Warbird Information Exchange

Couple of F9C Sparrowhawk pics.

Didn't the navy recover the two from the blimp that went down in the pacific?

_________________
A&P/I.A., A.A.S./Aviation Maintenance technology
Warbird salvage/recovery
One day I'll get that P-40!

First I ever heard of Sparrowhawks being recovered. Would be great if true. I have always liked that design and think it would be a great project for a reproduction or replica.

_________________
"I can't understand it, I cut it twice and it's still too short!" Robert F. Dupre' 1923-2010 Go With God.

I seem to recall a few years ago reading a story about the blimp (can't remember if it was the Akron or Macon) that went into the Pacific off of the coast of San Diego and was recently found. There was photos of the wreckage and of the 2 aircraft. The talk was salvaging the aircraft. Just wondering if the navy ever did.

_________________
A&P/I.A., A.A.S./Aviation Maintenance technology
Warbird salvage/recovery
One day I'll get that P-40!

Not recovered yet and I think I recall the Navy doesn't want to recover them. I believe that there are more than two down there. i think I remember 6 went down with the airship. BTW, the Akron and Macon were airships (dirigibles) not blimps. Metal frame inside kept the shape and held the gas bags.
Jerry

_________________
"Always remember that, when you enter the ocean or the forest, you are no longer at the top of the food chain."

At one time there was a plan in place to recover at least some of them.
In the course of the permitting process they were hooked by shrimp
nets and that ended the efforts.

O.K. sorry for mis-speaking, dirigibles, dirigibles, dirigibles, got it. Thank you for the correction, I got this round

_________________
A&P/I.A., A.A.S./Aviation Maintenance technology
Warbird salvage/recovery
One day I'll get that P-40!

Anybody know what the thingies at the front end of the wheelpants are there for?

-Tim

_________________
Keep 'em Flying.

Found this site http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/missions/2006macon/discovery.html with more info on the 2006 discovery and exploration of the wreck of the USS Macon. It says that four F9Cs were found with the wreck.

Randy

Arresting wire deflectors for carrier trials. The Sparrowhawk has tiny wheels (and pants) compared to any contemporary carrier based aircraft.

_________________
Lest Hero-worship raise it's head and cloud our vision, remember that World War II was fought and won by the same sort of twenty-something punks we wouldn't let our daughters date.

And they will be preserved In situ for future generations !

_________________
"You cannot invade the mainland United States. There would be a rifle behind each blade of grass..."
Admiral Isoruku Yamamoto

Dirigible means 'steerable', that includes blimps and semi-rigids as well as Zeppelin-types. As opposed to 'free' balloons which go with the wind and are controllable only to altitude (hopefully)

Blimps are non-rigid airships. They have no internal structure, and maintain their shape by inflation of the gas bags and ballonets. The gondola is supported by cables.
Semi-rigid airships (like the Norge, Roma etc) have a keel structure to which the gondola, gas cells, engines etc are attached, but still maintain their shape mostly by inflation.
Rigid airships, generically 'Zeppelins' use a complete framework to maintain shape and distribute the loads of flying equipment.

_________________
Lest Hero-worship raise it's head and cloud our vision, remember that World War II was fought and won by the same sort of twenty-something punks we wouldn't let our daughters date.