How Engineers Are Restoring Rare Aeroplanes From WW2 | Chasing Warbirds | Spark

Obsession takes on many forms. For these guys, it’s trekking across the globe to find and recover rare aeroplanes that crashed during World War II, then restore them so they’ll fly again.
Jerry Yagen is the Virginia millionaire plane collector who bankrolls the hunt. Murray Griffiths is the lead plane hunter who also runs a restoration shop in Australia. Mechanic Adam Maley rounds out the team, keeping things colourful with his West Virginia twang.
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#FighterPlanes #Engineers #WWII #spark #sparkdocumentary #sciencedocumentary

[@citizenblue]

Total clickbait. Not one engineer discussed how aircraft are restored. Just some travelogue of some Crocodile Dundee faffing around in the jungle

[@marinervalley1588]

You sir save me 40min thank you

[@SubvertTheState]

Oh stop with the Discovery Channel drama, "WE DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME TO FIND THIS AIRPLANE". Right, it's been there almost 80 years. I love the P-38 and everything about WWII aviation, this is interesting and cool enough... you don't need to turn this into a game-show too. I hate to complain because this is actually interesting but it sucks that everything on television has to be a race or a competition when it's so clearly not.

[@TheJapanChannelDcom]

True, Doug. Sadly, most of this stuff is pitched at the "common man" and the kiddies. They love the BS, but it annoys some of us, doesn't it.

[@dsma2023]

Amen.

[@stearman456]

While I agree with you, there is an element of truth to it. In recent years many airplanes that had been there since the end of the war have succumbed to the scrappers.

[@michaelknott4361]

Agreeing with Dan's point, but also they don't have forever to look for a plane before the bad weather season hits, that's another factor

[@jandajanda2242]

As an aviation geek and pilot myself I’m always up for a good bit of excitement

[@mace8873]

When I clicked on this video, I had no idea I'd be so lucky, that I'd get to see a bunch of people getting lost, but also people wearing grass, jumping up and down. What a treat! And, I especially liked the long breaks, where I had time to really appreciate looking at a black screen. Most videos these days suffer from a complete lack of nothing happening for extended periods of time. Well done! And I get the feeling, that this video just wouldn't have been the same, without some whiny dude who has absolutely no idea what bodily coordination means, and probably shouldn't ever leave his house, because the real world is waaaaay too dangerous. Think I'll just put this video on repeat, and watch it a couple of hundred times more.

[@henrychubbs2823]

I was fortunate enough to skip major portions and look for an airplane. They find it in the middle of a field after extensive time in the jungle. What a festering pile of s___!

[@mace8873]

@@henrychubbs2823 Spot on!😄

[@fishsmiddy1048]

Ummmm.... “how engineers are restoring rare aeroplanes...” yeah I’d like to watch a video like that, but it ain’t this one.

[@zacharyradford5552]

More like how they find rare ww air craft.

[@loonatticat]

Way too much footage of banal conversation and trivial pursuit antics. Wanted to see nuts and bolts restoration, found melodramatic adventure stories.

[@MalachiTheBowlingGod]

This video has around eight levels too much adrenaline!

[@landrew3847]

Holy shit the music is like level 10 million and the voices are level 7

[@xray86delta]

Watching this, I'm reminded of the tank restorers from "Aussie Armor". They are true Craftsmen, the Australians!

[@Shaheed-e4y]

Atleast jerry is doing something productive and meaningful with his money not only restoring the planes but shining some light on history

[@b0rd3n]

sound is bad, can barely hear narration. Very long blanks at 12:29, 21:48, 28:46, 35:37

[@iwrotethis4712]

Yes!!

[@YetiOnCocaine]

Those are where commercials would normally go when aired on television. If you would rather 15 minutes of ads instead of 12 seconds of black screen go watch it on Discovery.

[@winstonsmith478]

@@YetiOnCocaine - Like any VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARE couldn't edit those OUT?

[@winstonsmith478]

"can barely hear narration" I don't know what this channel's problem is in that area. This is a far too regular problem with their content.

[@wolfganggugelweith8760]

In Austria 🇦🇹 Europe we have a flyable Gabelschwanzteufel P-38 in a fantastic condition. It belongs to Dieter Mateschitz. He is the Chef of Red Bull. He has a big collection of WWII and many other older airplanes. Those planes are stationed at the airport of the city of Salzburg and this collection is for free to visit every day. It’s really fantastic! Greetings from Linz-Austria🇦🇹😸👍💙🍺😎🐺 Europe!

[@wayneanderson5293]

The Red Bull Lightning was previously owned by Lefty Gardner, who flew it as "White Lightning" for years. (Yes, it was painted white.) I was lucky enough to see it fly in Vancouver B.C., Canada, and walk under the plane, touch it, and talk with the mechanic. Beautiful machine. Since then I got to see five airworthy Lightnings all together at an airshow in Sacramento, California; walked around the paddock, talking with the pilots. Only four of them flew that day; one was having trouble with its cooling system. Still, it was a great day.

[@albertogarciaarango2411]

GREAT JOB CONGRATULATIS

[@marvwatkins7029]

Jerry has serious money.

[@monroec2317]

the title is misleading, but i thought this video was alot of fun

[@whisky3k]

No engineers. No restoration of rare warbirds.

[@zacharyradford5552]

We’ll they were engineer’s and mechanics just not doing that work.

[@lorenzosgarza]

Planes looking kind of fresh doe

[@marvwatkins7029]

Say Jerry: why don't YOU go looking for these planes?

[@surferdude4487]

Untouched for over 60 years? I highly doubt it. That wreck has been picked clean.

[@freedomforever6718]

What in the world was Adam doing on this trip? Out trekking the jungle in cowboy boots! Nothing but excess baggage.

[@marvwatkins7029]

Should be renamed "Warbird Quest".

[@alexandermccarthy]

Fast forward works nicely. Just stop every time a wrecked aircraft appears.

[@Preciouspink]

Pieces of the plane In that guy’s hut…kinda touched

[@JohnMckinney-ix1ow]

Neat show...im an air force brat. Old war planes are cool. Each has a story to tell.

[@stevennagley8969]

I want to now more about that part of the wing they found to that drone

[@16-BITFPV]

I think it's a KD6-2 Firefly used in the Pacific lunched off of carriers. The time and place seems right and it has a tail that could be mistaken for a P38.

[@howardman3926]

Ha I'm a volunteer at the Military Aviation Museum and have met Mr Yagen multiple times

[@e.v.a.l.s]

holy shit this is so bad ass! if i was ichiban-moto, i'd give you five out of five ichiban moto stickers for how bad ass you are!

[@stephenhobbs1052]

Ridiculous soundtrack makes this video unwatcheable

[@tryingharder6392]

Oh great, another video title way off the mark. Just more guys shooting the shit about doing something to airplanes.

[@MrJp990]

2:10 what’s the story on that KI-61? Will it ever fly again??

[@FiveCentsPlease]

+ MrJp990 The are building three Ki-61 in that shop for collectors. They are supposed to fly eventually but finding an original Japanese Ha-40 engine is going to be difficult. One or more of them will probably have to substitute the German DB-601 and those are not easy to find either and cost an enormous amount to return to airworthy condition.

[@MrJp990]

@@FiveCentsPlease I’d give you 5 cents, but all I have is a like. Here you go. 👍

[@FiveCentsPlease]

@@MrJp990 You're welcome. One Ki-61 will be going to Mr. Yagen and another to Mr. Weeks. I dunno about the other one. They have been working on them for many years. Wreckage was exported from the South Pacific 20-30 years ago, actually I think it was the 1970s.

[@MrJp990]

@@FiveCentsPlease I wonder if and when (a BIG “if”) they find a Ha-40, if they will do something about the poor fluid circulation before installing, or just install it as is.

[@FiveCentsPlease]

@@MrJp990 Sounds like a problem that will have to be solved, or use a DB-601. I believe there is one good Ha40 for one aircraft but if it is so problematic I wouldn't use it, if it were me.

[@kishidabu]

I'm curious if anyone knows what's become of the restoration effort? The plane isn't listed in anyone's collection either in Virginia or Australia.

[@charlesperry6088]

Murray after 10 years of bush flying in PNG fro the mid 80s to the mid 90s I could have taken you to that P38 in a straight line. There used to be/is another in even better condition on the side of a coastal grass strip just east of Kerema. I've seen several P39s on an island in Milne Bay that were literally abandoned as the war moved on - in their crates which have long since rotted away - that were completely intact wth their wings in a pile right next to them. But it was a fun doco complete with overdone drama. In the 80s and early 90s I was great mates with the 3 white men living at Baimaru, Kikori and Bensbach - real characters. I know at least 2 of them have passed on.

[@DailyDrivenBikes_1]

Where are their suitcases?

[@bill2066]

back at their 5 star hotels.....lolzz

[@MGB-learning]

Great Video!

[@larryb8022]

Wow, what a history plane story.

[@Thanhnganaviation]

hello spark where did you buy that classsic cokpit

[@Thanhnganaviation]

Hello spark , could you restore mig 19 , mig 21 , and IL 18 from the engine

[@brsrc759]

Does anybody know what this show is called?

[@francescomilazzotto8186]

%%%%§%%%%

[@Trickycarrot102]

I think you guys should restore a couple of naval aircraft on the USS hornet

[@FiveCentsPlease]

+Trickycarrot102 Except for some in private ownership, all US Navy aircraft are still considered US Navy property by them regardless of their location. Those fall under Maritime Law.

[@ARCOFJUPITER]

We never get videos about how rare German fighters are smuggled out of Russia. There are at least 3 Bf 109 fighters in the US right now....but those stories are not available right ?

[@lengan53218]

Can you restoration Aircraft from scrapp metal pile

[@keithnichols7926]

To enjoy KZbin videos, we have to overlook the misleading titles and just accept what's in the videos themselves. Anyway, I suspect the titles and teases are contrived by KZbin and not by the authors of the videos. Kermit Weeks offers amusing and informative restoration videos that contain as much nuts and bolts as I need to see. He doesn't go slogging in jungles, though.

[@michaelcagle5938]

More tropical birds than warbirds.

[@Thanhnganaviation]

could you restore aircraft from the engine

[@buggsy5]

Yep, lots of drama with a thin veneer of fact. Anything done with that scrap pile would be rebuilding, not restoration.

[@wolfganggugelweith8760]

My father shot a Lightning down north of Triest in eastern Italy. This Terrorplan was too low and too slow and so my father shot it down bd his MG. The pilot didn’t survive. My father, my hero! 🇦🇹😎👍💪✌️🏔🍺🥨🛶🐺! Greetings from Linz-Austria 🇦🇹 Europe!

[@tonynsx]

So he couldn’t find an A&P in the US? Why go to Australia?

[@FiveCentsPlease]

+Tony Tech That depends on who negotiated the salvage and export permits for the wreck. Lots of paperwork to recover an aircraft. Quite a few have gone over to Australia, and I'd rather they go there instead of sold to the scrap collectors.

[@militaryman4872]

I went to the museum

[@Thanhnganaviation]

Hello spark , could you restore mig 19 and mig 21

[@bushelfoot]

Smithsonian airplanes are "fly by wire" lol

[@flipcophil5668]

Looking for the Adam comments lol

[@randyjennings3075]

Total crap reality TV. I hope they just grabbed the data plate to legally build a new aircraft around it.

[@jimfinlaw4537]

Definitely a misleading title for this video. Obviously theres not much aircraft restoration going on in this video. Just chasing down hunches where a downed P-38 wreck might be. Who in their right mind puts blank screens up for breaks in a video? This video was truly a let down from what I was expecting.

[@wayneanderson5293]

This video would be a LOT less annoying, and more watchable, without the constant staccato cuts and spastic camera zooms and pans. Who thought that was a good idea? Give us a steady moment, so we can actually LOOK AT things.

[@conceptalfa]

👍 👍 👍!!!

[@briangrant774]

who's jerry?

[@milloendez5079]

It is illegal to repair them already I tried 😓

[@AngeliqueKaga]

I HATE FAN DUEL...IT'S PUKE!

[@flyboy126]

How annoying... I wanted to watch a video about aircraft restoration not another crappy reality type show with bad acting, and horrible writing...

[@Watson1]

Here is another video mob that doesn’t know what they are doing. Having loud music blaring in the background while someone is talking. How the hell are you supposed to understand what they are. I will try and watch it for 20 minutes and see how it’s going. But I will be darned if I have to struggle to hear the information being said.

[@alpteknbaser7773]

💙🇺🇸🇬🇧

[@sydsacks9097]

Ruined by drumming and short takes attempt to make it racy and exciting.

[@tindamama6134]

The mundane fifth considerably approve because helium hisologically arrest amidst a scary cloud. understood, gainful racing

[@haroldjones3067]

I will be sure to avoid your videos! your title is totally a lie.

[@bill2066]

Stop it with the Snakes and Crocs thing! Stupid sensationalized nonsense ! Thank God We're getting away, finally, from that Ridiculous Reality Show nonsense Format! They 're like tattoos now....Fading away. Thank God!

[@bradparker7069]

From the beginning I knew Adam was a sissy.

[@whisky3k]

All the fake drama is making these shows unwatchable.

[@hearsejr]

Funny how one minute they want to call these wrecks memorial sites or war graves till some dude comes along and starts throwing hundred dollar bills around, then it's suddenly a bunch of scrap metal in the jungle. If these guys really wanted one then they should have hit some of the places they buried those scraps after ww2 around PNG and the S. Pacific.

[@FiveCentsPlease]

+ hearsejr A lot of the burial sites were cleaned up by scrap metal companies in the 1950s. The scrappers also got a lot of the South Pacific aircraft there were easier to get to. "Rot in place" is not a memorial to anything unless it is a known war grave. Rising third-world economies and demand for scrap metals has made the remaining aircraft an easy target when nobody is looking. So it is a race against the clock to save what can be saved from corrosion or scrapping.

[@zawzawaung6789]

I think the aircraft they found at the end has already been profiled several times. Easy to get to, been seen from other aircraft passing by since WWII.

[@buggsy5]

It certainly had been visited before. For example, it looked like all the instrumentation had been stripped. Claiming to restore that mess would be about like claiming to restore a house based on a tornado damaged bedroom.

[@daveridgeway2639]

I am unsubscribing because the video's are not direct to the point and too much filler. Please reply. Dave...

[@geoffnoyes520]

Frantic and erratic zoom happy camera work, bad language, but lovely aircraft.

[@donaldparlettjr3295]

Jerry your a great actor, lots of drama sir. Can't wait for Covid to be done so we can again have Warbirds Over the Beach again. And get to see the P-39 fly.

[@jazsmin3rosado27]

I'm just like Adam I would never go to Red Lobster till 1night all my boys were goin n my 1friend said yo they got chicken fingers I was like foreal I'm in there lol

[@jazsmin3rosado27]

I just seen this my girls KZbin account

[@royarianto4617]

Teror from the sky....hell yeahh

[@YukariAkiyamaFloof]

I live in Virginia and I got to meet the man who collected those planes he is a very nice guy

[@acriley87]

For a West Virginia boy, Adam sure is soft.

[@romansroad2007]

God bless them all. Man you well not see this with some of the younger kids now theses days. They have no idea how much people gave up and died for this great country USA 🇺🇸

[@josiahchin1302]

The free geometry unlikely unite because grip embryologically stamp against a slimy cellar. homely, delightful airbus

[@alangarland8571]

.

[@loneranger5349]

If you got that much money just buy someone's plane from them.

[@conceptalfa]

Is there no following on this one? Can't find anything...

[@alexcroal2855]

BS! Australia did have p38s

[@TameemUlqais]

Love you guys you are awesome 👏🏿

[@steveshoemaker6347]

I think Kermit W. said someone of the name Jerry passed away recently....But don't know if its this Jerry hope not but...??...Thanks Spark very much...!

[@AreeyaKKC]

Jerry still around. Paul Allen, another collector passed away.

[@steveshoemaker6347]

@@AreeyaKKC Thanks very much....

[@howardman3926]

Nope, saw him earlier this month

[@steveshoemaker6347]

@@howardman3926 Good news thanks Howard....!

[@miltononyango]

AMAZING