Bid to raise WWII flying boat from Pembroke Dock seabed

The new-build Lancaster/Stirling/Fortress fuselage projects so admired on the forum might show the way ahead, as they can be started in a smallish space, , but with scope to grow if resources permit. £50K would get you off to a very good start.

I think a reproduction walk-through Sunderland fuselage exhibit( like Hendon) with be far more meaningful than a very broken corroding lump from the sea-bed, which to many visitors will probably only ever look like a load of scrap. You could spend an awful lot of money, and end up with very little.

I never said it could not be done,I questioned the cost involved and pondered that what would end up on display would not be worthwhile as far as attracting the public and giving an advantage over alternative cost effective dispalays in a museum.

Right on M8 !!

Even to bring it up in large and small pieces is still feasible and makes the restoration more challenging. Provided costs aren’t ridiculously high. and a big poly tent will be needed for a while.

Bill T.

Never say never.

We attended a BAPC meeting at Duxford many moons ago as new comers. When asked what our project was, we proudly announced we are rebuilding a Gloster Meteor T7 Back to flying condition.

The room broke out in to a shuffle feet and bodies with murmured voices as they all craned to see the Luddites at the back.

The room calmed down and the council table said, _

” Yes, very ambitious, you have no chance, but why not go and play with a Chipmunk and then come back to us “

Well we proved them all wrong and Meteor T7 WA591 / G-BWMF is flying.

I wish these guys all the best and hope it all comes to fruition even just to prove the the naysayers its WAS possible.

So easy to say no it can’t be done and sit back and watch them fail ( We had our fair share at Meteor Flight who did that. ) rather than support and get involved.

I went to the flying boat museum this time last year pricey but all in a good caurse hopefully,i was talking to one of the staff and got around to the question of recovery and when,but he said it is too fragile to bring up so they will be leaving it down in the murky dock have they changed their minds now i wonder…

I appreciated your post Ross, which as usual was helpful.

THE CHAP LOOKING AT A CUTAWAY DRAWING ON HIS DESK NEAR THE BEGINNING OF THIS ARTICLE WAS LOOKING AT A HALIFAX WHERE DID THAT COME FROM IN THIS
BRIAN C D

Ahh..once again on this Historic Forum I seem to have made a factual post in error.

I apologise for making an on topic posting rather than a predictable comic cut and promise not to do it again

Ross

One for TIGHAR?

“The Princess of Pembroke”? “To Save a Sunderland”? “The Duchess of the Dock”?

And I’m not sure about Pembrokes in Sunderland Docks – but I believe there IS a Mitsubishi…

…along with several Cortinas and a burnt out Corsa or two.

Coat!

Is there a similar bid to raise a Pembroke from a Sunderland dock?

Ah, brain failure. Yes, I remember the thread on here now. There’s an excellent Daily Mail article from 2013 with the headline claiming it had been raised, that experts had thought the Sunderland lost to history, that it’s structure was perfectly preserved and in bits, that historians think it is one of the most important discoveries of the century, and are now ‘desperate to piece it together’ – apparently starting by matching the propeller with pictures of Sunderlands to find out… um.. something very important and experty.

Surprised I forgot such a masterpiece.

Still, if the whole operation is 50k, that’s not too bad as a wholly appropriate centrepiece exhibit. I was just questioning it as the cost of the survey alone. Not that I am qualified to do so, it just seemed a high figure to ask for. We are only looking for 40k for the Whirlwind! Bas, are you out there?

One for TIGHAR?

The scale of this project is massive and I do wonder if it is worth the effort and cost.?

Yes. Without wishing to sound negative, that is a question which needs to be addressed.

The scale of this project is massive and I do wonder if it is worth the effort and cost.Submerged salt water wrecks are a nightmare to stabilise and in this case it is not a unique type unlike the recent Dornier channel recovery. What advantage will having large bits of this airframe on the surface have? Could alternative ways of increasing visitor numbers be considered?

Thanks. It would be great to see. More power to their elbows!

Well I wish them well with it, would be fantastic to raise it. Here’s hoping.

Lots on the web on the project circa 2013.

This short video produced but the trust shows dive footage and recovery of the components displayed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZSY2jwtEso

Ross

Hmm. A £50,000 survey? Mind you, it’s not the most reliable sounding of reports, calling it ‘the T9044’ and suggesting there’s only one surviving ‘tail gun’ in the world.

Does anyone know the real story with this? Interesting.