As the subject has repeatidly been raised (and no later than yesterday on WIX) thought it would be a good idea to start listing known survivors recovered from the seas.
– Better if it exclude airworthy restorations as it will avoid the “data plate” restoration controversy
– Should obviously exclude aircrafts still in situ as the list would be endless
– Should only include complete or almost complete airframes
– Would be perfect if photos can be attached
I’ll start with one of my personnal favorites i had the chance to see in Tokyo during a trip in 2001 :
A6M2 (two seater) displayed in National Science Museum. Recovered from Rabaul harbour in 1972.
Laurent
By: Glyn - 5th November 2004 at 06:43
Stretching the rules a bit but I suppose it does qualify as an “aircraft” – how about the amazing recovery & restoration of Gus Grissom’s Mercury capsule Liberty Bell 7.
It’s doing pretty well after close to 40 years in salt water.
http://aesp.nasa.okstate.edu/fieldguide/pages/mercury/mr-4.html
By: Mark V - 5th November 2004 at 00:48
The sea recovery issue was an interesting debate but Harvard IV’s question concerned the viability of recovered sea wrecks being ‘useable’ again. I believe he was making the point that there are no flying restorations based on salt water recovered airframes, in my understanding a correct statement, but was taken to mean any airframe in a ‘static’ restorable state which is obviously somewhat different.
By: Flood - 5th November 2004 at 00:16
Spitfire Vc BR108 at Malta?
Flood
By: Warhawk - 4th November 2004 at 21:43
…This would make an interesting subject for a magazine piece. (And yeah, quite the burst of activity over on WIX, stemming from Chris “Harvard IV” making a perfectly innocent inquiry about P-47s and P-38s reported deep-sixed off Guam at war’s end. Never was a real answer to that…instead this huge debate about how worthwhile ocean recoveries are. I think the lovely A6M-2 trainer shown at the top of this thread ends that debate nicely!) 😀
S.
Someone (homer perhaps) should explain to these folks that these aircraft are worthless, rotted junk and should be thrown on the scrap heap. Either that or handed over to Moto art and turned into tables and modern art. :dev2: 😀
By: airmanual - 4th November 2004 at 20:08
Another one :
Ki-27 recovered 600 meters from shore in Japan in 1997 and sole survivor up to this day
Photo from j-aircraft.com
Laurent
By: Steve T - 4th November 2004 at 19:47
Can think of a couple off the top of my head…
–the P-40L found off Anzio (?) some years ago and now on show more or less as found in a museum nearby
–the P-51D “Little Zippie” displayed at the Clacton Martello Tower museum, pulled from the sea off Clacton Pier where she ditched in 1945 (the pilot sadly drowned trying to swim for shore)
–the F3F at Pensacola
…This would make an interesting subject for a magazine piece. (And yeah, quite the burst of activity over on WIX, stemming from Chris “Harvard IV” making a perfectly innocent inquiry about P-47s and P-38s reported deep-sixed off Guam at war’s end. Never was a real answer to that…instead this huge debate about how worthwhile ocean recoveries are. I think the lovely A6M-2 trainer shown at the top of this thread ends that debate nicely!) 😀
S.
By: Flat 12x2 - 4th November 2004 at 12:22
Ohhh… I hope ‘homer’ is not on on this forum
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November 4, 2004 at 12:01 pm