WW11 airplane found

[idocsteve]

does anyone have a good sugestion on how to find the location? it isnt a huge lake but big enough that you dont want to go down there and look at the whole bottom.

Figure out what is about the middle of the lake. Drop to the bottom and plant a long stake into the mud, then tie off a reel with a whole bunch of line. Start swimming around the stake, letting out a little bit of line at a time, and you will be making an ever increasing spiral while working your way from the center to the edge of the lake.

If you do it right you won't miss the plane and the odds are next to impossible you'll have to search the entire bottom before you find it.

I really should start charging for this great advice, or better yet, start a PADI "Plane in Lake recovery specialty".

 

[Gilldiver]

US WWII military aircraft like the B-17 were owned by either the US Navy or the US Army Air Corps.

The Army Air Corps became the US Air Force in 1947. The Air Force had a fire in the early 1960’s which destroyed all their ownership records for lost aircraft. The result of this is that the US Air Force has officially abandoned all lost Army Air Corps and US Air Force aircraft lost before about 1960.

The US Navy has its’ records for all WWII aircraft and retains ownership under the Sovereign immunity no matter where or how lost.

So, if the aircraft was owned by the US Army Air Corps, it is free to go after as far as the US Army or US Air Force is concerned. But you will need to prove that ownership, and make sure that it was not owned by the Canadians or some other organization. Also, after the war a number of aircraft passed into private hands, so if it was lost after the war, it could be privately owned or the property of an insurance company. Photos of the tail numbers would suffice to determine who owns what.

Once that is cleared up, you fight the Canadians and the archaeological and/or historical preservation offices – lot’s of luck there.

If you have been able to get past these two hurtles, you have the recovery – you will need to have plans for containment of oils and aviation gas – there will be some, any ammunition which may be found, and heaven help you if there were any deaths involved in the crash with the disturbing a grave or handling human remains complications.

The last thing is to raise the aircraft without destroying it and then getting it to some place where you can repair or curate it. Have lots and lots of money.

 

[Thalassamania]

If you want to read a great book about the trial and tribulations of recovering WWII aircraft, try:

 

[Gilldiver]

The P-38 on the cover above has been repaired and restored to flight status as "Glacier Girl"

Glacier Girl - The Lost Squadron (Recovery of a P-38 from beneath a Greenland ice cap)

 

[Thalassamania]

It is one hell of a tale.

 

[Doc]

Also some sugestions on floating it to the surface would be helpful. once its on the surface i will pull it to shore with a D8 cat but geting it up there may be a challenge.

You will likely end up with a dismantled airplane scattered in what is called a debris field. Yep, "getting it up there" will indeed be a challenge- most are done with cranes on barges after careful expert positioning of lifting straps and bags. Or you could fill it with ping-pong balls and see what happens.

The P-38 on the cover above has been repaired and restored to flight status as "Glacier Girl"

It is one hell of a tale...

...and this is one tale of Hell:

 

[Gilldiver]

The B-29 is a sad, sad story.

But for this project, let's say you get ownership rights and recovery rights, are you prepared for the 100,000 -500,000+ dollars recovery and repair will costs? How about the time required - 5 to 15 years?

1st problem is getting it out of the mud, working on a frozen lake makes this easier for a hard lift vs, working off of a barge. Using air bags will result in a broken aircraft.
2nd problem is moving from water to air - the water and mud has to be removed as you move into the air or you will have a broken aircraft.
3rd problem is movement to a repair hanger and corrosion prevention

Recovery of a B-25 a few years ago was well documented and they had the ability to reach the lake with all their equipment by road. Are you prepared for this?

B25 Airplane Pulled Out From Lake Murray, South Carolina

 

[cooldives]

Sounds like a great project. Good luck with the bureaucratic red tape though!!

Dive safe.

 

[d.johnston]

When I saw the title of your post my jaw dropped. Our team is getting geared up to search for a WWII aircraft in the next couple of months... Different plane though.

Can't really say I would want you to get it either. I would like to dive this plane though...

Well if you realy want to dive this plane I can give you the name and location of the lake. Its not actually in Valemount but it is up in this neck of the woods. It is a B17 bomber converted to be a medical plane and ran out of fuel then landed on ice and in spring sank. I have yet to find the actual location in the lake it is resting but its not a huge lake.

 

[d.johnston]

Sorry I stand corrected its not a B17 it is a B15 mitchell