Went to this last night, very interesting history of the search process. I'll post some pics later.
Highlights:
It took about 14 weeks to dig it out from 260ft below the surface.
Robert Cardin has been to the site several times spanning many years, the glaciers aren't melting, they're getting bigger, just sayin.
All other planes in the lost squadron are believed to be irreparably damaged by glacial movement, this one was lucky.
They were able to claim it without Air Force interference because the original records to those planes were lost in a fire years ago, so they had no way to prove ownership.
Took $700,000 to retrieve it.
Took $2,750,000 to restore it.
80% of the parts are original, 100% of those needed repair.
Lockheed was no help.
Plane was disassembled down to the main spar, which needed repair.
Of 10,000 made, roughly 40 remain but only 6-7 are flyable.
Flies roughly 50hrs per year.
It is spotless.
Also on display were a P-40, P-51, F-4U, L-39, Citation something, the first De Haviland passenger plane, a 1970's Dodge Challenger, a '40's Ford convertible and a '30's Duece coup.
