A Lake Michigan recovery now w/ even more photos

Warbirdnerd · **Joined:** Fri Apr 30, 2004 7:34 pm **Posts:** 2923

This is a listing of what the Navy lost in the lake. Is there a list somewhere of all the ones that have been recovered?

Quote:

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.10 Several of the aircraft used for training had prior military history. Some served in Pacific campaigns, others in North Africa.

Found it here:
http://www.history.navy.mil/branches/org12-6i.htm

Noha307 · **Posted:** Sat Dec 08, 2012 5:11 pm

How did the tail separate from the rest of the airframe? I hope it wasn't during recovery.

WIXMOD-Charlie · **Joined:** Thu Jun 02, 2011 11:53 am **Posts:** 256

No politics!

ZRX61 · **Joined:** Tue Jun 14, 2005 10:16 am **Posts:** 2308

WIXerGreg wrote:

I think the plane went through one other owner before Lewis and I believe it's the only actual Grumman built Wildcat still airworthy.

Steven Craig maybe? I worked on that one. Paint inside the cockpit & fuselage was original.

WIXerGreg · **Posted:** Sun Dec 09, 2012 12:19 am

Yep, that's the one.

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/f4fregis ... 12260.html

ZRX61 · **Joined:** Tue Jun 14, 2005 10:16 am **Posts:** 2308

We modified the undercart to electric so you didn't have to sit there & crank that dang handle by hand

Pat Carry · **Posted:** Sun Dec 09, 2012 11:16 am

Noha307 wrote:

How did the tail separate from the rest of the airframe? I hope it wasn't during recovery.

The tail was found on the lakebed away from the fuselage. Similar to the Corsair brought up previously.

shepsair · **Posted:** Mon Dec 10, 2012 8:29 am

[quote="Pat Carry"]

Nice pic of me walking up

The loss of tail and damage basically came from the Wildcat having engine failure and rolling off the bow and being run over by USS Sable running at 11 knots or so. The pilot was lucky to survive.

Back home, knackered and now time to write up a bit.

Mark

Pat Carry · **Posted:** Mon Dec 10, 2012 2:11 pm

Warbirdnerd wrote:

This is a listing of what the Navy lost in the lake. Is there a list somewhere of all the ones that have been recovered?

Quote:

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.10 Several of the aircraft used for training had prior military history. Some served in Pacific campaigns, others in North Africa.

Found it here:
http://www.history.navy.mil/branches/org12-6i.htm

I wonder if there is still time to recover all the remaining Dauntlesses, Wildcats and Hellcats?

tulsaboy · **Posted:** Mon Dec 10, 2012 2:32 pm

Time? Sure. Funds? Sure, if private collectors are allowed to keep what they salvage. Willingness to allow that to happen by the Navy? Different story alltogether.

kevin

muddyboots · **Posted:** Mon Dec 10, 2012 4:57 pm

Warbirdnerd wrote:

This is a listing of what the Navy lost in the lake. Is there a list somewhere of all the ones that have been recovered?

Quote:

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.10 Several of the aircraft used for training had prior military history. Some served in Pacific campaigns, others in North Africa.

Found it here:
http://www.history.navy.mil/branches/org12-6i.htm

And most of these are still in the water? Good lord! Maybe we should start a petition at White House.gov. to get the President to order the Navy to change their policy... Could we get 25,000 signers?

DaveM2 · **Posted:** Mon Dec 10, 2012 8:19 pm

Quite a few were recovered at the time if in shallow enough water. The only remaing Hellcat was recovered a few years back and the only Vindicator has also been recovered back in 1990.

Dave

marine air · **Posted:** Mon Dec 10, 2012 8:33 pm

Okay, what is the "net-net" list ? Aircraft not recovered in the 1940's and not recovered since the 1980s, ie, recvently.
Net list= 1 Devastator, recovered, 1 Corsair- recovered, 1 Hellcat recovered.
Net- Net list those remaining to be recovered, which would be x number of Dauntlesses, Wildcats, TBF/TBM Avengers, SNJ-5C Texans, If all could be recovered, how many would that be?

Last the "Triple Net" or Triage List. OF the dozens on the bottom, what would be the order in which they would be recovered in say, a 5 year window of opportunity.
Would it be something like this; All the Dauntlesses, all of the Wildcats, a few of the TBFs if they have combat history. None of the SNJ's.
I've thought of a way to justify bringing a bunch of them up, but it has political undertones, so I won't mention it for fear of being banned by WIX.

cooper9411 · **Posted:** Mon Dec 10, 2012 8:36 pm

muddyboots wrote:

Warbirdnerd wrote:

This is a listing of what the Navy lost in the lake. Is there a list somewhere of all the ones that have been recovered?

Quote:

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.10 Several of the aircraft used for training had prior military history. Some served in Pacific campaigns, others in North Africa.

Found it here:
http://www.history.navy.mil/branches/org12-6i.htm

And most of these are still in the water? Good lord! Maybe we should start a petition at White House.gov. to get the President to order the Navy to change their policy... Could we get 25,000 signers?

There all ready is a petition at Whitehouse.gov. We need a whole lot more signatures on the petition. Pass the word and lets get everybody possible to sign it! :drink3:

muddyboots · **Posted:** Mon Dec 10, 2012 8:51 pm

Can't find it or I would put it out on Reddit... geek

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