Hidden Warbirds The Epic Stories of Finding, Recovering, and Rebuilding WWII's Lost Aircraft

"If you only have room in your collection for one book on WWII-era warbird wreck histories and recoveries, then it should be this one. Nicholas Veronico’s thorough research and clear, concise writing style make Hidden Warbirds a fascinating joy to read." - Alan Griffith, author of Consolidated Mess: The Illustrated Guide to Nose-turreted B-24 Production Variants in USAAF Combat Service

Aviation historian Nicholas A. Veronico has been investigating and writing about aircraft wrecks for many years. His website, wreckchasing.com, is the go-to source for enthusiasts who want to know more about how to locate vintage airplane wrecks and then tell their stories. In this engaging new book, Veronico explores the romantic era of World War II Warbirds and the stories of some of its most famous wrecks, including the "Swamp Ghost" (a B-17E which crashed in New Guinea in the early days of World War II and which was only recently recovered), and "Glacier Girl" (a P-38, part of "The Lost Squadron," which crashed in a large ice sheet in Greenland in 1942). Throughout, Veronico provides a history of the aircraft, as well as the unique story behind each discovery and recovery with ample illustrations. Hidden Warbirds is aviation history at its best.

Acknowledgments    

Introduction: How the Hunt for Hidden Warbirds Has Evolved

Part One: Up from Under Water    
Two of the Rarest: Side-by-Side Helldiver and Dauntless Restorations
The Last Vindicator: SB2U-2 up from Lake Michigan      
Two Navy Crosses in SBD-2 BuNo 2106   

Part Two: In from the Jungle          
B-17E Swamp Ghost and Its Long Road Home     
Recovering the Mount Cyclops P-61 Black Widow           
Bringing Out a Betty, a Judy, a Tony, and a Zero  
Big Island B-18 in Situ         

Part Three: The Frozen North        
P-38 Glacier Girl       
Million Dollar Valley Marauders     
Alaskan Liberators: One in Place, One Recovered

Part Four: Lucky Finds: Rare Warbirds in Unusual Places          
Mustang in a Garage: P-51D (F-6D) Lil Margaret            
Navy Harpoon on a Grass Strip      
Some Assembly Required: B-17E/XC-108 Desert Rat     

Part Five: Recovering the Big Fleets: Squadrons Return 
Rescued from a Desert Boneyard: The B-29s of China Lake      
Corsairs Recovered from Honduras           
Latin American Mustangs Fuel the Warbird Movement             

Epilogue: They’re Still Out There . . .          

Bibliography and Suggested Reading        
Internet Resources  
Index