S-39 in Alaska?

Warbird Kid · **Posted:** Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:02 pm

Apparently from a a Smithsonian article, theirs an S-39 located at the bottom of Two Lakes, in Bethel Alaska.

Anyone have any info?

Matt Gunsch · **Posted:** Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:15 pm

Warbird Kid wrote:

Apparently from a a Smithsonian article, theirs an S-39 located at the bottom of Two Lakes, in Bethel Alaska.

Anyone have any info?

Why is thier S-39 on the bottom of a lake ? or did you mean "There Is" a S-39 located on the bottom of the lake ?

Warbird Kid · **Posted:** Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:18 pm

Matt Gunsch wrote:

Warbird Kid wrote:

Apparently from a a Smithsonian article, theirs an S-39 located at the bottom of Two Lakes, in Bethel Alaska.

Anyone have any info?

Why is thier S-39 on the bottom of a lake ? or did you mean "There Is" a S-39 located on the bottom of the lake ?

Yes, i meant "there is". Airplanes are more of a strong suit for me than grammar. :oops:

airnutz · **Posted:** Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:20 pm

Yep, there is a thread over in the Vintage section regarding this bird and I believe some links to the history
of how it got there and why recovery attempts have been put on hold...by Greg Herrick at least, for now.

Russ Matthews · **Posted:** Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:48 pm

airnutz wrote:

Yep, there is a thread over in the Vintage section regarding this bird and I believe some links to the history
of how it got there and why recovery attempts have been put on hold...by Greg Herrick at least, for now.

Here's that thread...

http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=13216&highlight=s39+alaska

...and the link to the history of the project (which does not appear to have been updated since January, 2001)

http://www.goldenwingsmuseum.com/Aircraft%20Pages/Sikorsky%20S-39.htm

Hopefully someone here knows something a little more current?

Warbird Kid · **Posted:** Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:23 pm

Thanks for the info guys.

happymeal · **Joined:** Fri Dec 10, 2004 7:00 am **Posts:** 215

Yes there is a S-39 200 ft deep in Two Lakes. We tried to fetch it some years ago, got it hook, but as the plane lies inverted with at least 3 feet of peanut butter like mud on top of both wings, structures to which ropes were hooked borke under the pressure of air balloons... and that end that salvage mission. But we got to see part of the plane thanks to a ROV.

airnutz · **Posted:** Fri Sep 04, 2009 8:11 am

happymeal wrote:

But we got to see part of the plane thanks to a ROV.

Piccies please???

happymeal · **Joined:** Fri Dec 10, 2004 7:00 am **Posts:** 215

Sorry, not mine and I do not have any anyway.

Warbird Kid · **Posted:** Fri Sep 04, 2009 8:47 am

What could you say is the condition of the aircraft? And are they any plans to go back and try to salvage it again?

airmanual · **Joined:** Thu Nov 04, 2004 6:32 am **Posts:** 240

happymeal wrote:

Yes there is a S-39 200 ft deep in Two Lakes..

??????

How can 1 (one) plane end up at the bottom of 2 (two) lakes ?

Laurent

The Inspector · **Posted:** Fri Sep 04, 2009 10:56 am

A big problem now with atempting to recover an aircraft in Alaska is 'The Great Land' itself. The state considers every crash site to be Lourdes and a holy shrine commemorating Alaskas great aviation history so do not even ponder recovering any aircraft remains or the state historical society will paint you red and tie a can to your belt.
A couple of years ago, a friend who is an Instructor at a part 147 school expressed interest in recovering his Dads PIPER CRUISER remains in Alaska. The kicker was that he, his Mom and Dad, and a newly purchased turtle were on their way back home from a shopping expedition to Achorage when the airplane went down. The state about had its own eruption over his veracity and to this day periodically sends him nastygrams about his complete loss of clear thinking in the matter. 'Imagine wanting to recover the airplane you crashed in ...why..I never...' So apparently Alaskas historical folks must think that the state is held together by rusting steel and UVA'd fabric shards 'I can see your crash site from my side yard'. It's easier to get a TBD off the ocean floor than to get a PA-11 wreck out of Alaska.

Warbird Kid · **Posted:** Fri Sep 04, 2009 11:39 am

The lake are in fact 2 lakes, connected to each other, hence the name i believe. Look it up on Google Maps. But Im pretty sure the S-39 is located in one piece. (For the most part)

Really hope Alaska isn't that stingy about recovery. Clearly an aircraft sitting at the bottom of a lake will be seen and remembered by far more people than in the air! :roll:

airnutz · **Posted:** Fri Sep 04, 2009 2:47 pm

Warbird Kid wrote:

Really hope Alaska isn't that stingy about recovery. Clearly an aircraft sitting at the bottom of a lake will be seen and remembered by far more people than in the air! :roll:

I don't recall that being an issue. The main holdup was one of logistics and safety. The inability to get a
hyperbaric chamber into that location was a big hitch. :wink:

Anyone got a C-47 on floats?

Baldeagle · **Posted:** Fri Sep 04, 2009 5:25 pm

If you ever get the chance to talk to Greg ask him about this story, and about getting the original pilot to go back to Alaska with him to help find it. A great story, and he tells it very well.

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