Glacier Girl To Recreate Aborted WWII Mission Before Arriving at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh
Glacier Girl, the Lockheed P-38 WWII fighter that was rescued from beneath the ice in Greenland and meticulously restored to original condition, will appear at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2007, parked on display at the main showcase ramp, AeroShell Square. But before she gets to the World’s Greatest Aviation Celebration for the week of July 23-29, the airplane has some unfinished business to take care of.
Sixty-five years ago, Glacier Girl was one of eight aircraft--six P-38s and two B-17 bombers--assigned to Operation Bolero, a World War II aid mission to support U.S. allies in the war-torn European theatre. The mission was cut short by brutal weather, and the entire squadron was forced to make an emergency landing on a remote ice cap in Greenland.
Fifty years later, the P-38 was salvaged from under 268 feet of ice and was painstakingly restored over the next decade. It flew again in late October 2002 and was an immensely popular attraction at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2005.
On June 22, pilot Steve Hinton will take off in Glacier Girl from Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, and fly to Duxford, England, to complete the aborted Operation Bolero from 65 years ago.
“This monumental flight will bring closure to Operation Bolero as well as pay homage to the brave aviators who beat the odds to survive certain death on that polar ice cap in Greenland during World War II,” Hinton said. “It’s thrilling to be a part of this historic event.”
“Operation Bolero II” will also include air show veteran Ed Shipley, who will be Hinton’s wingman in the recently completed P-51 Mustang Miss Velma. The Mustang will be equipped with Wingspeed Corporation’s satellite-based aircraft communications technology that will allow anyone on the ground to communicate with the pilots via e-mail communications and receive answers from the cockpit while the planes are in flight.
The cutting-edge technology will also allow real time tracking of Glacier Girl’s historic journey at Shipley’s website for aviation enthusiasts, AirShowBuzz.com.
“It’s an honor to be Steve’s wingman as we trace the same flight path that Glacier Girl flew over 60 years ago,” said Shipley, U.S. Air Force Heritage Flight pilot.
Glacier Girl will remain in Duxford for the Flying Legends Air Show on July 7-8, and then return to the U.S. to take part in EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2007. The airplane will be on display at AeroShell Square and be a featured aircraft in the popular Warbirds In Review program, scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday, July 28. It’s also scheduled to be a part of the U.S. Air Force Heritage Flights.
