"Pristine" Douglas SBD Dauntless Lifted From Lake Michigan After 65 Years

[mookiemookie]

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20090620/NEWS01/906200325/+Pristine++WWII+aircraft+lifted+from+Lake+Michigan

[Letum]

Another one?!
How many SBDs are in that lake?

Off topic:
I'm selling my "pristine" car: the structure is fine and some of the paint
remains. Only one wheel has fallen off.

[Stealhead]

I belive I saw on a show about great lakes ship wreaks that the water is cold as is does not do very much damege as say a warmer body would more so if that other body of water is salt.The lack of salt and the cold of the great lakes makes have pretty good preserving abilites. Something on National Geographic channel about the Black Sea I saw the other day Robert Ballard was there with a team looking at ancient ships that are very well preserved he said it had something to do with the very low levels of oxygen in the Black Sea specialy at deeper deapths. He said it is even possiable that some day the fairly well preserved body of an acient seman could be found around an ancient wreak.(I assume that he meant that the body could be somewhat mummified)

[antikristuseke]

Another one?!
How many SBDs are in that lake?

Off topic:
I'm selling my "pristine" car: the structure is fine and some of the paint
remains. Only one wheel has fallen off.

They are using the lake as storage space, in case they need them.

[AVGWarhawk]

I belive I saw on a show about great lakes ship wreaks that the water is cold as is does not do very much damege as say a warmer body would more so if that other body of water is salt.The lack of salt and the cold of the great lakes makes have pretty good preserving abilites. Something on National Geographic channel about the Black Sea I saw the other day Robert Ballard was there with a team looking at ancient ships that are very well preserved he said it had something to do with the very low levels of oxygen in the Black Sea specialy at deeper deapths. He said it is even possiable that some day the fairly well preserved body of an acient seman could be found around an ancient wreak.(I assume that he meant that the body could be somewhat mummified)

Yes, it is the lack of salt and the cold water that keeps these ships intact. There was a Canadian Dauntless pulled from one of the lakes that was rebuilt and resides in Reading PA. This aircraft was apparently intact because of the water were it was found.

[AVGWarhawk]

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20090620/NEWS01/906200325/+Pristine++WWII+aircraft+lifted+from+Lake+Michigan

Great article....only problem is, we have a beautiful WW2 aircraft that has not seen the light of day in over 60 years and here we have two dancers in front of it taking a photo op for the newspapers. :shifty:

[Max2147]

A lot of pilots got their carrier training on converted paddle wheel steamers in Lake Michigan during WWII. With lots of inexperienced pilots practicing carrier takeoffs and landings, you're bound to end up with a few planes on the bottom of the lake.

The ships they used for the training were actually pretty interesting: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Sable_(IX-81 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Sable_%28IX-81)) and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Wolverine_(IX-64)

[Buddahaid]

I think they need to wash the windows.

Buddahaid

[Biggles]

Another one?!
How many SBDs are in that lake?


Just what I thought. Think I can recall at least two news reports of this kind the last years or so.

[Torplexed]

When they start yanking up Mitsubishi Zeros from the bottom of Lake Michigan then I'll raise an eyebrow. :D