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

[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)

[AVGWarhawk]

Originally Posted by 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)

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.