Fish Dog
08-21-2010, 12:42 AM
You may have read this thread a while back…
http://fishingnetwork.net/forum4/showthread.php?37174-Lower-Otay-A-Big-Catch-They-Found-My-Uncle-s-Plane-64-years-later-Wow!&highlight=uncle+plane
Well, I just got back for Otay Lake a couple hours ago. The plane has been recovered by A&T Recovery and will be taken to the National Naval Aviation Museum in Florida to be restored and put on display. Here’s a good article on the operation…
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/aug/20/world-war-ii-helldiver-bottom-lower-otay-lake/
We went down Tuesday and, due to a pump malfunction, we were disappointed when it couldn’t be recovered that day. We were told to come back on Thursday and when we got there we discovered that the canopies and a life raft had been recovered on Wednesday. It was expected that the plane would be up some time Wednesday but an injury to one of the divers slowed things down. (I understand it was a minor injury and he’s okay). We stayed overnight in Chula Vista and went back this morning for the finale. It still took until almost 3 PM to get the plane out of the water.
Anyway, being a family member of one of the crew involved in the ditching, I was given “press-pass” access and got a lot of good pictures. Here’s a few for your enjoyment…
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f65/caninelaw/canopies.jpg
Canopies recovered on Wednesday sitting on the dock.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f65/caninelaw/raftlabel.jpg
Label from the life raft recovered from the plane on Wednesday, note the date 1943.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f65/caninelaw/airbagsup.jpg
Lifting bags break the surface. The plane is suspended underwater below them.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f65/caninelaw/towingtoshore.jpg
Plane being towed towards shore. It is suspended underwater below the lifting bags.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f65/caninelaw/1stlight.jpg
Plane breaks the water’s surface. First direct sunlight in 65 years.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f65/caninelaw/Navyflyover.jpg
2 Navy FA-18’s do a flyover just as the plane breaks the surface. I don’t know if this was planned but it was a very appropriate salute to an old warrior.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f65/caninelaw/comingup.jpg
Coming up. The plane is slowly raised, making a few stops as it comes out of the water to give water time to drain out.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f65/caninelaw/wingsdry.jpg
Wings dry for the first time in 65 years.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f65/caninelaw/flyingagain.jpg
Airborne for the first time in 65 years.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f65/caninelaw/touchdown.jpg
Touchdown on dry land!
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f65/caninelaw/engine.jpg
Here’s the engine. Looks like it was almost torn off in the ditching. They had to secure it with a come-a-long to lift the plane from the water.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f65/caninelaw/tail.jpg
The tail – cloth control surfaces almost all rotted away.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f65/caninelaw/sideupwing.jpg
Here’s a side view over the top of the port wing.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f65/caninelaw/sidebelowwing.jpg
Another side view from under the starboard wing.
It was a great experience and I was glad I could be there. It was also very frustrating and boring (sorry – but it was) because of all the delays. Most of what we did was sit around and wait. Still, I wouldn’t have missed it. The plane is in pretty rough condition after being involved in a ditching and then sitting on the bottom for 65 years. As I mentioned above the engine was nearly torn off and, as you can see the prop is all bent from the impact. The canopies, the body and wings (except for the control surfaces) are actually in pretty good shape considering. Most of the control surfaces (rudder, tail flaps etc.) are rotted away as they were made of fabric to save weight and to make it easier for the pilot to move them (no “fly-by-wire” back then). Next step, I am told is the removal of the wings and likely the engine (since its almost off anyway) putting it on a lowboy trailer and shipping it to Florida for restoration. When it is done I’d like to go see it but I’m not sure I’m going to be able to do that but we’ll see. They’re talking about 2 years, give or take, to restore it. It will not fly again. It will be a static display in the museum.
http://fishingnetwork.net/forum4/showthread.php?37174-Lower-Otay-A-Big-Catch-They-Found-My-Uncle-s-Plane-64-years-later-Wow!&highlight=uncle+plane
Well, I just got back for Otay Lake a couple hours ago. The plane has been recovered by A&T Recovery and will be taken to the National Naval Aviation Museum in Florida to be restored and put on display. Here’s a good article on the operation…
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/aug/20/world-war-ii-helldiver-bottom-lower-otay-lake/
We went down Tuesday and, due to a pump malfunction, we were disappointed when it couldn’t be recovered that day. We were told to come back on Thursday and when we got there we discovered that the canopies and a life raft had been recovered on Wednesday. It was expected that the plane would be up some time Wednesday but an injury to one of the divers slowed things down. (I understand it was a minor injury and he’s okay). We stayed overnight in Chula Vista and went back this morning for the finale. It still took until almost 3 PM to get the plane out of the water.
Anyway, being a family member of one of the crew involved in the ditching, I was given “press-pass” access and got a lot of good pictures. Here’s a few for your enjoyment…
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f65/caninelaw/canopies.jpg
Canopies recovered on Wednesday sitting on the dock.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f65/caninelaw/raftlabel.jpg
Label from the life raft recovered from the plane on Wednesday, note the date 1943.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f65/caninelaw/airbagsup.jpg
Lifting bags break the surface. The plane is suspended underwater below them.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f65/caninelaw/towingtoshore.jpg
Plane being towed towards shore. It is suspended underwater below the lifting bags.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f65/caninelaw/1stlight.jpg
Plane breaks the water’s surface. First direct sunlight in 65 years.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f65/caninelaw/Navyflyover.jpg
2 Navy FA-18’s do a flyover just as the plane breaks the surface. I don’t know if this was planned but it was a very appropriate salute to an old warrior.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f65/caninelaw/comingup.jpg
Coming up. The plane is slowly raised, making a few stops as it comes out of the water to give water time to drain out.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f65/caninelaw/wingsdry.jpg
Wings dry for the first time in 65 years.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f65/caninelaw/flyingagain.jpg
Airborne for the first time in 65 years.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f65/caninelaw/touchdown.jpg
Touchdown on dry land!
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f65/caninelaw/engine.jpg
Here’s the engine. Looks like it was almost torn off in the ditching. They had to secure it with a come-a-long to lift the plane from the water.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f65/caninelaw/tail.jpg
The tail – cloth control surfaces almost all rotted away.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f65/caninelaw/sideupwing.jpg
Here’s a side view over the top of the port wing.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f65/caninelaw/sidebelowwing.jpg
Another side view from under the starboard wing.
It was a great experience and I was glad I could be there. It was also very frustrating and boring (sorry – but it was) because of all the delays. Most of what we did was sit around and wait. Still, I wouldn’t have missed it. The plane is in pretty rough condition after being involved in a ditching and then sitting on the bottom for 65 years. As I mentioned above the engine was nearly torn off and, as you can see the prop is all bent from the impact. The canopies, the body and wings (except for the control surfaces) are actually in pretty good shape considering. Most of the control surfaces (rudder, tail flaps etc.) are rotted away as they were made of fabric to save weight and to make it easier for the pilot to move them (no “fly-by-wire” back then). Next step, I am told is the removal of the wings and likely the engine (since its almost off anyway) putting it on a lowboy trailer and shipping it to Florida for restoration. When it is done I’d like to go see it but I’m not sure I’m going to be able to do that but we’ll see. They’re talking about 2 years, give or take, to restore it. It will not fly again. It will be a static display in the museum.