WIX Archives
Re: WW 2 aircraft dumped in ocean near Aust
Posted by Will Fowler on Wed Sep 12, 2001 04:08:23 AM
In reply top WW 2 aircraft dumped in ocean near Aust posted by Elwyn on Tue Sep 11, 2001 09:30:46 PM
I too had an interest in this very subject and posted on the old Warbirds Worldwide Forum and had a few replies.
Basically very little was recovered by the numerious salvage companies that stated they were undertaking recoveries, to the best of my knowledge on two or three aircraft remains were recovered from the seabed, one or one and a half of these were supplied to an American company restoring a Corsair.
There is a few other problems recovering these aircraft, most were U.S lend lease aircraft and it seems that the U.S goverment put pressure on the Aussi's to stop further salvaging of the aircraft, as to why, we are all left guessing.
Another problem is that they aircraft have been submerged in salt water for a very long time and therefore the most of the remains, even though complete, could not be used in an 'airworthy' restoration.
To the best of my knowledge the local fisherman in the area have had more look pulling the wreaks of the seabed in their fishing nets than any dedicated salvager has, but unless the remains are placed in a freshwater bath or treated with expensive chemicals very soon after reaching the surface, they start to break up due to being exposed to the air.
Oh well, lets see what happens in the future, there is a chance that the Spits and other Commonwealth aircraft that were also dumped could be recovered without all the red tape bull that the U.S is putting people through.
Will
: I read several years back in Flypast Magazine about the re
: discovery of some aircraft that had been dumped in the oce
: an near Australia following WW2. Never have heard anything
: since about their condition or possible recovery efforts.
: Anybody out there read anything lately on this subject?