Underwater airplane parts

[JC Sain]

This reminds me of an airplane I found online looking at sunken ship wreck sites. I was surprised to see how much had deteriorated just not that much was left. Which is what this looks like not much to see.

http://www.ub88.org/researchprojects/f4ucorsair/f4u-corsair.html

On the other hand, here is the write up, on the same web site, for the crash of a Navy TBM Avenger, again off the California coast. According to the information provided, this aircraft hit the water at 110 kts but both crew members survived the impact. The pictures attached to the article show that the engine apparently separated from the aircraft but no pictures of the engine are provide. However, large sections of the aircraft are shown as relatively intact even after all those years (1952-2007).

I am not an authority since many WWII era planes are in the water and in pretty good condition. Others like the Buffalo and this one have nearly disappeared. Does anyone know why some rust away so much faster than others? Personally I would expect the shallower air frames to suffer the worst but that does not appear to be the case. Tighar has two WWII planes both in shallow water in much better condition. The P38 I thought was covered in sand.

[Ric Gillespie]

Does anyone know why some rust away so much faster than others?

Not really.  There are dozens of factors and combinations of factors that come into play.

The P38 I thought was covered in sand.

It is.  The anaerobic (no oxygen) environment is a big factor in its preservation.

[George Pachulski]

Gland Nut Popoff theory

Ok --   Have you ever seen a model rc airplane prop strike a hard object like the ground on a bad approach landing ?  or a rock , or I guess non compressible water?

The idea is similar to a concrete post that gets an impact from a car in an accident at the bottom. The top of the post splinters from the force of the accident below but the post is ok down there at point of contact. The force magnified by a kind of standing wave thru the post appiles pressure to the top circumfrence of the post and throws any nut off and causes splintering..

Ie the model airplane hub nut is thrown off by the imapct force magified by bounding thru the shaft. Once the nut flies off the prop follows it quickly , ask an RC model flyer ,

yes the prop and shaft are ruined bent and possibley broken lying in front of the plane ...

just my theory from observations .....