[Milsurplus] Gear needed for B-24-J restoration in Poland.

[Kenneth G. Gordon]

   I've  been  contacted  by  the  Polish  Embassy  in  Washington,  D.C.
   concerning  the  restoration  of  a B-24-J by the Museum of the Warsaw
   Uprising in Poland.

   This  plane  was  shot  down  in  northern Poland with the loss of its
   entire crew in August of 1944.

   It was built in June or July of 1944, flown first to Montreal, then to
   England,  then  to  Italy,  where it was turned over to the Polish Air
   Force in operation there. It was shot down on its first mission, which
   was a very dangerous one, resulting in the loss of many aircraft.

   The  wreck  has  recently been recovered, the crew have been interred,
   and the restoration project has started.

   I  became  involved  with  the  restoration  project  when  I  sold  a
   "football"  loop to a Polish gentleman, Mr. Mateusz Mroz-pragapld, who
   bought  it  as  a  donation  to the museum. Since shipping directly to
   Poland,  even  totally  unpacked  with  the shipping information taped
   directly  to the loop would have cost over $600, the buyer asked me to
   ship   it  to  Mr.  Bogoslaw  Winid  at  the  Polish  embassy  who  is
   coordinating the U.S. end of the restoration project.

   He then called me yesterday, after receiving the loop, and again today
   requesting donations of any part that might help in the restoration.

   I  immediately  thought  of  the members of this list who have been so
   helpful with the restoration of other aircraft and naval vessels.

   So, the first orders of business, as far as I am concerned, is 1) what
   parts  does the restoration project need, and 2) does anyone here have
   a  definitive  list of the radio equipment that a B-24-J of the period
   carried?

   I would assume that the BC-191 was the transmitter, and the BC-348 the
   receiver  in the radio op's position, but was the SCR-274N system also
   used? What did they use with the loop antenna? Perhaps a BC- 453? What
   other gear would be common to the radio op's position?

   BTW,  the  reason  the  cost  for  shipping  the loop was so great was
   because  of  the  dimensions,  not  the  weight.  Poland  only accepts
   packages,  by  standard  shipping methods, with a combined length plus
   girth  of  70  inches. The loop, even completely naked, exceeded that,
   and  therefore had to be shipped by a special method costing a MINIMUM
   of  $626.00.  If its dimensions were 70 inches or under, it would have
   cost only $66 to ship.

   So,  Mr. Winid at the Polish Embassy is set up to accept any donations
   from  this  side of the pond, and will get them to Poland and into the
   right hands from Washington, D.C.

   I  have  also  been asked to contact the museum directly. Their e-mail
   address is psliwowski at 1944.pl.

   I  am sending Mr. Psliwowski, and Mr. Mroz-pragapld, a copy of this e-
   mail.

   I hope we can help with this project.

   Ken Gordon W7EKB