210 Рік тому +1

    The reason it was destroyed was down to Darryl Greenamyer's arrogance, cost cutting and disorganised, seat of the pants effort, that got a good man killed and left Rick Kriege's son without a father and his wife without a husband.

    • @torstenscholz6243
      @torstenscholz6243 Рік тому +1

      The whole thing was more or less doomed to fail from the start. Greenamyer is a dubious figure that is not well-liked in the aviation scene and was heavily criticized for the way he handled the whole mission. With a more competent team, maybe it would have had the chance to succeed. They should have waited until a more competent person tried to do it - 30 years ago, there was not nearly as much money or manpower to salvage old war birds as there is today. If it was tried today by professional people, it could have succeeded.

  • @filiprodin8698
    @filiprodin8698 Рік тому

    Is this the same plane as that who burned down up in the north? How could they bring it here then?

  • @nated4488
    @nated4488 Рік тому

    And if it wasn't for that there would be three B-29 flying today

  • @GaryBaird.Photography
    @GaryBaird.Photography 2 роки тому

    The Putt-Putt went kaput.

  • @HM2SGT
    @HM2SGT Рік тому +1

    I see a lot of armchair quarterbacks throwing shade at the guys, which is really a shame because they were so dedicated to this that one man even ignored serious signs and symptoms and died of a medical complication.

  • @johnfranklin8319
    @johnfranklin8319 2 роки тому +2

    As good as those mechanics were they did not secure the rigged fuel tank??? Damn!

    • @airworks61
      @airworks61 2 роки тому +1

      The tank was to be removed and was never meant to be left in that position.

    • @FiveCentsPlease
      @FiveCentsPlease 2 роки тому +1

      @@airworks61 The info I heard was the man operating the APU stepped away to put on some eye protection and that is when the fuel spilled.

    • @airworks61
      @airworks61 2 роки тому +4

      @@FiveCentsPlease No, the man was sitting in the rear gunners position all along as the plane was taxied onto the frozen lake. The issue was there was no plan to run the aircraft down the lake until the actual takeoff. We had not emptied the plane of all the tools and supplies. In addition we were going to remove the fuel tank that was suspended above the APU unit prior to take off. How ever Daryl did not stop the aircraft but continued to do a practice run down the lake for the Discovery Camera crew. The decision was on him. We didn't forget to remove or secure anything the plans were simply not followed as briefed. The man in the back of the plane was doing his job as briefed.

    • @FiveCentsPlease
      @FiveCentsPlease 2 роки тому +3

      @@airworks61 Sounds like a case of go fever. It reminds of the TBM that went down at Cocoa Beach. The pilot didn't attend the safety meeting, didn't listen to anybody on the radio telling him that he had a problem for 20 minutes, and then he puts it down in the middle of swimmers instead of in the offshore box that had been identified in the safety briefing.

    • @thomasjackson6746
      @thomasjackson6746 2 роки тому +2

      @@FiveCentsPlease I totally agree on that analysis. The rest of the crew was not happy with the decision to run the plane down the runway.

  • @Oliver_11_the_little_western

    Hey the b29 fifi is in the roblox game pilot training flight simulator aka ptfs

  • @paulhunter1735
    @paulhunter1735 Рік тому

    A national treasure that could still be fling in the US today destroyed because of a rush to jury rig something to fly it out instead of fixing it properly. Why the hell go to all of the trouble and expense of hanging new engines and everything else and then do something as stupid as hanging a gas tank above the apu and then moving the aircraft with it still hanging there. So had they just put any kind of electric fuel pump even an inline one that you could get from almost any parts store to pump fuel to the apu they could have flown this plane out of there in one piece. Such a shame.

  • @Desert-edDave
    @Desert-edDave Рік тому

    Long story short - incompetency at time of salvage destroyed an otherwise (to the best of everyone's knowledge) functional historical aircraft.
    Putting a leaking fuel tank for the APU above it so it could splash on the APU engine - simply brilliant. 🙄

  • @dannybryant6873
    @dannybryant6873 Рік тому

    Please don't destroy this bomber.

  • @canadaphil6068
    @canadaphil6068 Рік тому

    Hubris and Narcissism destroyed it.

  • @matthurley921
    @matthurley921 Рік тому

    It was destroyed because they hurried the process…

  • @marka8947
    @marka8947 Рік тому

    The tail skid? Really? Caused that much drag? Right. And I have beach property on the west coast of Kansas I'll sell you.

  • @FlankerTanker
    @FlankerTanker Рік тому

    Kee Bird, Ummmmm....

  • @Turboy65
    @Turboy65 10 місяців тому

    Never should have tried to fly it out. Should have put it on a fabricated sled and pulled it out. Or on a barge and take it out by sea.

  • @arnemagnus680
    @arnemagnus680 3 роки тому +1

    I dont blame them at all! They wanted to get it out as fast as they can and not risk having to wait anouther year.

    • @FiveCentsPlease
      @FiveCentsPlease 3 роки тому +2

      + Feuer Wolf That's because they were salvaging the plane for a profit with other people's money. They were in a hurry.

    • @markkilgore5509
      @markkilgore5509 Рік тому +1

      And yet it stil sits there, 30 years later. Wait another year they bemoaned?

    • @torstenscholz6243
      @torstenscholz6243 Рік тому

      They are to blame for exactly that treason - they had no patience and rushed the whole procedure, which led to some poor decision-making and left little room for error.

  • @wampuscat1831
    @wampuscat1831 Рік тому +1

    So they was Idiots . They tried to fly it with a hanging tank of gas.Ive done it with old cars even that was questionable . But inside a plane made of magnesium . About as smart as the guy that put wood stove coals in a card board box and set it on his front porch.

  • @Norbert9-jk9bu
    @Norbert9-jk9bu 7 місяців тому

    The entire Greenameyer expedition was an irresponsibly negligent, sloppy gung-ho clusterf*ck that ended in the inexcusable loss of an irreplaceable piece of history. A disgraceful episode.

  • @richmaister
    @richmaister Рік тому

    not wwii its coldwar but ok

    • @stevenbeach748
      @stevenbeach748 4 місяці тому

      b29s were built and served in WW2. Two B29s dropped two atomic bombs ending WW2

  • @stanleydomalewski8497
    @stanleydomalewski8497 4 місяці тому

    That was So Sad To See !😅

  • @fanatamon
    @fanatamon Рік тому

    Why not wait and make a better system then that jury rigged fuel can thing on the apu just makes no sense at all after all the hard yakka.

    • @FiveCentsPlease
      @FiveCentsPlease 9 місяців тому

      +@fanatamon Or wait and fix the broken fuel pump like they were told.

    • @fanatamon
      @fanatamon 9 місяців тому

      @@FiveCentsPlease even better, very foolish behaviour.

  • @johnspencer7291
    @johnspencer7291 Рік тому +2

    confederate airforce,non-woke version

  • @Norbert9-jk9bu
    @Norbert9-jk9bu 7 місяців тому

    lkhioj

  • @davidbratton6313
    @davidbratton6313 Місяць тому

    Absolute bs a man died trying his best to get it out of there and the jackwagon running the show got in a hurry and burnt it to the ground

  • @Donsguncorner
    @Donsguncorner Місяць тому

    Half assed mechanics ruining history

  • @bennoakes2477
    @bennoakes2477 10 місяців тому

    looks crap painted silver

    • @FiveCentsPlease
      @FiveCentsPlease 9 місяців тому

      +@bennoakes2477 There are so many nicks and scratches under the paint that it would horribly expensive to re-skin FIFI . But I think it will get new shiny new skin one day if they have the money.

  • @mikeryan6277
    @mikeryan6277 11 місяців тому

    Your to kind it was destroyed because they were stupid with their Mickey Mouse Engineering.