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Ditched Corsair off Northern Ireland??

Posted by Graham ODriscoll on Mon May 27, 2002 09:39:53 AM

In the May 1982 edition of flypast there was a letter from a reader with an then current accompanying photograph (!!!)of a substantially complete ex-FAA Corsair (JT693) lying in the mud flats off Ballykelly airfield, Northern Ireland. It says the aircraft, belonging to 1837 Sqn, was ditched in shallow water after engine failure, the pilot wading ashore unhurt, this occuring during the summer of 1945. Th letter goes on to mention another unidentified Corsair being almost inaccessible on a sandbank off Eglinton.
Additionally, the letter also says in Portmore Lough, an offshoot of Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland, is the complete hulk of Wildcat JV482. This was another ditching, date and sqn unknown but in 1982 the fuselarge protudes above the surface and can easily be seen from the shore.

Were these aircraft ever recovered or did they just succume to the inevitable...??????

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