Continue reading]]> The wreckage of a lend-lease Soviet C-47 Dakota was recently discovered in Siberia, in a remarkable state of preservation. Aside from some damage due to the crash, most of the aircraft seems to be in good condition.

The aircraft, a C-47-DL with c/n 9118, was turned over to the Soviet Union in February 1943 and was used for ice reconnaissance by the Office of Polar Aviation. Later in 1943 and 1944, it was used for exploration and reconnaissance in the Kara Sea. In 1945, it was sent to the Chukotka Polar Air Arm.

The aircraft crashed on 13 April 1947 north of the village of Volochanka, in the Taymyr Peninsula. The cause of the crash was the failure of the left engine. After 20 days, 28 survivors were rescued, but another 7, who had left to find help, were never seen again.

Photos of the wreck can be found on the WW2 in colour blog.

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A Soviet Air Force Il-2M Sturmovik. (Source: Wikipedia)

An Il-2 Shturmovik was raised from a lake in Russia recently. The aircraft made an emergency landing on the frozen lake on November 25, 1943. The crew of two was able to leave the aircraft but it subsequently fell through the ice and sank to the bottom of the lake.

According to this article from English Russia, the airframe should be sent to Novosibirsk for restoration.