San Diego Devastator wreck recovery effort revealed

[cwmc]

Sure would've been nice to get those airplanes off of the sea floor 15 years and 17 years ago and stabilized and to the rebuilders. I don't understand.
Chris...

[airnutz]

Sure would've been nice to get those airplanes off of the sea floor 15 years and 17 years ago and stabilized and to the rebuilders. I don't understand.
Chris...

A change in NHC policy has occurred.

[whistlingdeath77]

what kind of shape is [the San Diego TBD] in?

A follow-up article has appeared online that describes the Devastator off San Diego as "largely intact." More importantly, it also features underwater video of the wreck...

http://www.10news.com/news/27004610/detail.html

It's hard to make out much detail, but the distinctive "greenhouse" canopy is visible and while sporting many large marine growths, most of the fuselage looks to be fairly clean. There's a brief glimpse of the right wing, which seems to have suffered the same peculiar degradation of upper skin surfaces as Bu No 0353 (the "Champlin TBD") at the bottom of the Atlantic. The footage doesn't reveal anything of the nose and tail sections which were damaged so badly on her sister plane. It is clear, however, from the way the ROV gets bounced around that there's a wicked current running (at least on that day).

No doubt about it .. attempting to recover this wreck will be quite a challenge!

thanks for the update

[Taras]

I would like to find these people or their families:

W.A.H. Howland USN
R. Rogers AOMC2c, USN
O.A. Carter, AMM3c, USN (F.O.)

Taras

[Pat Carry]

Taras, After sitting in salt water all these years, wouldn't the plane fall apart?

[shepsair]

Taras

Howland should be OK to find. Will let you know.

Carter possibly.

Rogers little hope.

Need to find full names and service numbers and post on the web/WIX. Never know if the families are googling.

regards

Mark

[Lightjug]

Did any thing ever come of the Champlin TBD off of Miami? Shame it is still out there it looked to be in great shape in pictures.

The article linked above says "The museum has kept the Devastator sighting a secret for more than a decade, focusing on a Devastator that sank near Miami. That project is tied up in litigation."

The last I could find on the litigation was from about 10 years ago. Just wondering if there had been any progress since then.

Good point, I have no idea. Anyone?

[agent86]

the Champlin plane still sits rotting on the sea floor after how many yrs. since found? yep the Navy really cares about its past legacy

[whistlingdeath77]

darn navy

[lmritger]

Alright guys, let's try not to rehash the fights of the past... in case you've been under a rock, WE WON. Since the (drastically needed) change at the NHC, we've seen the recovery of a combat veteran F6F-3, a couple Dauntlesses, a rare SB2C-4, and an ultra-rare F4U-1... and now they're going after one of the last true prizes in Naval Aviation archaeology, a TBD Devastator.

It's bothersome that 0353 is still down there, sure, but I don't think there's been any significant action with the lawsuits for some time- I stand to be corrected on that of course, but the point is that once the law gets involved, you can forget about any swift resolution. There are no such problems with 0377, and it should be full speed ahead for recovering the aircraft once funding assistance is available (and if I had it, I'd do it in a heartbeat).

Go Navy!

Lynn

[Dan K]

Alright guys, let's try not to rehash the fights of the past... in case you've been under a rock, WE WON. Since the (drastically needed) change at the NHC, we've seen the recovery of a combat veteran F6F-3, a couple Dauntlesses, a rare SB2C-4, and an ultra-rare F4U-1... and now they're going after one of the last true prizes in Naval Aviation archaeology, a TBD Devastator.

It's bothersome that 0353 is still down there, sure, but I don't think there's been any significant action with the lawsuits for some time- I stand to be corrected on that of course, but the point is that once the law gets involved, you can forget about any swift resolution. There are no such problems with 0377, and it should be full speed ahead for recovering the aircraft once funding assistance is available (and if I had it, I'd do it in a heartbeat).

Go Navy!

Lynn

Lynn, there is no NHC anymore. I believe you're referring to the NHHC.

I've saved some space for you under the rock.

[whistlingdeath77]

[lmritger]

Lynn, there is no NHC anymore. I believe you're referring to the NHHC.

I've saved some space for you under the rock.

Thhanks Dan, I didn't know thhat... so all of our problems were fixed simply by adding another "H"? Thhat's awesome!



Lynn

[paulmcmillan]

Deseret News

Wednesday March 5 1941

Navy Torpedo Plane Sinks, Crew Rescued

San Diego, Cali, March 5 (AP) - A navy torpedo plane from the aircraft carrier Lexington was forced down and sank five miles west of Mission Bay yesterday, while on routine training flight.

The three members of the crew - Lieut W.A. Howland, ordanance man R. Rogers and machinist's mate O.A. Carter were rescued by a destroyer. Cause of the mishap was not immediately learned

[agent86]

ok guys,lets bring her up.no games,no court battles