Unidentified Aircraft Wreck in Med

I did spend some time looking at photographs of the nacelles of Ju88 but couldn’t find that ‘inlet / vent’ (or that ‘exhaust pipe’) on any of them. I did think possibly Ju188 / Ju388 but had no luck there either.

But at least we know it is German.

Me too! Began to wonder if this was TWO wrecks. The pics were taken during a survey/search of the Med whilst something else was being looked for and so I suppose the pics could be of different wrecks.

Is it possible to get further photographic evidence?

No, I meant the ‘exhaust pipe’ below the ‘vent’…..it is not easy to see as the photograph is so dark in that area.

Look on the originally posted (upside-down) photograph; it is easier to see.

Vent not exhaust

Looking at this photograph certain things can be deduced. The way I see it it is a vent not an exhaust as a square grille is visible on the inside of the opening. Not normal for exhausts. I believe it is possible to think it is an exhaust because of the scorching visible apparently having eminated from the opening. I look at it as an aircraft that has suffered an internal fire venting to atmosphere through a rear facing compartment vent. Grilles are normally placed inside these to stop any avian interest, ie:- nesting birds. Also of interest is the impact distortion visible aft of this opening. Still doesn’t answer what the a/c is but worth a look.:confused:

I did spend some time looking at photographs of the nacelles of Ju88 but couldn’t find that ‘inlet / vent’ (or that ‘exhaust pipe’) on any of them. I did think possibly Ju188 / Ju388 but had no luck there either.

But at least we know it is German.

Ju88 fits very nicely, well done Peter for thinking ‘out of the box’!

OK…more info from my marine salvage friend. Another shot shows a clear German cross but on an unidentified part – possibly fuselage. Then this view of a fin and rudder. Looks like Ju 88 to me, or some variant thereof. Mystery solved?

I agree, it looks much more natural the other way up…..so twin-engined (at least).

Now what about that exhaust pipe (?) you can just see below the vent (as opposed to inlet)? :confused:

I couldn’t make any sense of that before…..but now as a twin-engined aircraft it is in the ‘right’ place.

I meant much more sense as in….well….much more sense. 😀 Not that I have any better idea! Actually, it looks “better” from an aeronautical point of view this way up instead of considering it to be a top view of a cowling. Also, the exhaust stain seems pretty obvious now someone mentioned it!! Bet you haven’t had so much fun since my Typhoon in a fridge puzzle!

Really? Any guesses Tangmere? I initially thought Fiat Cansa Fc-20 but it is missing the bulge on the upper forward part of the gear door.

Yes! Thats makes much more sense all of a sudden, Peter.

Is this better? If you look at the picture above the trailing part of the exhust stain that looks like main gear doors?

Looks like an upside down wing and nacelle to me.

The bottom of Tobruk Harbour was littered with a dozen, or so, of a/c wrecks in the early 1950’s. Some looked like the pic, but were difficult to spot because the a/c remains were very much the same colour as the sand at the bottom of the harbour. However, some wrecks were completely weed covered which (as most of ’em were lying flat on the sea bed) gave a plan view of the a/c against the sand background. But I suppose that the locals have dredged them up for scrap by now. If they could shift a large tank from within a minefield then I suppose an a/c 40 ft down in a sheltered harbour would have been child’s play!!
HTH
Resmoroh

If forwards is to the right, and single engine, is that an exhaust stain ?………..FW190 ? ? ? ?

Very hard to tell from that shot, and I’m only replying out of having little to do and much time rather than knowledge – but BF109 sprung to my mind, probably by leaping to the conclusion of single engined type and side scoop on engine panels

Supporting your Italian suggestion I thought possibly Macchi C.205 (with the intake filter missing)…

…but the bits don’t seem to be in exactly the right place.

I’m no good with Italian aircraft but what about a Reggiane Re.2005?

I know exactly what both of you mean…..!

I too think we are looking at a fuselage of a single-engined machine, above the wing/wing root and just forward of the cockpit. On the other hand, it could be a multi-engined job and this could be a nacelle where we could be looking at either the top or bottom (if its upside down!) and either facing fore or aft. Puzzling! I still keep thinking Italian. Fighter maybe? Aircraft recognition doesn’t get much harder than this!

Very interesting photograph…..but a little difficult to say what exactly we are looking at!

To me it looks like a fuselage, probably the engine cowling area. The distinctive inlet (engine air intake?) presumably faces forward. I cannot decide if we are looking at the wing root area below the inlet (with bits of corroded wing structure perpendicular to the fuselage) or is it just the seabed? And what of the long rectangular slot below and in front of the inlet; could it be for the (corroded away) exhaust stubs of an inline engine?

Assuming of course that the fuselage is the right way up (and that it is a single-engined aircraft). :confused:

Not much to work from in that pic?

The last wreck I IDd, part of which was brought ashore by a trawler into Santa Pola, Costa Blanca, was the tail end of a Hudson, but it was easier when out of the water.