.
Apparantly this story ran in the Evening Standard London Newspaper on 1 February 2000, any further details arisen about it, photos? condition, extend of structure? was it subsequently recovered?
http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-5262111.html
“
Warplane enthusiasts who have discovered the wreck of a Lancaster
bomber in a lake popular with tourists are fighting against time and
bureaucracy to salvage it. Aboard the wreck – which is almost intact –
is a two-ton aerial mine, one of the most destructive and sensitive
weapons the Lancasters used against Nazi Germany. Preservationists argue
that divers could defuse the mine in the wreck lying in the Muertiz See,
100 miles north of Berlin, but they are being refused permission to
disturb the plane by local authorities. The Lancaster was shot down in
the summer of 1944 by Messerschmidt nightfighters as it lumbered towards
Rostock. It plunged into the lake and sank in only eight metres of
water. Divers sent down by the Rechliner Technical Air Museum, which is
leading an attempt to salvage the wreck, found the mine aboard, together
with incendiary bombs and thousands of rounds of machinegun ammunition.
The museum sought permission to send in experts to defuse the mine and
other bombs but was denied permission on the grounds the wreck is a
monument – even though the crew parachuted to safety. After a protracted
legal fight the authorities are still refusing to let anyone touch the
wreck despite the bomber’s enormous historical value and warnings that
the aerial mine is unstable. “The vibrations from a pleasure boat
passing overhead could be enough to blow it sky high,” said engineer
Christoph Regel.
The authorities in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern appear to be
relying on the belief that as it hasn’t exploded yet it probably won’t.
However, munitions expert Robert Mollito, who routinely clears up
battlefield leftovers from the Second World War in the region, warned:
“Aerial mines have their own qualities; mostly they explode when you
don’t expect them to.”
The museum says it will launch a new legal challenge to salvage the
wreck later this year”.
regards
Mark Pilkington
By: Phillip Rhodes - 12th April 2009 at 16:44
I was under the impression that the aircraft was an intact Halifax, complete with a 4000lb cookie still attached?
By: Peter - 12th April 2009 at 13:43
hmm, if vibrations from a pleasure boat could set the mine off then wouldnt it be more prudent to have it safely removed??
By: mark_pilkington - 12th April 2009 at 12:42
.
thanks for the link, couldnt find anything on the Lancaster but did find an interesting story on this replica Me262.
http://www.luftfahrttechnisches-museum-rechlin.de/html/me_262_in_rechlin.html
Wednesday, 25.06.2008
Me 262 – Me 262 – A new large exhibit arrived in RechlinJuly 2008, in Aviation Technical Museum Rechlin 1:1 replica of a Messerschmitt Me 262, the first mass-built turbine hunter in the world, It is a loan from the Air Force Museum Gatow.
. The machine was developed by Holger Bullmann in the execution as V9 (9 samples) with the so-called “Rennkabine” for the Air Force Museum Gatow reconstructed. . The canopy was significantly flatter than the hoods out of series machines, a speed gain. Basis for the replica was formed along with other original parts of the fuselage top of a Me 262 A of 4./KG (J) 54, in 1945 by flying low in Neuburg / Donau destroyed during earthworks and 1983 on the local air base has been rediscovered
The existing original parts have been manufactured with new parts made of wood added. What visitors usually remains hidden, it is shown here. The partly transparent planking of fuselage, empennage and engine nacelle of the jet fighter, some interesting insights into the technology then made “visible”, so that a museum piece was extraordinary.
The preparation of Nachbaus was a particular challenge, since the aircraft because of its dimensions, especially in the exhibition hall fits. Nevertheless, plenty of space for visitors to the aircraft on all sides to take a look.
At the same time in the renovated exhibition hall aircraft engines, engines and accessories from the period 1935 to 1990 showed.
. The official inauguration of this new exhibition area in the context of a museum on the occasion of the 10th celebration of the existence of Aviation Museum on 30 August 2008 erfolgen. August 2008 made. But since the holiday season has now begun and hence many visitors in the holiday region of Mueritz expected, this is interesting exhibit for the public is already accessible.
regards
Mark Pilkington
By: Mondariz - 12th April 2009 at 11:42
This is the museum mentioned in the article, maybe someone can find something there:
http://www.luftfahrttechnisches-museum-rechlin.de/index.html
I’m off for my easter lunch, so I don’t have time to read the site right now.
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April 12, 2009 at 11:02 am
