Fantastic documentary. These guys are true heroes in my mind.
Once I started watch it, I realized I’d seen it a long time ago but had forgotten. It truly is heartbreaking. I can’t thank you enough for providing it.
No worries… @“the same mountainbike” …that documentary is definitely worth re-watching even if you have seen it before. Can you imagine ?! ALL that work and effort and the “issue” it had in the end? I would have been speaking in Tongues among MANY other things I tell ya… That poor beautiful aircraft…it waited so long so patiently and was well on the way to further greatness…
Blackbird
I feel worse for the guy that died of the blood clot, versus the plane now at the bottom of the lake
I did watch it again, and enjoyed it as much as ever. Thanks a million for the video.
Not only did it require a heroic effort, but the life of one of the team. All to end in a fire. Truly a tragedy.
I skipped through it but need to go back and watch the whole thing. You know sometimes I get the feeling when I’m doing stuff that it just isn’t meant to be and should leave well enough alone. That plane just didn’t want to be recovered I guess. Too bad it cost a life and many hours and dollars. I sure understand their heartfelt desire to bring it back though. I guess if it was a 57 Ford up there I’d try to do the same thing.
Speaking of aircraft fires, during WWII there was a British Wellington bomber (steel, wood, fabric construction) which caught fire during a bombing mission at night. The sergeant co-pilot crawled out on the wing with a fire ax and knocked holes in the wing fabric to use as footholds until he could reach the engine with a fire extinguisher.
Once the flames were out he crawled back to the cabin using the same footholds.
Some people just think they have a bad day at the office… 
Now that would take pure guts to do. I suppose at night there’d be nothing to see when you looked down. I hope he at least tied a life line around his waist before he went out.
I saw that Nova episode when it first aired. My heart sank for the people involved in restoring it.
Agreed… Badness all around in that documentary. I forgot about the guy who died!!! I sound like a heartless idiot for putting my focus on the aircraft…that wasn’t intentional I promise. I didnt rewatch the video…I had just remembered it offhand.
@Bing when you mentioned doing something that “just wasn’t meant to be”… I’ve been there and the comedy of errors and happenstances that occur when one is deeply entrenched in those futile affairs really made me recall some similar instances in my day. I can recall several instances of being involved in things that just “were not meant to be” Oh Brother…the things that Ive seen…
Blackbird
Honda, don’t think that way. I never for a moment did. To me this is a documentary about a heroic effort to rescue a historic aircraft that unfortunately ended in tragedy. The documentary is about the aircraft, after all, not about the team member who died trying to save it.
@“Honda Blackbird”
I had also seen the video when it originally came out, in the 1990s, I guess
When the video was posted again, I knew what it was before even watching it. I also remembered the fire. But I had forgotten about the guy’s death, until I watched it again
I’m guessing the guy might have had some medical issue(s) to begin with . . . ? And working like a dog under those conditions is surely not good for anybody’s health 
Yeah it was internal bleeding and had been taking pain meds for a couple weeks. I guess that means that something had caused a rupture and it went for two weeks. But the death was caused by a blood clot. You would have thought they would have administered blood thinners as a precaution. I really don’t know much about the Canadian health system except people have been known to come to the US for treatment-at least to not have to wait in line. A shame all around and sounds like the death could have been prevented under normal conditions.
I think the guy was working through the pain, and was probably playing it down . . . until he literally couldn’t get up anymore
Does that sound familiar to some of us . . . ?
He was undoubtedly just as eager as all the others, to see the plane finished, and that’s probably why he kept working, instead of taking a trip on that Caribou to that airbase. Once at the airbase, first aid could have been administered, and plans made to evacuate him to a proper facility
I’ve known quite a few people keep silent about their pain, medical condition, etc., until it was very late in the game, too late, in some cases
"When I was fixin' B52s..."
Hmmm…I wonder if @the same mountainbike might have known my mayor, who was a B-52 pilot when he served in the USAF. Does the name Phil Kramer ring a bell by any chance?
It doesn’t, buy every now and then I do run into a crewmember that served in Operation Linebacker at the end of Vietnam. So who knows, it’s a small world.
^
He went on to medical school, and is a well-reputed neurologist who specializes in ocular problems. And, he is a genuinely nice, and down-to-earth guy, despite having an annual income that dwarfs mine by a massive extent.
Money or not, he has my respect, as does everyone who served and serves honorably.
Serving in the military is a dangerous profession even in peacetime. I get the Air Forces Monthly magazine and the accident log in the back each month is far from short; especially the helicopter stats.
Just existing on this site is proof positive our members who served our countrys military have secured and continue to secure our freedom and safety. The “civilized” world owes you gents a debt that can never be paid in full adequately.
My hat is off to you Sir’s…no question. Thank you for your service. Our country should be bending over backward in support…NOT putting up Billboards asking for hand outs in helping injured Vets recover. THAT burns me up to NO END, honestly…it really really does.
Thank you again all of you Veterans…people need to wake up and have some Effing RESPECT
Blackbird
Morning, all. With greatest respect to all who have served, I notice that this conversation has drifted from the topic. Would you kindly redirect it back? Thank you.