Are there 3 more Hellcats in Lake Michigan?

[Warbirdnerd]

A survey of the Navy birds in the lake can be found here:
http://www.history.navy.mil/branches/org12-6i.htm

The Navy used various aircraft for these training qualifications. Through ship’s logs and Aircraft Accident Cards we know that of the aircraft listed as lost were 41 TBM/TBF Avengers, one F4U Corsair, 38 SBD Dauntless, four F6F Hellcats, 17 SNJ Texans, two SB2U Vindicators, 37 FM/F4F Wildcats and three experimental drones known as TDNs.

We know a -3 was recovered last year, but are the other 3 still there and what about the other SB2U?

[warbird1]

Nope, the one recovered last year was the last one. The other 3 were recovered shortly after their crashes by the Navy.

I believe the other Vindicator is still down there, though.

[Warbirdnerd]

Nope, the one recovered last year was the last one. The other 3 were recovered shortly after their crashes by the Navy.

I believe the other Vindicator is still down there, though.

Has that been confirmed?
According to the same article only 6 aircraft were recovered during the war so half of those recovered were F6Fs?

During the war, six of the crashed aircraft were recovered. These were mainly shallow water recoveries that did not require extensive time or specialized equipment.

[daveymac82c]

And what about all the Wild Cats? Are there any still down there?

Peace,

David

[TonyM]

Maybe this info could be helpful:


http://www.history.navy.mil/branches/org12-12a.htm

TonyM.

[warbird1]

Nope, the one recovered last year was the last one. The other 3 were recovered shortly after their crashes by the Navy.

I believe the other Vindicator is still down there, though.

Has that been confirmed?
According to the same article only 6 aircraft were recovered during the war so half of those recovered were F6Fs?

During the war, six of the crashed aircraft were recovered. These were mainly shallow water recoveries that did not require extensive time or specialized equipment.

It has been confirmed by Taras that the last Hellcat recovered was the last one in any of the Great Lakes. I'm sure he'll pop up sometime soon on the forum and you can ask him directly for details.

I believe he also said that the Vindicator was still down there, but my memory is hazy on this.

Overall, Taras has said the only airplanes in the Lakes now are:

1) Vindicator
2) Bird-cage Corsair
3) Many SBD's
4) Many Wildcats
5) Many Avengers
6) Many SNJ's.

He also confirmed there were no Helldivers up there as well.

[shepsair]

Warbirdnerd

Taras confirmed the ame to me. Thay have the log books for both USS Sable and Wolverine. Any loss was recorded by co-ordinates.

Taras has surveyed the areas references and and the surrounding area.

Thats also what I was told, the other three Hellcats were lost in shallower water (the one recovered was 260 feet!). The shallow water closer to shore and enabled hard hat divers to recover the airframes during WWII.

Would like to see more Wildcats and Avengers recovered and restored but there are other priorities.

regards

Mark

[Warbirdnerd]

Thanks guys. I thought was the case, but was hoping there was a chance of another survivor or two.

[Aircraft Mech Paul]

Hi Guys,

I read an old news paper article that a friend of mine, who is from Wisconsin by the way, showed me, on the very subject of aircraft in Lake Michigan. Now mind you that the article was several years old when he show it to me, and that was well over 20 years ago by now, but I still remember the gist of the article which stated that by official estimates by the Navy at that time (relative to when the article was written), that there as many as 425 aircraft in the Lake from training accidents. These included Dauntless', Avenger's, Wildcat's, Hellcat's, Texan's, and several other types. Now it was my understanding that at the time, during the war, the aircraft that were rolling off the assembly lines had a life span of "maybe" 5 sorties at best. And if they got more then that was "gravy". That was the way the government was looking at the aircraft. So if you stretch the logic over to training and the associated accidents the government didn't really give a hoot because more were rolling off the line every single day. Heck at the height of production they were building more that they actually knew what to do with. That was, in part why we won the war. We just out produced the enemies.

Just my two cents worth.....but the bit about the planes in the lake, from the article I read is real.

Paul

[Rocketeer]

The SB2U Vindicator should be recovered. It would seem to anyone with an interest in WWII era naval aviation that such an aircraft needs to be a high priority for future recoveries from the Great Lakes.

[DaveM2]

IIRC there was a single Vindicator that went into the lake (since recovered), the other almost went in. Will have to look up my article on the recoveries to confirm details....memory fading with age

[bdk]

Thay have the log books for both USS Sable and Wolverine. Any loss was recorded by co-ordinates.

There must have been other losses in the lake however besides from those two ships. Might not be able to find any documented coordinates though.

[Chappie]

I would like to see some of the remaining aircraft recovered by someone who will restore them to airworthy so future Amercians can see these airplanes fly. It really irritates me when the Navy hauls these treasures off to be stored away from public view or in a musuem, never to move again.


Chappie

[CoastieJohn]

I would like to see some of the remaining aircraft recovered by someone who will restore them to airworthy so future Amercians can see these airplanes fly. It really irritates me when the Navy hauls these treasures off to be stored away from public view or in a musuem, never to move again.


Chappie

Concur. If someone has very deep pockets, challenge the Navy (U.S. Govt) on it's claim to unsalvaged aircraft prior to doing an actual salvage. That or lobby your Congressman to sponsor a new bill that would overrule the Navy.