HS-2L flying boat lost in 1926 found in Quebec lake

[fortrena]

Bonjour,

The wreck in question is located in a lake 30 or so miles north of Sept-Iles, Quebec, on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River. It was discovered some weeks ago during the filming of the television series Mysteres des lacs (Mysteries of the lakes) by Rimouski maritime historian Samuel Cote, archaeologists, divers and filmmakers in Lac à l'Eau Doree, which is on private land and accessible only by air.

Using sonar, they found the Curtiss HS-2L which had sunk on July 16, 1926. The four people on board, the pilot and surveyors mapping the Quebec-Labrador border, were rescued after several days spent in the bush. One of them seemingly had a broken leg.

The HS-2L, made during the First World War for the U.S. Navy but one of many used as a civilian aircraft after the conflict, in Canada, the U.S. and elsewhere, is 60 or so feet below the surface. One can easily see the registration on the footage taken during the expedition.

The wreck is undoubtedly the most original and complete HS-2L anywhere in the world.

All articles so far have been published in French language newspapers but Google Translate should provide anyone interested with a good idea of what it's all about.
https://www.lesoleil.com/actualite/en-r ... 88ec660577

https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2020/ ... -sept-iles

https://www.tvanouvelles.ca/2020/10/27/ ... decouverte

[DaveM2]

Interesting, thanks. Hopefully it can be recovered by a skilled salvage crew and displayed at one of your national museums.

[fortrena]

Bonjour,

Given that the HS-2L sank nose first and is buried up to its engine, any attempt to recover it could result in serious damage.

In any event, my understanding is that the plan is to leave the aircraft where it is.

That said, there is an HS-2L reproduction, the only one in the world, at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum, in Ottawa, besides the remains of an HS-2L, Canada's first bushplane... https://www.ingeniumcanada.org/sites/de ... _HS-2L.pdf

[Michel Lemieux]

Merci for the local story fortrena!

[fortrena]

Tout le plaisir est pour moi. -- The pleasure is all mine.

[JohnB]

Considering its rarity and the type's historical significance (and its role as successor to the Curtiss/Felixstowe flying boats of WWI), it would be nice if some effort was made to raise and conserve it.

It's not doing anyone any good at the bottom of a remote lake.

[RyanShort1]

Bonjour,

Given that the HS-2L sank nose first and is buried up to its engine, any attempt to recover it could result in serious damage.

In any event, my understanding is that the plan is to leave the aircraft where it is.

That said, there is an HS-2L reproduction, the only one in the world, at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum, in Ottawa, besides the remains of an HS-2L, Canada's first bushplane... https://www.ingeniumcanada.org/sites/de ... _HS-2L.pdf

Gotta say that "serious damage" is an ironic thing to say to me given it's current location. It'd be a fun challenge regardless.

[airnutz]

Pretty neat find! Hopefully there more photos will follow. The two that are shown looks to be the tip of one of the "elephant ear" ailerons and the other may be remains of the empennage? They might be able to vaccum away the mud and raise her in pieces without hurting it too badly. Fortunately it's in very shallow waters.

[DaveM2]

Bonjour,

Given that the HS-2L sank nose first and is buried up to its engine, any attempt to recover it could result in serious damage.

Yes, that is why it would need to be recovered carefully by a professional team, clearing the mud from the structure and fitting supports - not just have cables attached and given a good pull!

[paulmcmillan]

G-CACS on Fuselage - can't get more positive ID than that!

[Michel Lemieux]

Impressive that the fabric looks so good after all these years!

[Tulio]

Air Enthusiast, issue May to July 1993, has an article titled "No Rope or Railing"

It is a 5 page long feature, with 9 B&W photos, on the Canadian HS-2Ls

I could not find a credit to the article's author.


Saludos,


Tulio