Lake Michigan Dauntless Recovery Update..

[paulmcmillan]

From wrecksnrelic yahho group

Navy to recover WWII plane from Lake Michigan

April 21, 2009

Sun-Times News Group

A World War II bomber sitting at the bottom of Lake Michigan off the
Chicago shoreline for more than 60 years will be brought to the surface
this week.

The Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bomber was credited with winning the
Battle of Midway and turning the tide of the Pacific Theater in
America's favor.

The plane crashed in Lake Michigan during aircraft carrier qualification
training during the early to mid-1940s.

The recovery of the aircraft is the continuation of a program started by
the National Naval Aviation Museum in the 1990s to recover and preserve
Navy craft lost in Lake Michigan during World War II.

The National World War II Museum in New Orleans has sponsored the
location, recovery, restoration, and eventual display of the Douglas SBD
Dauntless.

[Owen Miller]

Yes indeed; as I've said here before....there is new leadership
in DC at NHHC (formerly NHC), their heart is in the right place,
and they have things going in the right direction. I am encouraged
and look forward to the future.

Blue skies,
Owen

[mustangdriver]

Good for the new NHC leadership!! THis is the way to go. More aircraft brought up from the depths for museums. Static or flying, as long as it is out of the water. Now, how about a Devastater?

[TimAPNY]

It is a great first step! Good to see the change in wind direction!

Crossing fingers for a TBD.

Tim

[Robbie Stuart]

Yes indeed; as I've said here before....there is new leadership
in DC at NHHC (formerly NHC), their heart is in the right place,
and they have things going in the right direction. I am encouraged
and look forward to the future.

Blue skies,
Owen

Coming from someone "in the know", this is encouraging news Owen. Hopefully this is just the beginning of more recoveries to come.
Regards
Robbie

[lmritger]

Three cheers for the new course taken by the NHC! Perhaps this sets the stage for the recovery of the only known F4U-1 "Birdcage" which still rests at the bottom of Lake Michigan?

And.... dare I say it... BuNo 0353?

Excellent first step, and I applaud the new leadership of the NHC for moving in a more constructive direction.

Thanks for the update!

Lynn

[Holedigger]

Good to hear that the NHHC is moving in this positive direction. Too late for many airframes I'm sure, but the Great Lakes deep, cold, fresh water isn't quite as harsh as some other waters. "GET EM UP" before they change their minds!

[Owen Miller]

Here's a google link to some more details......

http://news.google.com/news?pz=1&ned=us ... s_occt=any

[Dan K]

Thanks for the heads-up, Owen.

I'm curious: Where does this new age of the NHHC leave TIGHAR?

A quick check to the TIGHAR website revealed nothing about this Dauntless recovery. One would think that if they were involved they'd be tooting a horn; and if not involved would be blowing a whistle over the travesty about to take place.

TIGHAR has been dinking around for years over making sure the Devastators are the targets of "correct" archaeological attention prior to recovery. Is this Dauntless receiving the same attention from TIGHAR? And if not, why not?

Have NHHC and TIGHAR parted ways?

[gregv]

Three cheers for the new course taken by the NHC! Perhaps this sets the stage for the recovery of the only known F4U-1 "Birdcage" which still rests at the bottom of Lake Michigan?

Lynn

Isn't there another Corsair around that was originally built as a "birdcage"? I though it was The Air Museum's example?

I could be wrong of course....

greg v.

[Zac Yates]

Three cheers for the new course taken by the NHC! Perhaps this sets the stage for the recovery of the only known F4U-1 "Birdcage" which still rests at the bottom of Lake Michigan?

Lynn

Isn't there another Corsair around that was originally built as a "birdcage"? I though it was The Air Museum's example?

I could be wrong of course....

greg v.

A birdcage was operated for several years by the Alpine Fighter Collection here in NZ, now with a museum in Brazil.

[lmritger]

A birdcage was operated for several years by the Alpine Fighter Collection here in NZ, now with a museum in Brazil.

**slaps forehead**

Duh, you're absolutely right... this would be the SECOND one, not the ONLY one. Sorry for the confusion.

[Versatile]

Was the Star of New Zeland a bird Cage corsair?

[Jerry O'Neill]

I believe that the Air Museum's (POF) F4U-1A was originally built with a birdcage and later modified.
The example at TAM in Brazil is the ex-Harry Doan birdcage.
Jerry

[camshaw]

please post some pics of its condition when it sees some daylight...