history buffs in the house?

[1313blade]

just curious as to how many other history nuts are out there... i myself aside from hunting and fishing enjoy a life of metal detecting in my free time, while at the same time i make youtube videos about the history of old places or towns... i got tired of trying to hunt down information on places. so i did something about it i go around to some (not all) old places and take pictures and ask some locals about the history of the place or ill hit up different websites or the library and include the information in a non narrated video for others to see so far im only in the south atm so my videos are about different towns/buildings in the appalachia region (i would link my channel but i dont want to break any rules on advertising [not that i get paid for any of it yet anyway])
EDIT: oh and happy new year too all!

[BigSwede]

I like history. Hoping to go to Sweden this summer and look up my grandparents old homesteads.

[1313blade]

that would be a great place to look... should be viking stuff around there but it would be really far down.. best of luck to you though!

[N law]

I like history! I've never sought out the information on my own, but I have done a lot of reading on local history.

What part of East TN you from?

[1313blade]

im from hamblen county... looks like your from nooga. lots of civil war battle grounds down there id love to go down and dig them your also close to the hales bar dam.. glad to see another appalachian in the forum!

[N law]

Yeah, Chattanooga has a lot of cool history. I haven't ventured into hales bar area much, but I had classmates in school who lived in the parts of town where the battles occurred that regularly found items in their yard while digging and playing. I work in the building and construction industry and I've been fortunate see a lot of historic buildings and learn about their local history. Most of our projects are residential, but some are really prominent people's homes. For instance, on one project, we found some old, old coke bottles in the crawl space of a home that was built by one of the three guys who started the bottling company.

I haven't spent much time in Hamblen county, but I have a friend from college from Morristown and my really good buddy went to Carson Newman, so I visited a few times in Jefferson City.

[1313blade]

jeff county is pretty cool... you see dandridge was first discovered by hernando de soto who found the kingdom of chiaha out on zimmerman island (under douglas lake now) but ive covered a a bunch of places on my youtube channel like oak ridge, rogersville and other such in my area. for the longest time we had the morristown normal and industrial college which was one of the first few institutions for higher education specifically for black americans... they recently tore it down as a bunch of POS lower than dog ---- individuals set the place on fire a few years back after it was closed and abandoned... perhaps you would be interested ? id pm the link if you are ( i wont if you dont care about it)
but they are making in into a park of sorts... i actually just went digging a week ago and we found about 6 bullets on an old confederate campsite!
edit: pm the link to my Youtube Channel.

[N law]

yeah, send me the link. I love watching youtube videos. I have spent a lot of time on watching guys like aquachigger and others who go looking for old artifacts.

[1313blade]

i am no professional at it. i dont spend loads on the best in house editing software but i feel i do a good job!.. leave some feed back if you dont care

[N law]

Got the link. I will definitely watch the videos. Thanks for sharing!

[N law]

I watched a couple videos of yours and learned a bit. Makes me want to visit dandridge.

As I was watching them, it made me think of some cool abandoned places down here. There is a house adjacent to Cravens house down here that people are wanting to save. The National park owns it, but wants to tear it down. It's mostly off limits but a history filled house. The other one that your videos brought up was the Corpswood Manor. I'll let you read up on that one. I heard about it from a friend who's cabin is a few miles away from it and he lived in the area when it became known about.

Cool videos. I've subscribed.

[NCEvets]

yup, definitely!

I have even had the fun of working as an archaeologist and a historian (and restoration carpenter) for awhile, and sometimes still get to do some freelance research as a job. I focus on mostly NC, SC, VA, and TN history and etc., but am interested in most aspects, eras, and locales. People's histories are quite amazing.

My family is mostly from the eastern TN area, from Knoxville down south to Maryville and the surrounding area. My great-grandfather left TN for Canada and/or Washington state for gold in the 1890's.

[DSUZU]

While I've been way too busy with the rest of life, I've had quite a few exciting experiences as an "Aviation Archaeologist" Been to many WWII crash sites, discovered a few myself. High point was pulling the twin .50 caliber Brownings from the tail gun position (all that was left intact) of a Martin B-26 bomber. Unfortunately, after almost 70 years in a swamp, they disintegrated when disturbed. Pacific Aeropress "Wreckchasing Message Board" has a lot of posts I have made, some pictures too. Photocrookbucket took a lot of them. Dennis

[Skeletor]

While I've been way too busy with the rest of life, I've had quite a few exciting experiences as an "Aviation Archaeologist" Been to many WWII crash sites, discovered a few myself. High point was pulling the twin .50 caliber Brownings from the tail gun position (all that was left intact) of a Martin B-26 bomber. Unfortunately, after almost 70 years in a swamp, they disintegrated when disturbed. Pacific Aeropress "Wreckchasing Message Board" has a lot of posts I have made, some pictures too. Photocrookbucket took a lot of them. Dennis

amazing the amount of wrecks out there,,as an kid, the image of that b-24 bomber found intact in the desert circa 1960, was powerful...'i believe her name was ' Lady be good '....then you had several aircraft like the P-38, recovered in Greenland....

[DSUZU]

Yes (back then). A Curtiss P-40, now being restored at the Curtiss Museum, was sitting in a Florida Swamp (in pieces) until the mid 80s. I met the guy who recovered it. Took several weeks, piece by piece, boat load by boat load. Then when word got out, he had to go buy pieces from those who had gone in and scavenged them. End result, he ended up with 90% of the aircraft (engine, which was in 2 feet of water, then 8 feet of mud, was not even seized up. They used a diver and come alongs to pull it from the muck.
Around that time, people with resources started hunting down and recovering anything "worthwhile" in Florida, and everywhere else. Sadly, out west, in the 1970s, many relatively intackt wrecks were remotely melted down for scrap. People I know have gone to the sites and the steel parts - sometimes including guns - are still there. Most crash sites are carefully guarded secrets.

[DSUZU]

Forgot to add: The remains of the B-24, the "Lady Be Good" are still in Libya. After the U.S. Air Force took what they wanted for memorial and study, it was abandoned. Vandals took over and eventually, the Libyan government went in and cut the rest up and it is still in storage on a Libyan military base somewhere. There was talk a few years back about this being brought home for hopeful and eventual restoration, but to the best of my knowledge, it hasn't happened yet.
There are 5 more P-38s under the ice, and as of about a year or two ago, another recovery operation was in the making. These planes are under 260 feet of ice, and all have much damage from the weight of the ice. There are also 2 very rare B-17E models at that location, but because of their size, the damage is much worse, and recovery much more difficult. As the price of a B-17 goes much higher, that may be feasible someday. Other intact or semi-intact wrecks are still out there, but most are tangled with political restrictions from the countries where they are located. As they sit in the elements, they only continue to deteriorate due to exposure and the scavenging of parts that can "walk away"
In a related note, several WWII shipwrecks in remote parts of the world (South Pacific) have also been pilfered by salvagers. These, primarily British ships, have been broken up by a large, heavy breakers knife, and the pieces hauled to the surface (most about 100-300 ft depth). The unscrupulous salvagers, simply push any human remains (bones) over the side as they are cutting up the wreckage. Really irritates me. Dennis

[JG26_Irish]

WWII Aviation history and civil war history are both interests of mine. There are not too many WWII crash sites in KY but I was fortunate enough to meet and befriend a number of WWII pilots while they were still with us (RIP). A few years back by a stroke of luck I came into possession of some 8th airforce gun cam film that was found in an estate sale in Bardstown, KY. Through a bit of effort and research, I was able to learn that it was from the last missions of a Capt Reynolds (going from memory here) who was shotdown by flak in Sept 44 in Germany while strafing a Luftwaffe airbase. His P51 took a hit in the radiator and he eventually had to belly in. I spoke to his wingman Lt Graham in Michigan who was still living at the time and he told me that he had seen his buddy land safely and get out and waved at him and he almost landed to bring him home but their Commander had told them to do so would be an automatic courts martial because so many had tried this and gotten stuck in the mud. So he waggled his wings and flew back to England. They were with the 336th Fighter Group. About a month later they were told by the Red Cross that Capt Reynolds died from injuries. His wingman was convinced that the NAZI's murdered him when he was captured. No way of knowing. However, this was the same area where a group of hardcore NAZI's killed a bomber crew and were tried for war crimes after the war. It seems that Reynold's commander sent the only copy of the gun-cam film to his father as evidence of his son's final missions. The film covered about the last ten days of his life including missions in late August and early Sept. I think he was shot down Sept 10, 1944.

They included lots of ground attacks plus two aerial kills of a Bf109G and a FW190. The FW190 is notable because it was what is known as a Long-Nose high altitude V12 powered model but it was not powered by the usual Junkers-Jumo V12. This one was a prototype model which was powered by a Diamler-Benz V12 and made more power. It never went into serial production due to engine shortages and the use of those engines in other aircraft. I was able to share a DVD copy of these films with the Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson AFB since the Air Force had no copies of that particular film. The general in charge was a mechanical engineer and a history buff as well and they confirmed the 190 in the film. I later met an old German Test pilot who flew for the Focke-Wulf factory who gave me photos of the same aircraft taken prior to it getting shot up in Sept. He had flown it but was not flying the day Capt Reynolds shot it down. I am still an honorary member of the 336th FG historical society having also gifted them a copy of the films. This research all took place about 12 yrs ago. Sadly since that time, Lt Graham (wingman), Capt Ananian (336th FG historian) as well as most of the other pilots I befriended have all passed away. About 1998 I met Don Browning in Columbus, OH at the airport. I noticed there were many WWII era medals on display in his office. He shared with me that they had been his brother's, Jim Browning. Capt Browning was killed about 2 months before the end of WWII in Germany when his P51 collided with the ME262 jet piloted by Baron Von Riedesel, Oberstleutanant (LTCOL), commander of KG54 while in a dogfight where KG54 lost four aircraft. Both pilots were killed in the collision. Bud Anderson another ace from 357th FG was a close friend of Jim Browning and named his son after him. Bud and Chuck Yeager were best friends and as far as I know, both are still living.

[Skeletor]

history buff and geek here....grew up in Ann ARBOR...Been living in Memphis, since early 80's...recently retired after 30 yrs at FEDEX.
Lots of history down here...plus I'm interested in both cold war and vietnam, since I'm a nam vet...the 60's and 70's were changing of the guard
in the American landscape...

[giusedtobe]

I actually majored in history. Never did anything with it but have always loved it.

OP you should come to Knoxville to detect if you haven't. Obviously was not a major battle but there is no official park which would prevent you from detecting/digging. There was a nice skirmish right in Farragut & I would imagine it would not be too hard to get permission from landowners/homeowners if you can pinpoint more or less where the lines were. Shouldn't be too hard.

Dennis I am sure you are familiar with Kermit Weeks the guy in FL with all the warbirds and very deep pockets. I am pretty sure he has the remains of a Japanese Ki-61 Tony from somewhere in the South Pacific. If he can restore it I believe it will be the only example in the world.

Forgot to mention, I have some artifacts from my great great grandfather who fought in the 4th AL CSA. They were with the Army of Northern VA for most of the war but were detached in 1863/64 to GA and fought at Chickamauga and the Knoxville campaign and up into the OP's home area. Happy to show this stuff to any history/Trooper buffs who happen through Knoxville.

[itsmehb]

I'm also a big aviation history buff. Got my interest early riding my bicycle out to Gen. Spatz field and watching the planes take off and land. Followed up with an enlistment in the navy serving as an aircraft electrician in a anti-sub squadron on 2 different carriers. Even experiencing a deck launch off CVS-39 in a Grumman S2F. Worked for several airlines including New York Airways where I got to fly under all the bridges in the city in one of our helicopters. Ended up putting in over 30 years with American and am now retired for over 20 years. I've visited the air force museum in Dayton. It's a must see place for aviation buffs. I even got to work on a DC-3 when I was with Central Airlines in Texas. It was a retired WW-2 airplane that had over 100,000 flight hours on it. That is over 10 years of steady flying 24/7. Says a lot about that old grand AC.

[wmorrisiii]

Here’s a good story for you Harry. The last DC 3 I flew on was owned by PBA (Boston Providence Airlines) that operated all the Cape to Boston flights out of Hyannis MA. I flew on it twice as it was kind of unusual for them to use it. Most of the shuttle flights were 8 passenger turbo props. I do remember the first time I flew it though...you boarded from the back door and the hike up to the front seats was like climbing a hill. No cockpit for the pilots either as I sat in the seats right behind them and talked to them for the short 20 to 30 minute flight to Boston. It wasn’t fast but it felt like the most solid stable plane I’d ever been in. This was in the late 70’s and into the mid 80’s. It was a real letdown to get off that plane In Boston and get on a big commercial jet to fly wherever I was going. The only other DC 3 I ever flew on was a commercial flight from NY to Shannon Ireland when the Army decided to transfer my father to Germany. I was two then and don’t remember a damn thing about that flight other than the few pictures my mother took. PBA is long out of business now so I have no idea if that old DC 3 is still flying somewhere. I like to think it is, about as much as I would like to relive those years on the Cape when I was young and single.

[itsmehb]

That is a good one, Willie. The DC-3 is a distant memory for me as it was so many years ago. I often think back at how far aviation has progressed from those early days. Most cars today have way more advanced systems than the DC-3 ever dreamed of. It had no AC power. None. Very little DC power. Lots of the instruments were air driven. The aircraft was unpressurized as the engines couldn't operate in the thin air over 18000 feet and this was before superchargers and turbo compound engines. There was no up locks on the landing gear, so if hydraulic power was lost the gear would fall out as it was held up with positive pressure. The control surfaces were fabric even though the aircraft was aluminum. Hard to see how they ever were successful flying these over the hump into China to help win the war. They lost some 600 aircraft doing it so it was extreme flying. Of course no Air Conditioning except it did have cabin heat. The cowl flaps were hydraulic. The navigation was mainly ADF relying on radio signals and a compass to find there way. They did have a turn and bank and artifical horizon indicators. I never got to taxi one but understand from those that did that it had to be steered using engine power, not like the modern aircraft with nose gears and nose gear steering. Many aviation memories as that was my whole life's career.

[wmorrisiii]

Damn Harry, you are a encyclopedia. I'm glad I didn't know any of this when I was flying on them. That flight to Shannon was over the ocean too and we were in a plane with a 16000 foot ceiling...whose landing gear was held on by positive pressure. Yikes!

[itsmehb]

Damn Harry, you are a encyclopedia. I'm glad I didn't know any of this when I was flying on them. That flight to Shannon was over the ocean too and we were in a plane with a 16000 foot ceiling...whose landing gear was held on by positive pressure. Yikes!

Willie, a poor choice of wording on my part. The gear was held up in the locked position with positive hydraulic pressure, and if pressure was lost the gear would fall out of the wheel well and create added drag to the aircraft performance. However the DC-3 was very a very capable flying machine and could still perform well with the added drag. Modern aircraft have hydraulic operated uolocks that lock the gear in the up position. Then in flight the hydraulic pressure ic reduced from the normal 3000 psi to around 1000 psi utill the additional pressure is required for locking the gear down for landing and braking to help stop the aircraft, The DC-3 was hard to hold on the ground once VR ( velocity for rotation) speed was reached the aircraft wanted to fly and would literally fly itself off the ground.

[Skeletor]

big history buff here...actually a minor in history....Detroit -Ann Arbor axis, has a lot of history....in the early 80's, I got transferred down to Elvis central..and I finally retired after 30 yrs...memphis-Nashville, is full of history.....and of course, Most of East TN, etc....don't consider memphis to be apart of TN......more like MS or Ark...in their eyes.....