Deep Dive Flying Fortress Recovery ?

[bomberflight]

So there I was watching the YouTube video of Spencer's Pilots ( that brings back happy memories ) when I noticed this link to a B-17 that appears to be awaiting recovery

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEA2mJ2h ... re=related

Given it's 73 metres down in seawater it appears in remarkable condition.

I quick look at the Aero Vintage Books website reveals its B-17G ~ 44-6630

Which leaves me wondering who's trying to recover it ?

[Pat Carry]

Cool video. I wonder if it would fall apart during any kind of recovery attempt?

[Second Air Force]

Cool video. I wonder if it would fall apart during any kind of recovery attempt?

I'm afraid the aft fuselage would come apart, but the center section and wings would likely come up in once piece.

Here is an account of what happened on the first-and-only combat mission of 44-6630. http://www.divernet.com/Travel_Features ... tress.html

[tulsaboy]

Scott-

Those are the same guys who found and identified the Tulsamerican, not too far away from that location. There are the remains of several B-17s and B-24s there in those waters. They said that the wreck of this B-17 is in great condition considering, but that it is fairly fragile. As far as I know, no one is attempting to recover it. If they tried, they would have to negotiate something with the Croatian government, who considers all such wrecks to be sovereign cultural property.

kevin

[12XU2A3X3]

sovereign cultural property.

ugh

[whistlingdeath77]

darn it

[tom d. friedman]

a cool find!! is it a war grave?? if not, salvage doesn't seem feasible when you factor in much of the fuselage looks like peanut brittle.

[tulsaboy]

Granted I am not a salvage expert, but I would bet that you could carefully salvage it in pieces. There are plenty of loose parts that could be brought out of the fuselage. The wings could be demated and brought up with large slings; the fuselage could be separated into its component parts and lifted, again with large slings. After all of that was accomplished, you would still have to pursue an incredibly aggressive corrosion control process. To do it right, you would have to have tanks big enough to submerge all of the large components that you brought up, and then you would have to monitor those tanks and change out the solutions regularly. After you did all of that, you would have the heavily corroded remnants of a B-17. But it would be a combat vet, and there is no substitute for that!

kevin

[tom d. friedman]

cripes!!! let's throw in some goldfish from the carnival!!

[mustangdriver]

Is this the one named Black jack?

[tulsaboy]

mustangdriver-

No, that one is in the Pacific. This one is off the coast of Croatia, in the Adriatic, near Italy.

kevin

[mustangdriver]

Very cool stuff.

[Second Air Force]

Is this the one named Black jack?

Chris, check this out: http://b17blackjack.com/

[Django]

Sounds like the co-pilot is still at his station.

[HPDCapt]

This has been a very interesting thread for me to read. My father ditched a B-17F near Vis on June 30, 1944. It was the only aircraft lost on this mission, I was told, and the entire crew survived. They were picked up by the British. If anyone could provide any additional information on this mission and aircraft loss it would be appreciated.