WIX Archives

Re: Dutch A/C Wrecks

Posted by Cees Broere on Wed Jan 16, 2002 04:58:31 AM

In reply top Dutch A/C Wrecks posted by Dave on Wed Jan 16, 2002 03:49:20 AM

Dave,

You are correct on both cases.

The Military Aviaton Museum (MLM) at Soesterberg claimed about four years ago that they had found an underwater P-40 in a lake somewhere in Indonesia/PNG. They also claimed to have found an American fighter and a Japanese aircraft in the same lake. I saw some photographs in a Dutch avaition magazine, where the curator was holding an inspection hatch. They had big plans but as you said nothing further is known, apart from that the curator of the museum has since left. I will ask some questions here and there.......might take some time because the MLM doesn't like "amateur historians/aircraft recovery organisations" very much.

About the Dutch flying boats, these were pre-war Fokker aircraft fitted with floats (fabric covered steel tube fuselage frames and wooden wings). At some point they were sunk at their moorings somewhere in Indonesia (don't recall where at the moment). It was also reported on in FlyPast. It was the intention to have the aircraft recovered but the currecnt political problems there have halted all activity. Seems that these plans are indeed serious but the most feared enemy of aircraft recoveries has once again left its mark:.........Politics

Hope this helps

Cees

Follow Ups: