WIX Archives

Re: Michigan Recoveries

Posted by Rob Mears on Tue Apr 16, 2002 08:17:15 PM

In reply top Re: Michigan Recoveries posted by Don on Tue Apr 16, 2002 07:37:13 AM

The training airframes that remain in Lake Michigan include the following:

TBF/ & TBM Avengers
SBD-1 thru ?5 Dauntlesses
FM & F4F Wildcats
SB2U Vindicators
F4U Corsairs
F6F Hellcats
SNJ's

These are the types that have been identified and await recovery. Alas, the Navy still has the final say on this.

I'll add that the Wildcat's that are stored outdoors at Pensacola will probably suffer far greater damage in the open weather than they would have had they remained submerged at the bottom of Lake Michigan. The Navy surely needs to make a move on this, or finance some cover for those planes.

I also believe the Navy should watch themselves when it comes to parting out these planes. They have a slew of 100% original (extremely rare) aircraft, and they are already passing off major components off of them for museum trades.

Rob

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