Operation Bolero Two Headquarters, Be a part of history in the making Options

[Deb Mitchell]

FROM GLACIER TO GLORY

OPERATION BOLERO II TO SET AVIATION MILESTONE
AS LEGENDARY P-38 GLACIER GIRL COMPLETES HER
HISTORIC WORLD WAR II MISSION

Philadelphia, PA (May 24,2007)?On July 15, 1942, a United States Army/Air Force Squadron departed American soil on Operation Bolero, a World War II aid mission to support U.S. allies in the war torn European theatre. Due to insurmountable weather-related problems en route, the entire squadron of six P-38s and two B-17 Bombers was forced to abort its mission and make an emergency landing on a remote ice cap in Greenland. ?The Lost Squadron,? as it has become known over time, drifted miles from its original location and only one P-38, encased in 268 feet of ice, was salvaged.

A recovery and restoration mission taking more than ten years and costing more than six million dollars brought this legendary P-38 Lightning, now known as Glacier Girl, to her original flying glory. On June 22, 2007, Glacier Girl will finally complete her fabled World War II transatlantic mission when she departs from Teterboro Airport in New Jersey bound for Duxford, England.

?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,? said pilot Steve Hinton, who will fly Glacier Girl in her transatlantic flight in June. ?It?s thrilling to be a part of this historic event.?

Dubbed Operation Bolero II, after the original WWII operation, the mission remains as challenging as it is historic. Glacier Girl will be accompanied by the P-51 Mustang Miss Velma, a vintage WWII U.S. war bird that will be flown by air show legend Ed Shipley. The P-51 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 email communications and receive answers from the cockpit while the planes are in flight. Wingspeed?s network will also allow real time tracking of Glacier Girl?s historic journey exclusively at AirShowBuzz.com, a new social networking and user-generated/content-sharing Web site for aviation enthusiasts.

?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, US Air Force Heritage Flight pilot and founder of AirShowBuzz.com. ?Wingspeed?s cutting edge communications technology will allow us to chat with enthusiasts from anywhere on the globe while we?re in flight, so the world can experience this with us.?

After landing, Glacier Girl will remain in Duxford for the renowned Flying Legends Air Show on July 7 and 8, where she will be featured alongside an impressive line-up of over 50 aircraft from both the WWI and WWII era. Glacier Girl will then return to the U.S. for EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, WI, where she will fly the U.S. Air Force Heritage Flight.

# # #

[Moxie1]

Hi Ed,

A few question if you don't mind,

1 Do you guy's plan on using Bluei Route
2 When do you think you'll be in Maine
3 Do you need any help from any of us Mainers
4 What type of long range drop tanks do you guys plan on using
5 What are you and Steve doing to prepare for this long flight(IE Mental and Physical shape)

Thanks in advance for answer any of the questions.

Cheers
Moxie

[Deb Mitchell]

Glacier Girl and Miss Velma Scheduled Stops

DATES EVENTS NAT LOCATION
Jun 16, 2007 1st Leg Chino, CA
Jun 21, 2007 2nd Leg Middlesboro, KY
Jun 22, 2007 3rd Leg Teterboro, NJ
Jun 23, 2007 4th Leg Presque Isle, ME
Jun 25, 2007 5th Leg Goose Bay, Labrador, NL
Jun 25, 2007 6th Leg Frobisher Bay, NU
Jun 27, 2007 7th Leg Kangerlussuaq, GL
Jun 27, 2007 8th Leg Kulusuk, GL
Jun 29, 2007 9th Leg Reykjvik, IS
Jun 29, 2007 10th Leg Stornoway, GB
Jul 07-08, 2007 Flying Legends Duxford, Cambridgeshire, GB
Jul 09, 2007 11th Leg Duxford, Cambridgeshire, GB
Jul 09, 2007 12th Leg Stornoway, GB
Jul 10, 2007 13th Leg Reykjvik, IS
Jul 10, 2007 14th Leg Kulusuk, GL
Jul 11, 2007 15th Leg Kangerlussuaq, GL
Jul 11, 2007 16th Leg Frobisher Bay, NU
Jul 12, 2007 17th Leg Goose Bay, Labrador, NL
Jul 12, 2007 18th Leg Bangor, ME
Jul 12, 2007 Final Destination Oshkosh, WI

*Schedule subject to change

[Moxie1]

Hmm that doesn't make since if they plan on following the original route then they need to start in Bangor Maine then go to Presque Isle.

All Transalantic flight started at Dow Field including this flight in at the Base Ops is a photo of the flight the day it left Bangor heading across the Pond.

[helioguy]

July 12th in OSH??............... yeah buddy!!!

[Deb Mitchell]

Hmm that doesn't make since if they plan on following the original route then they need to start in Bangor Maine then go to Presque Isle.

All Transalantic flight started at Dow Field including this flight in at the Base Ops is a photo of the flight the day it left Bangor heading across the Pond.

You're right because I have on my schedule Bangor, Maine on June 23 but it's for a stop to pick up survival gear.

Here's a map of the route.

Reason for edit: update

Attached File(s)

 dsp_plot_1.pl.gif ( 45.89K ) Number of downloads: 266

 

[Moxie1]

You're right because I have on my schedule Bangor, Maine on June 23. I'll confirm and cross check with what we have posted.

Thanks Deb,

Most of us Mainers will be sitting at Bangor when they come in do you know if its going to be a stop for fuel and go or will they stay for awhile on the ground.

Moxie

[Ed Shipley]

Hey Everyone…

Well the cat is out of the bag. Operation Bolero 2 is a go. Before anything else is said about the crossing I think it is important to express the reason it is being done. Simply stated it is to let “Glacier Girl” finish her mission and honor those who gave their all.

This flight is NOT about us… it is about remembering THEM.

With that in mind, ASB is honored to be along for the ride. Our job is to make sure that you can be there too. You are going to meet some great folks and hear some wonderful stories as this adventure unfolds. None of this would be happening without some amazing people.

First of all there is ROY SCHOFFNER. Roy’s dream was to release Glacier Girl from her icy prison so she could fly back to England. He made it happen. Roy is no longer with us, but his spirit is felt by all and will carry us all the way.

BOB CARDIN has been the guardian of “GG” from the glacier to her first flight. Bob has relentlessly made sure that this mission is accomplished. Wherever Glacier Girl is, Bob is always nearby… if anybody can get her there… Bob can.

ROD LEWIS is Glacier Girls proud owner. None of this could or would happen without Rod. He is a soft-spoken Texas gentleman who understands GG’s mission and honors it by making sure it gets done, and done right… thanks Rod.

The man at the controls of the “Glacier Girl” is STEVE HINTON. What can you say about Steve other than he is the BEST man for the job! Steve and his dedicated crew from Planes of Fame in Chino California have been working around the clock to ensure sure both the P-38 and Mustang are ready for the mission. If Steve says they are good to go… they are good to go.

One of the coolest things happening with this flight is the way people are going to be able to follow Bolero 2 live. WINGSPEED has installed an absolutely amazing satellite tracking system in the Mustang. With it, you can follow us to the inch, we can talk live via Sat phone, and send text messages of what’s going on back to the ASB website… all while we are in the air!

All good stories need a perfect ending…. STEPHEN GREY has given us one. Besides being kind enough to allow his new TF-P-51 (Miss Velma) to fly across the Pond with all our tracking gear… Stephen is highlighting Glacier Girl at the greatest air show on earth… THE FLYING LEGENDS SHOW in Duxford England July 7-8. Can you imagine what it will be like when Glacier Girl touches down on the Holy Grass of Duxford! Unbelievable!

Well, that’s enough for right now… things are getting REAL busy. Stay tuned to AirShowBuzz for all the details.

Cheers
Shipley

PS…. Moxie, We are scheduled to be in Bangore (BGR) on June 23 for a quick turn. I’ll let Hinton answer your other questions… so keep checking back.

Attached thumbnail(s)

 

[whvandy]

Hey Everyone?

Well the cat is out of the bag. Operation Bolero 2 is a go. Before anything else is said about the crossing I think it is important to express the reason it is being done. Simply stated it is to let “Glacier Girl” finish her mission and honor those who gave their all.

This flight is NOT about us? it is about remembering THEM.

With that in mind, ASB is honored to be along for the ride. Our job is to make sure that you can be there too. You are going to meet some great folks and hear some wonderful stories as this adventure unfolds. None of this would be happening without some amazing people.

First of all there is ROY SCHOFFNER. Roy?s dream was to release Glacier Girl from her icy prison so she could fly back to England. He made it happen. Roy is no longer with us, but his spirit is felt by all and will carry us all the way.

BOB CARDIN has been the guardian of “GG” from the glacier to her first flight. Bob has relentlessly made sure that this mission is accomplished. Wherever Glacier Girl is, Bob is always nearby? if anybody can get her there? Bob can.

ROD LEWIS is Glacier Girls proud owner. None of this could or would happen without Rod. He is a soft-spoken Texas gentleman who understands GG?s mission and honors it by making sure it gets done, and done right? thanks Rod.

The man at the controls of the “Glacier Girl” is STEVE HINTON. What can you say about Steve other than he is the BEST man for the job! Steve and his dedicated crew from Planes of Fame in Chino California have been working around the clock to ensure sure both the P-38 and Mustang are ready for the mission. If Steve says they are good to go? they are good to go.

One of the coolest things happening with this flight is the way people are going to be able to follow Bolero 2 live. WINGSPEED has installed an absolutely amazing satellite tracking system in the Mustang. With it, you can follow us to the inch, we can talk live via Sat phone, and send text messages of what?s going on back to the ASB website? all while we are in the air!

All good stories need a perfect ending?. STEPHEN GREY has given us one. Besides being kind enough to allow his new TF-P-51 (Miss Velma) to fly across the Pond with all our tracking gear? Stephen is highlighting Glacier Girl at the greatest air show on earth? THE FLYING LEGENDS SHOW in Duxford England July 7-8. Can you imagine what it will be like when Glacier Girl touches down on the Holy Grass of Duxford! Unbelievable!

Well, that?s enough for right now? things are getting REAL busy. Stay tuned to AirShowBuzz for all the details.

Cheers
Shipley

PS?. Moxie, We are scheduled to be in Bangore (BGR) on June 23 for a quick turn. I?ll let Hinton answer your other questions? so keep checking back.

Ed, Are you stopping at 40N? It looks like that on the map. Thanks, Bill

[seb]

So Ed, What day is glacier girl touching down at dux i intend to be at the show both days sund like its gonna be brilliant:D.

also how close is miss velma to flying? as far as i know she hasnt yet,

thanks in advance,


Seb

[helioguy]

So, what kind of range can you expect to get out of the P-38, given ideal circumstances, at cruise power settings??

[Ed Shipley]

Planning to arrive DUX June 29ish.... leaving time for weather to make the show at DUX that coming weekend.

Ed

So Ed, What day is glacier girl touching down at dux i intend to be at the show both days sund like its gonna be brilliant:D.

also how close is miss velma to flying? as far as i know she hasnt yet,

thanks in advance,
Seb

[Ed Shipley]

Both planes are coming from Chino and making their way to KY and then on to Teterboro NJ for the official send off on June 22 or June 23.

Ed

Ed, Are you stopping at 40N? It looks like that on the map. Thanks, Bill

[seb]

thanks ed

[Steph]

Here are some pics of "Miss Velma," the P-51 Mustang that Ed will be flying trans-Atlantic off Glacier Girl's wing for Operation Bolero II. Don't worry...it will be good to go by June 18!

Attached thumbnail(s)

 

[Moggy]

If "Miss Velma" is to be Frank E. Birtciel's P51 of the 343rd Fighter Squadron - 55th Fighter group - 8 th Air Force, then it will probably look something like this:

 miss_velma.bmp ( 563.05K ) Number of downloads: 250

[Moxie1]

Hi Ed,

Any idea about what time you guys are going to try to get into Bangor. Also will you be stopping at Presque Isle.

[Ed Shipley]

Moxie.... don't know the exact time of day... it is all weather permitting kinda thing... just keep checking back on the site. As we get closer we will let everyone know.

Shipley

Hi Ed,

Any idea about what time you guys are going to try to get into Bangor. Also will you be stopping at Presque Isle.

[EZTiger]

Hi Everyone:

I would like to introduce myself and my company to the AirShowBuzz.com community. My name is Stan Durlacher and I am the founder and CEO of Wingspeed Corporation. I am pleased and proud to lead a team of folks at Wingspeed that will assist the Bolero II effort with modern voice, data and flight tracking technology.

Wingspeed will be providing our communications suite of equipment to enable the real-time tracking of, and communications to and from the P-51 airplane. We will be posting specific details of the installation and functionality for our solution in the Mustang as the date for the flight approaches.

Sean Reilly, Wingspeed’s VP of Integration, spent a great day yesterday in Chino working with Steve Hinton and his crew on the details for the installation in Miss Velma. We expect to start test flying the Wingspeed system during the second week in June.

I would like to reinforce the thoughts that Ed Shipley recently wrote that the Bolero II is about completing the mission started 65 years ago, and the importance of honoring the amazing efforts of the people that have made it all possible. Wingspeed is a late entrant into this effort and we are proud to play a role in its success. We all have our reasons for supporting such an effort. My reason is based in not only a love for aviation but because of a flight experience that changed me forever.

As most of the folks reading this message know, the original Bolero flight that created the Lost Squadron started because of bad weather along the route of flight, and the rest of that story is well chronicled. For me, a newly-minted private pilot (Micheal Goulian, Sr. was my FAA examiner), bad weather in the form of un-forecast icing conditions was the catalyst that started me thinking about the real need for current information to and from the cockpit of aircraft.

On that premise, I founded Wingspeed Corporation in 1997. Today, Wingspeed offers a complete Iridium satellite-based voice and data communications solution to for all types commercial air transport and business aircraft, anywhere in the world. Providing flight tracking and communications for the Bolero II flight is about the most special installation and application that I can imagine.

The love of aviation, and specifically vintage aviation, runs deeply within the Wingspeed organization. Our Chairman, Tim Manna, is currently a Trustee for the Shuttleworth Collection at Old Warden, Bedfordshire, UK. Tim is a former US Navy pilot and is also the owner of Kennet Aviation, headquartered at North Weald, Epping, UK. The Kennet collection sports many rare and interesting aircraft, including, I believe, the only flying Griffon-powered Supermarine Seafire, SX336. She will be there at Flying Legends. Tim’s collection also includes a Westland Wasp - a vintage Royal Navy helicopter, a T-6, the only flying Jet Provost I, a Foland Gnat, a Piston Provost…. you get the picture.

I would be pleased to answer any questions that the ASB community may have about Wingspeed or what we are doing for the flight. I also want to say what an honor it is to work with such a great group of people and aviation enthusiasts in Chino and at AirShowBuzz.com. as part of the Glacier-to-Glory team.

Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend and remember what the holiday stands for.

Cheers,
Stan Durlacher
aka. EZTiger

[Moxie1]

Ed Thanks,

Question for you then,

Since this is going to be a rather long flight and I understand you are going to be breaking it up into section like the original flight. With that said what steps are you taking to prepare yourself for this type of flight. IE are you doing extra long distance prep flights hitting the gym ect. ect.

Also have you or anyone involved in this flight been in contact with any of the other pilots that were part of the original flight?

Moxie