Baltic Sea Recoveries

[michaelharadon]

Over the past 10 years or so, I've read a lot online about how the chemical composition of the Baltic preserves just about anything that falls into it. There are stories about 500 year old ships with coils of rope still on the deck, in perfect preservation, etc.

Is there the possibility of/have there been aircraft raised from the Baltic? I would think a lot of aircraft ditched in it during the Second War. I'm thinking also that there is a treasure trove of Second War ships at the bottom, too.

Any thoughts, comments, and facts from the WIXers of the world?

[JDK]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_air ... ry_in_2006

One of the more obvious things that strikes me is how the entire flight deck, which is wooden, is in perfect shape.This is really unique to Baltic diving. The cold deep and salinity, or lack thereof, preserve the wood condition.

http://www.unifiedteamdiving.com/profil ... report-may


http://www.vikingeskibsmuseet.dk/index. ... ache=1&L=1

http://www.vikingeskibsmuseet.dk/index.php?id=1348&L=1

[shepsair]

Michael

Above a certain line in the Baltic there is no shipworm - wood eating organism that would consume a shipwreck in a matter of decades.There are a number of ships hundreds of years old looking exactly the same as they did when they sank.

Aircraft are generally aluminium and still will be effected by water/salt/oxygen though with lower levels of oxygen and cold water might well survive better than in other sea locations.

regards

MS

[chippie51]

Were the remains of a Mig-3 not recovered from the Baltic a few years ago?

George

[John Dupre]

A Finnish AF Bf 109 (MT 208?) was recovered from the Baltic substantially intact about ten years ago with the thought of restoring it. After some preliminary work it was preserved as is since restoration was economically too difficult. In some case the nature of the aircraft's material will be a big factor in determining if it is worth restoring. Anodized aluminum survives better than untreated aluminum, magnesium rarely survives intact. Any place where dissimilar metals are joined are likely to be a source of corrosion.

[JDK]

...Above a certain line in the Baltic there is no shipworm ...

Above or below a certain depth?

[shepsair]

James

Latitude. Depth is not relevant if above that latitude.

Sounds as though xclimate change is posing a threat.

http://www.thelocal.se/24382/20100114/

regards

Mark