Link found courtsey of the WIX website. It may not be news to some, but it is to me:
“One of the most significant aircraft in the history of naval aviation was the Douglas TBD-1 “Devastator” torpedo bomber. A revolutionary design when introduced in 1935, the type played a key role in the critical opening months of the Pacific War at the Battle of the Coral Sea and the Battle of Midway. Today, no example of the Devastator survives in any museum or collection.
Two intact Devastators have been found in relatively shallow water on the bottom of Jaluit lagoon in the Marhsall Islands. These aircraft not only represent the best surviving examples of their type but they are also individually historic. Ditched on February 1, 1942 during a raid launched from U.S.S. Yorktown, they are among the first American aircraft lost in offensive operations in World War Two. The best candidate for recovery and preservation at the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola, Florida is the deeper of the two aircraft – U.S. Navy TBD-1 Bu.No. 1515.”
Edited to add that the first dive was in 2004, so perhaps its not news. Also, some great videos of the wrecks, together with footage of an apparently upside down Kawanishi H8K can be viewed.
By: Skyraider3D - 27th August 2006 at 20:37
Great news! 🙂
Now if only one day a Fokker G.1 emerges… 😉
By: Hurrifan - 27th August 2006 at 12:01
Goods news! I believe TIGHAR, the organization mentioned here are very active in pursuing a solution to the Amelia Earhart mystery. 😉
didnt they find some remains on a pacific island? seem to remember something about aircraft wreakage, bones and clothing on a TV documentary?
:confused:
By: Newforest - 26th August 2006 at 14:52
That old chesnut… 😉
Everyone knows that she was abducted by aliens.
Ali
Thought you were conspicuously absent this week, perhaps diving to new depths, but on checking,there you were posting on threads totally unrelated to undersea adventures! 😀
By: Allison Johnson - 26th August 2006 at 09:37
Goods news! I believe TIGHAR, the organization mentioned here are very active in pursuing a solution to the Amelia Earhart mystery. 😉
That old chesnut… 😉
Everyone knows that she was abducted by aliens.
Ali
By: Newforest - 26th August 2006 at 08:09
It appears as though no-one during this thread previously mentioned the most controversial, surviving/existing T.B.D. Devastator.
Poor old thing had then become a ‘bone of contention’ between the salvage/aircraft recovery company & the U.S. Navy who ‘claimed’ it as theirs, (despite being S.o.C. by them, in Sept 1943).
Check the (hopefully !) following links….. (the latter with pix).
That’s because we didn’t know, or remember! Good luck to Doug Champlin in his efforts to get some sense in the ‘corridors of power’. It is ironic that some ‘prat’ or whatever the US equivalent is behind a desk, has such power of the pen or lack of imagination to make a meaningful decision for history.
By: Hornchurch - 26th August 2006 at 01:02
TBD with combat history Coral Sea & Midway
It appears as though no-one during this thread previously mentioned the most controversial, surviving/existing T.B.D. Devastator.
Reading the early part of this thread jogged the old grey matter, regarding a combat veteran T.B.D. that had been located 8 miles East of the Miami coastline, as a result of a training accident on the 1st July 1943.
The a/c’s identity confirmed that it (apparently) had seen action during both the Battle of the Coral Sea & the subsequent Battle of Midway, having been one of U.S.S. Yorktown’s own a/c – later retired for trainig purposes – hence it’s longterm bathing spell in the Atlantic !!!
Poor old thing had then become a ‘bone of contention’ between the salvage/aircraft recovery company & the U.S. Navy who ‘claimed’ it as theirs, (despite being S.o.C. by them, in Sept 1943).
Check the (hopefully !) following links….. (the latter with pix).
By: 25deg south - 23rd August 2006 at 11:06
Memory plays tricks, but wasn’t there one of the TBD family or its immediate forbears flying in the USA around the 70’s? I seen to remember that distinct canopy and profile with yellow wings in a shot in a magazine somewhere -perhaps formating on a Dauntless?
By: Newforest - 23rd August 2006 at 08:13
Goods news! I believe TIGHAR, the organization mentioned here are very active in pursuing a solution to the Amelia Earhart mystery. 😉
By: SeaDog - 22nd August 2006 at 22:37
TBD Link
Knew that they had been found. Had not seen the site nor heard anything about them for a while. Thanks for the link.
By: Toddington Ted - 22nd August 2006 at 21:19
Douglas Devastator
Thank you very much for posting, this is certainly news to me. By strange coincidence I am putting together a 1/72 scale model of this aircraft type at present (preparing for retirement-reliving memories you see!). I already have one in the very colourful pre-war USN livery and this one will be in the 1942 livery which is the other option from the kit. I do hope that the project is successful, I have always been fascinated by these USN machines, Devastators especially, don’t know why!
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August 22, 2006 at 8:52 pm