Another SBD Dauntless Recovered From Lake Michigan!

[Bomber_12th]

Video: http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?rn=4226712&cl=13142384&src=news

Photos: http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=29556

The National World War II Museum based in New Orleans are the sponsors for finding the location, and conducting the recovery, restoration, and eventual display of the Douglas SBD Dauntless in fine, static condition. It is a great move on the part of the new NHHC leadership to allow such a restoration, and eventual display to be conducted by a museum outside of the US Navy. Here's hoping that more of the wrecks from Lake Michigan are brought up soon! There are rough estimates of at least 100 or more WWII Navy planes down there, in similar condition, just waiting to be plucked, and a couple that have been recovered in the past are now flyers today.

 

[Moses03]

Looks to be in great shape considering.

 

[lifejogger]

That is exciting news and looks like it is good shape. Be nice if they would restore it to flying condition but the most important thing is preservation.

 

[Helldiver]

They got any SB2Cs down there? After all, it was the one that won the war, having sunk more Japanese shipping than any other airplane.

 

[Wittpilot]

Really a good move in the right direction Bomber with regards to the Navy's previous attitude that EVERYthing once Navy, the Navy had absolute rights over, even if it was not in the artifacts best interests....

-witt

 

[GT182]

That's great news. At least it will be restored and put on display. Looks like the ravages of time in the lake weren't all that bad.

Helldiver, there will be a SB2C Helldiver at MAAM's WWII Weekend this year. And yes, I will get you pictures. But if you can, come on down.

This is the one..... http://www.sb2chelldiver.org/. The last flying SB2C in the world.

 

[FlyTexas]

There are rough estimates of at least 100 or more WWII Navy planes down there,...

Dang! The japs really kicked our butt over Lake Michigan, didn't they?


Brian

 

[TARPSBird]

Helldiver,
I'm sure there's an SB2C or two parked on the bottom of Lake Michigan. :d Maybe not from CarQual mishaps aboard the paddle-wheel carriers, but there were SB2C's stationed at NAS Glenview and NAS Grosse Ile with the reserves after WWII. Odds are somebody ditched one out there.

 

[Brian_Gladden]

That's great news. At least it will be restored and put on display. Looks like the ravages of time in the lake weren't all that bad.

Helldiver, there will be a SB2C Helldiver at MAAM's WWII Weekend this year. And yes, I will get you pictures. But if you can, come on down.

This is the one..... http://www.sb2chelldiver.org/. The last flying SB2C in the world.

Maybe we should get a collection together to get Ole' Helldiver down there for the show and maybe a ride?

I know I'd throw in $20.00

Brian

 

[Bomber_12th]

The area was a major training ground for Navy pilots during WWII, and as a result, between 1942 and 1945, 128 aircraft losses and over 200 accidents were reported. Of those recorded, there are 41 Avengers, one F4U Corsair, 38 Dauntless, four Hellcats, 17 SNJs, two Vindicators, and 37 Wildcats that went to the bottom, 6 of which were recovered during WWII and a few more since then. The most significant aspect, I think, is that most of all of the aircraft were not new planes, but served in the Pacific and <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" /><st1lace w:st="on">North Africa</st1lace> before returning to the states...some may very well have seen combat during Midway and Operation Torch, not to mention so many of the other early Pacific battles of WWII.

The trouble within recent years in recovering these aircraft is that the Navy has placed strict ownership on all wrecks, meaning that only the Navy would be able to recover the aircraft, and thus display them, and they haven't expressed much interest in doing so. Before this policy was put into place, there were some SNJs, Wildcats, and Dauntlesses recovered, years ago...a few of which have become flyers, the rest are now very nice static displays. It is nice to see that things are changing again, and wrecks (at least this one) are being pulled up and saved, instead of sitting on the bottom, slowly fading away.

 

[brad kaste]

....I never understood the US Navy's anal retentive policy in keeping the submerged WWII aircraft down on the bottom of Lake Michigan. Would someone please explain that?

 

[grumpos]

I've no idea what was behind the Navy's policy, but in retrospect it might be seen as a good one. Some of the significant early warbird recoveries failed because nobody knew how to deal with airframes that have been submerged in water for years. We now know how to treat these airframes so that they dont crumble to dust within months of being pulled out of the water. Leaving them where they are until we know how to deal with them makes sense in my book.

Best wishes
Steve P

 

[GT182]

Brian, I'm most certain they won't give rides in it. Tho Helldiver might possibly break that tradition if he happened to be there. But you didn't here that from me..... that would be up to the CAF. I have nothing to do with rides.

 

[Brian_Gladden]

If we can get him to go they better let him sit in it at least! :ernae:

 

[GT182]

If we can get him to go they better let him sit in it at least! :ernae:

Yeah, that would be nice...... for him and me too. LOL

 

[redriver6]

That's great news. At least it will be restored and put on display. Looks like the ravages of time in the lake weren't all that bad.

Helldiver, there will be a SB2C Helldiver at MAAM's WWII Weekend this year. And yes, I will get you pictures. But if you can, come on down.

This is the one..... http://www.sb2chelldiver.org/. The last flying SB2C in the world.

beat ya to it...i took these pictures about 9 years ago...i was actually driving down the interstate and looked up and saw this beast so i followed it to the airport..