Wreck discovery – World Warbird News

Wreck of Richard Bong’s P-38 “Marge” found in Papua – New Guinea

World Warbird News — Fri, 24 May 2024 07:48:14 +0000

Richard Bong seen with his P-38 decorated with a photo of his girlfriend Marjorie Vattendahl (photo source: Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center)

On May 23, the Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center and Justin Taylan of Pacific Wrecks announced that the wreckage of Richard Bong’s P-38, nicknamed “Marge,” had been discovered in Papua New Guinea.

This discovery is the result of an expedition in Papua New Guinea that began on May 1st.

At the press conference, Briana Fiandt, the curator of collections and exhibits at the Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center, explained the importance of the discovery of this plane, one of the most emblematic of World War II.

The wreckage of the P-38 was formally authenticated by the last three digits of its serial number, still visible on a piece of the plane’s wreckage.

Surprisingly, this fragment, found on the right wing of the plane, still bore some of the original red paint dating back over 80 years.

The P-38 “Marge” was named after Bong’s girlfriend, Marjorie Vattendahl, and was decorated with her portrait.

The plane was lost in 1944 with Lieutenant Tom Malone at the controls during a weather reconnaissance mission. Malone had to bail out due to a faulty engine.

The location of the P-38’s wreck remained a mystery for eight decades until its discovery during the “Mission: Marge” expedition.

Richard Bong flew this P-38 in combat and became America’s ace of aces with 40 aerial victories against Japanese aircraft.

Sadly, he died in California during a test flight of a Lockheed P-80 on August 6, 1945.

Source: Richard Bong’s P-38 fighter plane, ‘Marge,’ discovered in Papua New Guinea.

SNCASE Aquilon wreck discovered in Mediterranean Sea

World Warbird News — Sat, 28 Nov 2020 22:54:20 +0000

The Aquilon n° 83 (Photo credit : IFREMER)

On November 20, 2020, the Pourquoi Pas ? , a ship of the French oceanographic fleetoperated by the Ifremerand the French navy was conducting scientific work south of Porquerolles in southern France, when its remotely-controlled Victor6000 robot discovered the wreck of an Aquilon fighter, a French-built de Havilland Sea Venom, nearly 8,000 ft beneath the surface.

The markings on the tail revealed the history of the aircraft and its pilot. The accident happened on 13 June 1960 as Aquilon 203 n°83 of Flottille 11F was in the last stages of its carrier qualifications on the British carrier HMS Ark Royal sailing off Hyères. During the final launch before returning to its base in Hyères, Aquilon n°83 hit the water and sank immediately. Its pilot, 27-year-old Maître Jean LEGOUHY, disappeared with his aircraft.

The Aquilon was the French navy’s first operational jet fighter. Built starting in 1952 by the Société Nationale de Construction Aéronautiques du Sud-Est (SNCASE) in Marignane, it was built in several versions and served from 1955 to 1966. The type served as a transition and an initiation to jet-powered aircraft, replacing the Hellcat and serving alongside the Corsair, which was used for ground attack until 1964. The final flight ig the Aquilon in the French naval air arm took place on 30 June 1966.

Sources : Marine nationale

Bristol Beaufighter wreck discovered on UK beach

World Warbird News — Tue, 02 Jun 2020 09:39:06 +0000

A Bristol Beaufighter TF. X (Photo Crown Copyright)

Dog walkers recently discovered the wreck of a Bristol Beaufighter TF. X on the beaches near Cleethorpes, in the United-Kingdom.

The Royal Air Force Museum believes this wreck to be that of Beaufighter TF. X JM333 of the Royal Air Force’s No 254 Squadron, which crashed after a dual engine failure shortly after take-off from RAF North Coates on 21 April 1944. The two crew members involved survived the accident.

Authorities have asked the public not to come near the wreck, as local tides can be dangerous and live ammunition was found on site. The Royal Navy dispatched a demolition team to destroy the ammunition on location.

Sources:

Lost Tuskegee Airman’s remains may have been found

World Warbird News — Wed, 11 Apr 2018 13:38:13 +0000

Left to right: Alwayne Dunlap, Lawrence E. Dickson, Wilmeth W. Sidat Singh and Elmer L. Gordon in 1942 at the Tuskegee Army Flying School (Photo US Air Force)

The remains found at a crash site in Hohenturn, Austria, could be those of Captain Lawrence E. Dickson, who disappeared in his P-51 Mustang on 23 December 1944, during his 68th combat mission with the 100th Fighter Squadron. The US Defence POW/MIA Accounting Agency emphasize that they are still testing the remains but there is circumstantial evidence that this is the site where Captain Dickson crashed.

Lawrence Dickson was born in South Carolina on 1 January 1920. He was decorated multiple times during his service, earning the Air Medal with 4 Oak Leaf clusters, the Distinguished Flying Cross and Purple Heart among others.

Sources:

USS Lexington and several aircraft discovered by Paul Allen

World Warbird News — Thu, 08 Mar 2018 11:23:23 +0000

The wreckage of the aircraft carrier USS Lexington was located by the research vessel RV Petrel on 4 March 2018 during an expedition led by Paul Allen. The “Lady Lex” was America’s second aircraft carrier, and the first one lost in combat. She was badly damaged by Japanese attacks on 8 May 1942 and scuttled by the destroyer USS Phelps to prevent her capture by the enemy.

She lies some 3,000 meters below the surface approximately 430 nautical miles off Queensland. A remotely-operated underwater vehicle captured remarkable footage of the Lady Lex, and also discovered seven TBD Devastators, three SBD Dauntless and a single F4F Wildcat.

These aircraft are in a remarkable state of preservation, probably due to the great depth. The F4F Wildcat, belonging to VF-3 and carrying the number F-5, can be seen with 4 Japanese “kill markings” beneath the cockpit.

More photos and information can be found on Paul Allen’s website.

P-40 Warhawk discovered and salvaged in Ketch Straight

World Warbird News — Mon, 08 May 2017 08:20:34 +0000

A Soviet Lend-Lease Curtiss P-40 Warhawk was discovered underwater in the Kertch Straight during preparation work for the construction of the Kertch Straight bridge, a road-rail bridge under construction by the Russian Federation, to span the Strait of Kerch between the Kerch Peninsula of Crimea and the Taman Peninsula of Krasnodar Krai.

The aircraft was recovered using equipment borrowed from the construction group. No details on its exact identity are available but photos of the recovery operation are available from The Daily Mail.

(h/t Benjamin G.)

Handley-Page Halifax discovered in Norwegian fjord

World Warbird News — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 23:03:15 +0000

(Video still from NTNU AUR-LAB via WarbirdsNews.com)

A research team from the Marine Technology Center at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim, Norway has discovered the sunken wreck of an RAF Handley Page Halifax under roughly 180m of water on the bottom of a nearby fjord.

The aircraft is very likely Halifax Mk II W7656 of No 35 Squadron, lost on 26 April 1942 while attacking the German battleship Tirpitz. Two crewmen, Sgt.Columbine (navigator) and Sgt. Evans (W/Op & Gunner), perished in the crash.

Read the full story on Warbirds News

Burmese Spitfire excavation to start soon

World Warbird News — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 17:13:08 +0000

A Spitfire Mk XIV at Duxford (Photo Brian Proctor (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)).

Since the announcement last April that some 20 Spitfire Mk XIV had been found buried in Burma, very little information has been available concerning this extraordinary discovery. Some observers were understandably sceptical, given the lack of information and rumours stating that there could be 60 or more such Spitfires to be found.

These last few days, more information has appeared in British press. It would seem that the excavations should start at the end of the month and will take up to two years. A contract has been signed between David Cundall, the British enthusiast who discovered the location of the buried aircraft, and the Burmese government.

The first part of the operation should unearth 60 aircraft (instead of 20 as initially thought): 36 in Mingaladon, 18 in Myitkyina and six in Meikthila.More aircraft are supposed to be excavated later. The Burmese government is expecting to recuperate one aircraft for display in a museum, as well as half of the remaining aircraft. David Cundall’s company DJC will recuperate 30% while Burmese partner company Shwe Taung Paw will keep the remaining 20%.

Sources:

Huffington Post
Daily Mail (avec une photo d’époque)

Unique Me 323 “Gigant” wreck found off Sardinian coast

World Warbird News — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 08:58:54 +0000

An Me 323 Gigant. (Photo Bundesarchiv (CC BY-SA))

Italian researchers claim to have discovered the wreck of a Messerschmitt Me 323 Gigant heavy cargo/troop transport off the Sardinian coast. Only 200 Me 323 were built during the war and none has survived to this day, the only remnants of the type being a main spar owned by the Luftwaffenmuseum der Bundeswehr (German Air Force Museum), near Berlin.

The plane was reportedly shot down by a Bristol Beaufighter on 26 July 1943 as it left Sardinia for Pistoia in Italy. A few troops onboard the aircraft managed to evacuate the aircraft before it sank, but most passengers were trapped inside and drowned.

If the wreck does prove to be an Me 323, this would be a major discovery for aviation historians. Amateur historian and diver Cristina Freghieri claims she had been searching for the wreck for a year but had not expected to find it here. The wreck was discovered by using a wire-guided camera, and was then explored by a team of divers. The few seconds of footage that have been made available would tend to show the wreck is indeed an Me 323 (see below, starting at 0:57).

Soviet C-47 discovered in Siberia

World Warbird News — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 10:48:01 +0000

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.