TIGHAR

Historic Aircraft Recovery and Preservation => General discussion => Topic started by: Russ Matthews on November 25, 2009, 09:55:55 PM

Title: Lake Michigan Hellcat Recovery
Post by: Russ Matthews on November 25, 2009, 09:55:55 PM
Read the article here...

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/michigan-historic-preservation-office-and-mshda-announce-recovery-of-wwii-fighter-plane-from-lake-michigan-73613127.html
Title: Re: Lake Michigan Hellcat Recovery
Post by: pilotart on November 26, 2009, 12:58:48 AM
Page Field (as well as Buckingham Air Base) in Fort Myers Trained thousands of WW2 Airmen and a lot of planes were lost.

The local Historical Museum (http://www.swflmuseumofhistory.com/EXHIBITS/PermanentExhibits/tabid/73/Default.aspx) has what's left of a P39 Aircobra that 'landed' (Pilot survived) in Estero Bay,
ending up against Mangroves at the edge and I'm sure that I could have Snook Casted right on it and never even recognised it as Airplane Remains.

Sometimes the discovery of a lost aircraft can be worth more than just "...the eventual interpretation of the plane. ..."

They thought they had found Batista's Gold (http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2008/jul/19/gulf-treasure-hunters-went-looking-gold-found-lost/), but instead discovered not only 'closure' for a family (http://www.azcentral.com/12news/news/articles/2008/07/04/20080704warstory070508-CR.html), but were able to establish that the Army Air Corps inital finding of "Pilot Error" (http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081206/NEWS01/90227051&template=printart) was probably wrong (http://www.xray-mag.com/index.php?q=fr/content/salvage-b-26-gulf-mexico-filmed) and the true cause had been Mechanical Failure of the B26 Marauder {"one-a-day in Tampa Bay"} Aircraft.
Title: Re: Lake Michigan Hellcat Recovery
Post by: Russ Matthews on November 30, 2009, 11:59:50 AM
First video of the recovered wreck is now online...

http://cbs2chicago.com/video/?id=65131@wbbm.dayport.com