Third interview with the BBC was completed today, but this one is probably the best as it contains an interview with Henry Ayer. Henry is the stepson of Paul and recalls the events at home:

BBC interview

And the BBC have run a news item. Again, worth noting the accuracy of the piece. Nice to see some journalism that sticks to, rather than embellishes or makes up, the facts:

BBC News – Meyer’s missing Herc

“The truth is more boring than fiction”

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We are deliberately maintaining a very open mind and whilst we can theorise to the cows come home it will all remain a theory until proven. Just by running the project then the truth may start to come out – and on that note I had a phone call from an ex QRA pilot – the very one that was scrambled on the 23rd – at the weekend and had a very pleasant chat about the event in question. Things are slowly starting to move you could say.

I thought the ‘treasure hunting’ vessel, the ‘Odyssey Explorer’ searched the English Channel a few recent years ago

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A few observations on this:

Whilst we are capable and have a track record of finding things, we are at the other end of the scale and definitely not treasure hunters. Rather more story hunters you could say.

Finally, I have no idea if the backer who just pledged £200 is here, but a very big thank you from the team for having faith and giving your support. It is very much appreciated.

Since finding it isn’t a “sure thing”
And IF it is,it certainly won’t answer the primary question as to why the guy stole it…

Our primary question isn’t why Paul stole the aircraft, it’s what happened while he was in the air and why did he crash. If we find physical evidence on the seabed of the Hercules being shot down we can then start asking more pertinent questions – what aircraft shot him? Who was the pilot? What orders did they have?

But its not just by searching the Channel for the crash site. Someone may come forward with important information that adds clarity to the story.

As for why the Hercules, we have been in contact with Paul’s family for nearly 10 years and we believe that they deserve answers. They have tried to have this investigated by officials before, but the paperwork and records have disappeared.

This is a fascinating story, and we believe it deserves investigating. Yes, there are many other aircraft we could search for in The Channel, but this one has grabbed us.

I don’t know and I sound like a conspiracy theorist but it just seems a little iffy that someone who was legless a few hours before where he couldn’t put
himself to bed could start up and fly an aircraft that was at the time quite still an advanced transport for the time.

There are many reports online speculating what happened to Paul, whether it’s he was drunk, high, at a sex party and many others. We intend to find out what happened to him conclusively, so his family finally have answers as to what happened. We are completely open to finding out what happened, but we are conscious that some of these accounts may have been fabricated to deliberately paint the pilot and his family in a negative light.

As you summarised, there is an awful lot that does not add up. Finding the crash site is a significant part of the journey, and we are following up leads that may give more background into the night before.

After all, Paul made a laughing stock of the attempts to stop him, so the immediate response perhaps is to besmirch him?

We will be releasing the research we have uncovered throughout the campaign, and some if it is slightly connected to your suspicions, so do keep an eye out for the release.

Good luck on the search for wreckage Grahame, as a former diver I know how close you can be and still not spot the target.

Thank you. A lot of preparation has gone before which increases the chances of discovery…but we still appreciate the sentiment.

We do have several factors to help us – pulling GPS position data from sonar survey gives us an accurate location of what is there, and having dropped down the shot line Grahame has chucked in on a tiny target I can vouch for his methods and accuracy. On sites far smaller than a C-130 the anchor is typically within 5~10m of the object. The other benefit is the location – the underwater visibility mid-Channel can be far better than inshore, but the ROV will be used more than divers – if only to quickly eliminate likely targets from the actual.

Personally, I think its nothing short of stunning for a PPL to commandeer a complex, multi-engined aircraft, get it off the deck and keep it in the air for as long has he did. That alone makes a story worth telling I think.

Thanks Kenneth – the list of what the archive holds is pretty extensive, but the Luftwaffe records are not listed.

But one question, please. Is the last image – the ortho photo – digitally enhanced? If not, then the waters of Weymouth Bay, at 25 metres down, are a lot clearer than when, in my youth, frequently I capsized in them whilst dinghy sailing!

The waters off Weymouth have not changed. Underwater visibility on the day was around 4~5m max, so there is no way the ortho photo could be taken in a single frame. The ortho photo is derived from the model and the 1100 or so individual frames, all stitched together and then presented as a single, scaled image. These ortho photo image files can be massive – 4~5Gb for a single image is not unusual, but the accuracy is often 1 pixel = 1mm.

This article discusses the volumes of data behind photogrammetry, including the ortho photos

Hope this helps?

That is an incredible image – thanks for posting.
Rob

Thanks Rob.

These models can be 3D printed too:-

Scale model of the Dolly Varden

So in theory, if there is a rare part that someone wants…it could be scanned and printed, either in plastic or by additive process.