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Missing WWII Aircraft Located .. By "Accident"

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Members of a submarine crew sent to examine artificial reefs off the coast of Miami had the surprise of their lives earlier this year when they instead stumbled across a World War II relic. (www.huffingtonpost.com) Ещё...

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dtw757
mike SUT 2
Looking at the flaps which are down, perhaps this was a ditched aircraft? Question is, was it a successful one where the pilot was picked up? Lots of footage of Hellcats that you see on the tele show the aircraft flipping over. This one is on its back. Hopefully the pilot got out. Guess when the Navy does a little research, the answer will be there. I've read more than a couple of books that say "LT so and so" flew out there one day and was never heard from again. Maybe this is one such incident. If he is still in his plane, may he continue to Rest in Peace.
jkudlick
Jeremy Kudlick 1
Navy will probably send divers down to get the Bureau Number so they can identify the aircraft, who the last pilot was, and whether he was recovered. If he wasn't recovered, they will probably have a ceremony over that spot and place a wreath. Regardless, the wreck is protected under Federal law from any exploration beyond the discovery and subsequent Navy investigation.
mhlansdell00
Mark Lansdell 1
It looks like it's deep enough so it won't be bothered. You have to be pretty experienced to dive that deep. Recreational divers generally aren't, and there is nothing there of interest for a pro.
jkudlick
Jeremy Kudlick 1
There are a good number of Navy divers with helmet diving experience, especially among the Seabees. Finding an experienced diver won't be that hard. It's more a matter of whether the Navy wants to spend the money to do it. I think they will so they can close this particular chapter.
mhlansdell00
Mark Lansdell 1
My comment was a response to a comment about "trespassers" and nosy Nelly's disturbing and possibly vandalizing the site. I don't even see the comment now, but my comment is displaced.
preacher1
preacher1 1
Your comment is up there. Other than finding out about the pilot, what's the big deal. Off coast Florida is littered with WW2 aircraft, mostly down on training flights. And now let's don't get that Bermuda Triangle out there either.LOL
mhlansdell00
Mark Lansdell 1
No big deal. I'm so misunderstood :-). You're right. I think half Grumman's production lies under the waters around Florida. I'll bet there are more aircraft under Tampa Bay than Savo Sound.
preacher1
preacher1 1
let's don'r FORGET that Bermuda Triangle
reignman40
Joe Morrison 1
I wasn't there but... wow if you ask me you couldn't ask for a better looking field to do an emergency landing in..
preacher1
preacher1 1
seeing as how it was pretty much intact, it must have been a good 'un.lol
framptn1972
Andy Wilson 1
We'll move an Indian burial ground for a mall or highway, but Navy has it's own special do not disturb law??
mhlansdell00
Mark Lansdell 2
Not just the U.S. Navy. The law is international and was adopted by the U.S. Code...
mhlansdell00
Mark Lansdell 1
There are round holes machined ito the flap surfaces reminiscent of the dive brakes on a dive bomber or torpedo bomber. Did the F6F have air holes in the flaps? I have only seen pictures of the Hellcat an none that I've seen had dive brakes but there may have been a variant late in the production closer to our "police action" in Korea
tohoward
tohoward 1
mhlansdell00
Mark Lansdell 1
Then probably not an F6F. I just love the new breed of writers.
jkudlick
Jeremy Kudlick 1
Most likely an F6F. Note that the landing gear it rotated 90 degrees and retracted into the wing fore-to-aft. F6F landing gear retracted in that manner, while SB2C landing gear were farther out on the wing and folded inward into the wing.

The only other aircraft I can recall using a similar retraction method is the F4U, and this is definitely not a Corsair.
mhlansdell00
Mark Lansdell 1
Was there a variant that had dive brake like holes in the flaps?
jkudlick
Jeremy Kudlick 1
I'm not convinced the holes aren't the result of corrosion and appear to be speed brake holes because of marine growth. The skins of the rudder and elevators are also worn away with some substantial growth growing on them producing a similar appearance.
mhlansdell00
Mark Lansdell 1
Very round for corrosion, but stranger things have happened. I hope there is a follow up story, but...
WilliamRoe
William Roe 1
It looks like a gear up ditch. IMO - it's upside down because the engine weight would have pulled the nose under and she may have flipped as she was sinking - nose first into the bottom.

I'll bet the pilot got out of that one.

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