1990s: Rising Stakes
During the 1990s, the PNG Government began to have a realization of the value of the aircraft wrecks in the country. The PNG Museum enacted a policy of allowing aircaft to be salvaged only under formal agreements. These ageements required the salvaging party was a bonafied museum and for some trade or return of aircraft to enhance the PNG Museum collection.
In 1991, a New Zealander salvaged two P-40 Warhawk fuselages from the Dobodura area: P-40E (details unknown) and P-40N "Suzy" 42-105820. Althought stripped down, these fuselages were valuable in the blossoming restoration market for Curtis P-40 fighters.
Moratorium: mid-1990s. 1993-1995. Brought
about disputes Gasmata. Too many proposals. About 2000 lifted.
1995 RG enters scene, Museum started to take out
airplanes around 2000, to work out formula, political pressure, donations,
charm. Comfortable with him. Jarrett, 75 Squadron.
The decade began when parts were recovered from a historic 75 Squadron wreck near Bulolo, of P-40E A29-7, and exported to Australia and the rest was reportedly scrapped by villagers. The following year, two P-40's were exported from Dobodura area: P-40N "Suzy" 42-105820 from Dobodura and a P-40E (identity unknown).
Helicopters had been used in aircraft salvages by the RAAF during their salvages in 1979-1985, but were employed on a much larger scale in the 1990s.
1992 - P-38H 42-66841 from Faita Larkins / Jarrett
1990s - B-24D "Flying Wolf" 42-41091 from Faita
1997 P-40N "The Carolina Belle" 42-104947 from Finschafen
1999 Ki-61 292 from Alexishafen
1999 - P-47D 42-27608 displayed at Girua Airport, salvaged by Greinert
1999 - P-40K A29-183 salvaged by Greinert, aquired by Graham Orphan
P-40K Unidentified
Renewed Scrap Metal Collection
During the 1990s, Asian businessmen in PNG’s major cities began buying scrap metal. They paid as little as $0.20 per kilogram of scrap metal to local people who collected aluminum soda cans to sell to them. This renewed scrap metal buying had an adverse impact on aircraft wrecks, as villagers in remote areas collected scrap metal from aircraft wrecks on their land and brought it into town to sell to these dealers.
Using only hand tools and manpower, aluminum was smelted on site to create balls of molten aluminum that could be easily carried to the nearest road and then transported to town. Metals that were previously ignored like steel engine frames or landing gear struts were collected in hopes they could be sold. The determination of villagers to transport scrap metal great distances for small sums of money speaks to the poverty faced by up to a third of PNG’s population that subsists on approximately $1.25 per day.
Although scrapping of wartime wreckage is forbidden by the PNG Museum, there was zero enforcement by that entity or police. As PNG officials are notorious for their graft and corruption, a financial bribe by any scrapper would have solved any inquiry into their business. Aside from a few wrecks that were spotted or even saved from scrap metal yards, an unknown amount of wartime wreckage disappeared during the 1990s and early 2000s. Undoubtedly, some American MIA aircraft were among the victims.
Next Decade: 2000s: Rising Stakes
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