The November 29th Aero News Net reports that plans are in place to raise a World War II F6F-3 Hellcat fighter (serial number #25910) from 250 feet down in Lake Michigan off Chicago on the 30th if the weather holds good.
Pilot Lt.jg Walter B. Elcock was practicing landings on the aircraft carrier USS Sable, a converted Great Lakes passenger liner when his plane went into the drink January 5, 1945 after leaving Glenview Naval Air Station.
The frigid waters of the lake keep the planes very well preserved. During the war, 17,000 naval pilots trained at Glenview, including one Lt.jg George H. W. Bush who also crashed his training plane into Lake Michigan. His plane was raised and restored and is now on display at the Naval Aviation Museum at Pensacola.
A Bit of Lost History Recovered. --DaCoot
No comments:
Post a Comment