It looks like Taras is working to have a Wildcat at AirVenture...
Quote:
Taras Lyssenko is eagerly awaiting an upcoming air venture on Lake Michigan.
Unlike tourists flocking to picturesque sunrises and abundant water-play, Lyssenko knows this Great Lake holds historic gems in her depths. His eye is set on a WWII FM2 Wildcat, 200 feet below the surface.
Ensign William Forbes was in the plane on Dec. 28, 1944, when the Wildcat's engine unexpectedly quit during a take-off run in a qualification training exercise for the U.S. Navy. A restart attempt failed and the plane rolled over the bow of the ship, sinking into Lake Michigan, according to Navy records.
The Navy was always prepared to minimize the damage from such accidents – two boats were always nearby to rescue men and buoy any planes that needed help – but on that December day in 1944, the pilot was saved; the plane was not.
Lyssenko has a passion for finding sunken ships around the southern basin of Lake Michigan, a hobby that began in the 1980s. But as his familiarity with the lake's floor grew, he realized, "I'm finding more airplanes than ships out there." That led him to join forces with likeminded hobbyist Allan Olson to create A&T Recovery, which secures funding from museums and donors to recover and restore the curiosities of sunken aircraft.
Thanks to a strong working relationship with the U.S. Navy, A&T Recovery boasts close to four-dozen airplane recoveries.
Upon surveying an underwater airplane, Lyssenko turns into a detective, using licensing numbers to pinpoint the plane's history. The military record of the accident is obtained; the pilot identified. The team works with a genealogist in England to search for the pilot or living relatives. When possible, they obtain the pilot's personal flight records. By the time A&T Recovery brings an airplane to the water's surface, a respectable history lesson has been developed.
Lyssenko's got his sights set on recovering Forbes' Wildcat for display at EAA AirVenture 2012 (The Northwestern's AirVenture magazine went to press before the project was approved and recovery was attempted.) Check our web site for the latest information). The Navy's final approval for this recovery was pending as of press time. A lengthy approval process included deciding which of two airplanes to recover first. The other current airplane of interest is a Douglas SBD Dauntless Dive-bomber.
Once Navy approval is obtained, Lyssenko's main concern is the weather.
"The Great Lakes have turbulent weather," he said. "We need very calm waters. The weather is our enemy."
Then, the enormous task of recovery begins.
"It's an awful lot of work to recover from this depth," Lyssenko said. "It's a logistical nightmare."
Gleaning understanding of the airplane's structure from the original manuals and engineering drawings, A&T Recovery will use a robot to attach lines to the structural parts of the airplane. They have developed their own Heave Compensation System, which allows them to recover items in one piece. The lift is conducted slowly, with airbags, until they reach the OSHA-designated depth for an un-tethered dive team to guide and complete the recovery.
After display at AirVenture 2012, the Wildcat would be transported to the Naval Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Fla., for full restoration and permanent display.
Following this mission from Seattle, Wash., is Christine Smith, the daughter of the ensign who had flown the craft in 1944. Her father passed away in 2008, but she said she is sure "he's just smiling at the thought going into this and in appreciation of all the efforts."
After the crash during the Navy exercise over Lake Michigan, she said he later had to make another unexpected landing, this time in the Pacific.
Her father was a storyteller, she said, and she remembers him talking about the "terribly frigid" temperature of Lake Michigan when he crashed. "I wish I could just replay the stories, or just ask him, 'Dad, will you please tell me that story again?'"
Found it here:
http://www.thenorthwestern.com/article/ ... ck_check=1
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