It seems the lifeboat crew at Calshot have snagged a propeller with their anchor. See report in the Southern Daily Echo

AllanK

Hiya,

Yep so I see. It’s very interesting that two months after we visited them and spoke about the possible location of the wreck they happen to snag the wreck. They have known there was something there all along but haven’t been interested until now. So much for us doing a survey and investigating the wreck in peace – I assume there will be a number of people interested now and permission to dive the site will be harder to obtain. 🙁

Here’s my November article that mentions talking to the lifeboat people http://www.calshotdivers.com/index.php/dive-sites/34-wreck-dive/94–sunderland-flying-boat-at-calshot.html

Chat soon.

Hi folks,

Here’s the ITV Meridian interview with John Anderson, the son of Andy Anderson who features in the PP118 rescue.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151792917671452

There are more photos and story details to be revealed 🙂

Chat soon.

Hi again,

Just had to get back and let you know that the wreck we have located is pretty definately NOT PP118 – which is a real shame as we have tons of research on this aircraft which is really interesting.:o

Today I was given a photograph of PP118 aground in 2 or 3m of water close to the shore – and alight! This rather proves it’s not the wreck we have located offshore in 20m :confused:

The jury is still out as to which aircraft are where, but it seems likely that were looking at either PP118 or ML883.

Our second choice is ML883 which was in service with the RCAF 423 Sqn when it sank in Dec 1944 – which is probably right as that’s all we know about this aircraft 😮

Chat soon.

Hi folks,

Thank you all for the details and pointers in trying to track down the story of this aircraft – it’s amazing how a quick conversation in a pub leads to such an interesting hunt! 🙂

I am now in possession of the 235 Operations Record Book for February 1950. It does in fact confirm the dates and aircraft numbers, but only states rather matter of factly;

[INDENT]3.2.50 Aircraft “G” sank at its moorings at 10:30 hours.[/INDENT]

and

[INDENT]22.2.50 Aircraft “G” caught fire during salvage operations. It is thought the fire was caused by the flame floats, which were onboard the aircraft. The aircraft was almost totally destroyed.[/INDENT]

Further research has provided a 2004 Naval sonar survey, with a very fuzzy ‘flying boat’ only a few metres from where we would expect to find it! (Unfortunately due to copyright restrictions I am unable to publish these images :()

Additional public information on this aircraft will be added to the Calshot Sub-Aqua Club website as and when available. We are planning our own sonar survey and hopefully some dives on what the remain of the aircraft in 2010. I’ll keep you posted.

Thanks again for the key assistance provided by a number of the members of this forum.

Regards,
John Greenwood
BSAC Advanced Instructor

Hi Alan,

Your name popped up somewhere else in relation to this enquiry – it seems I’ve got the two top Sunderland people on board 🙂

I’ve not got much information on PP118 or the attempted salvage. Chaz Bowyer’s book “The Short Sunderland” simply records “Salvaged, but caught fire/burnt out23 Feb 1950”.

Yep, I assumed it had sunk earlier in the month and been salvaged, but I’ve not seen that word on any of the documents. I couldn’t see the aircraft semi-submerged for 3 weeks! :rolleyes: Hopefully if the salvage failed (I understand the tail is missing), it wont be too far from the original mooring position….

I notice the lifeboat is almost directly above the wreck – I wonder if they’ve picked up the old flying boat mooring for the lifeboat.

I spoke to one of the lifeboat guys and he said they occasionally see something on the sonar while moored. I was also wondering if it was the same mooring buoy – that might explain why nobody has dived it in years (you can’t dive under lifeboats without special permission :cool:)

I’ll bookmark this thread and let you guys know if we actually find something. Were hoping to scan over the winter and possibly have a dip in 2010. A number of us have got really interested in this wreck! 🙂

Chat soon.

Here are a couple of photos of PP118.
Not very good but all can find, I’m afraid.

At Castle Archdale, Lough Erne July 1945

From FlyPast mag July 1945

Richard, your a star – you are the true Sunderland Nut 🙂

Did you get these off the web or do you have the magazine? Is there any chance I can obtain better quality scans? (please don’t take that question the wrong way :eek:)

Can you make out the registration in your images?

Now I’m glad I checked my email at 2:30am! 😀 Well chuffed!

Chat soon.