WIX Archives
Don't forget the Michigan bird
Posted by Rob Mears on Tue Mar 11, 2003 11:24:52 AM
In reply top Hellcat through the cracks posted by Lowell on Mon Mar 10, 2003 01:41:56 PM
: "I was hoping I had found a Hellcat that had
: slipped through the cracks...."
Don't forget to include the F6F residing at the bottom of Lake Michigan. It and an early "birdcage" Corsair were both being considered for recovery by the US Navy, but now I understand that the recoveries have been pushed aside for the time being :(
A&T Recovery (who recovered all of the SBD & F4F's years back) are working in accordance with the Navy trying to find a museum to sponsor the recovery and restoration of the F4U-1 & F6F still submerged in Lake Michigan. If you guys know of any willing museums that would like a very early F4U or F6F for their collection, drop me a line. I suppose these would remain on "permanent loan" from the US Navy to the qualified museum, same as the Kalamazoo Dauntless, etc. Thanks to the Navy they will never fly again, but it sure beats the hell out of leting them deteriorate for a few more decades. The Navy apparently has lost thier desire to recover the planes on their own ticket.