marty_hopkirk Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 Apologies if this has been posted before, I had a quick look and couldn't see anything, http://www.nrk.no/trondelag/fant-sjeldent-bombefly-fra-2.-verdenskrig-1.12001529 Marty... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan B Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 A spectacular find indeed, the Norwegians have a great reputation for discovering interesting artefacts in the Fjords and I'm sure there are many more to come in the future. At 180m depth it would be a very expensive and technically challenging recovery so I doubt that will be an option. A Dive Support Vessel would be required and that is big league expensive (upwards of £100K/day), with no guarantee of recovering the aircraft intact (remember the Wellington found in Loch Ness?). It might be attempted due to the rarity of the Halifax but a major investor would need to dig deep into their pockets for the engineering and operations. I've have been lucky enough to have a wee bit of experience of this kind of thing over the last 27 years (have worked on various wrecks including the wreck of the Blucher in Oslo's Fjord where the Arado was lying on the seabed upside down beside the wreck). I wonder if I could talk my Employers into getting involved ? Duncan B 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 Thats definitely news to me and fantastic news at that,.....another Halibag found,......hopefully it will be raised and go o a good home where it can be looked after. I`m not sure about the Norwegian historian and WW2 expert thinking that the Halifax was involved in sinking the Tirpitz,...attacking it yes,......maybe he has been mis-interpreted by journalist`s,.....it wouldn`t be the first time! I wonder what version it it,......looks like a Merlin version and probably an early Mk.I/II which had a nose turret because like the RAFM example they were involved in attacks against the Tirpitz,.....I wonder if any of the nose survived what looks like ditching damagejust like the restored Canadian aircraft ,...ie not landing on ice and sinking through? Thanks for sharing this great news, Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan B Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 Thats definitely news to me and fantastic news at that,.....another Halibag found,......hopefully it will be raised and go o a good home where it can be looked after. I`m not sure about the Norwegian historian and WW2 expert thinking that the Halifax was involved in sinking the Tirpitz,...attacking it yes,......maybe he has been mis-interpreted by journalist`s,.....it wouldn`t be the first time! I wonder what version it it,......looks like a Merlin version and probably an early Mk.I/II which had a nose turret because like the RAFM example they were involved in attacks against the Tirpitz,.....I wonder if any of the nose survived what looks like ditching damagejust like the restored Canadian aircraft ,...ie not landing on ice and sinking through? Thanks for sharing this great news, Tony On the video it looked like the nose was lying on the seabed beside one of the engines, it's near the end of the video clip. Duncan D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 (edited) A spectacular find indeed, the Norwegians have a great reputation for discovering interesting artefacts in the Fjords and I'm sure there are many more to come in the future. At 180m depth it would be a very expensive and technically challenging recovery so I doubt that will be an option. A Dive Support Vessel would be required and that is big league expensive (upwards of £100K/day), with no guarantee of recovering the aircraft intact (remember the Wellington found in Loch Ness?). It might be attempted due to the rarity of the Halifax but a major investor would need to dig deep into their pockets for the engineering and operations. I've have been lucky enough to have a wee bit of experience of this kind of thing over the last 27 years (have worked on various wrecks including the wreck of the Blucher in Oslo's Fjord where the Arado was lying on the seabed upside down beside the wreck). I wonder if I could talk my Employers into getting involved ? Duncan B Hello Duncan, I`ve never even heard of this,........was the Arado ever recovered or is it still there? Is the Blucher still in good condition,......if so it must be a bit creepy seeing a large warship so well preserved? Cheers Tony Edit- Sorry Duncan,...just missed your reply,.....I had not realised that there was a film to watch but having just watched it the nose turret is definitely alongside the engine. I had not realised just how corroded the aircraft is,........it looks like it would fall apart if moved? The tail turret is a mess too,....it looks like it may have received a direct hit or something? I couldn`t see if there is a mid upper turret fitted,.....but surely they would have filmed it if it were present? Could it have fallen inside the fuselage?. Edited October 25, 2014 by tonyot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radleigh Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 Would be great to see it raised but as Duncan said it's not a cheap operation. Time will tell though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan B Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 Hello Duncan, I`ve never even heard of this,........was the Arado ever recovered or is it still there? Is the Blucher still in good condition,......if so it must be a bit creepy seeing a large warship so well preserved? Cheers Tony Edit- Sorry Duncan,...just missed your reply,.....I`ll have another look! Hi Tony There was everything from boots, helmets, rifles right up to field guns lying scattered all around, it's lying upside down, stern deepest, on a steep slope but in good condition. It's a war grave so everything is still there except for the ship's props which one enterprising (read "almost suicidal") salvager managed to recover back in the 70's IIRC (we couldn't believe how he'd done it without a SAT diving spread due to the depth). Duncan B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noelh Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 Really interesting. It should also be possible to identify it based on RAF records. It would be nice to see it raised sometime. Meanwhile I wish the Norwegians would come over here and search for a Coastal Command Wellington HF450 which came down in 1944. Through enquiries I've established it's approximate position and it's in shallower water than the Halifax. What other fascinating finds are out there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 Cheers Duncan, I cannot imagine anybody robbing a war grave,.....it is sick! Was he prosecuted at all? It sounds like an amazing sight down there,....but underwater exploration really interests me, Cheers Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canberra kid Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 WOW! Fan,bloody,tastic!!! John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daldroflas Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 (edited) It must be an amazing feeling to see the live feed from the cameras, knowing that it has been hidden and unknown for so many years. The fuselage skinning does look very corroded though. Hopefully it can be identified and the names of the brave crewmen can be known. Edited October 25, 2014 by daldroflas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 It is thought to be TL.P W7656. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old thumper Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 It looks like the sea has pretty much dissolved it, so I don't think there would be any point in raising it. Maybe some of it could be raised and added to the RAF Museum Halifax if there is anything there that could be used to enhance it. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 There is a lot that already could be done to the RAF Museum Halifax, but their intention is to retain its present state. As some sort of memorial, I believe. I disagree with this approach, but not being a multi-millionaire I can't even make an offer for them to refuse. Therefore they will not be interested in using other parts to enhance it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vicarage Vee Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 Sadly, all the bits needed to enhance W1048 at Hendon are sitting in store Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marty_hopkirk Posted October 25, 2014 Author Share Posted October 25, 2014 I think the machine is in remarkably good condition given it's age and the length of time it's been sitting in sea water. I don't think it is a realistic option to salvage it given the depth. Marty... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panzer Vor!!! Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 Be better to spend the money trying to locate X5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darby Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 Poz ID it, leave it alone 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bentwaters81tfw Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 It looks a bit too far gone to try and lift. A freshwater find would be better, but with the Hendon 'example', Canada's magnificent restoration, and Elvington's re-creation, I doubt anyone will bother with it other than make a positive ID. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grahamf Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 I'm not surprised by this, I remember reading years ago that there are an untold number of allied aircraft lying in the lakes of Scandanavia. I hope nobody suggests once getting it out of not restoring It, we've done that one so thats that particular itch scratched, so lets restore this one? Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Byron Boyd Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 Quick, somebody send that movie to Revell AG, especially the photos of the engines... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan B Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 Cheers Duncan, I cannot imagine anybody robbing a war grave,.....it is sick! Was he prosecuted at all? It sounds like an amazing sight down there,....but underwater exploration really interests me, Cheers Tony I think he had been given permission to salvage, IIRC one of the props is mounted outside a Bank in Oslo. It must be an amazing feeling to see the live feed from the cameras, knowing that it has been hidden and unknown for so many years. It is a really strange feeling when you see something like this looming out of the darkness, the hairs stand up on your arms. I once had the good luck to be involved with an archeological "dig" (at over 400m!) on a sunken Galleon north of Cuba. It was one of the famous Atocha fleet that was wiped out by a hurricane. We recovered all sorts of artefacts from tiny pearls to bars of gold and olive jars. I found a small jar for pouring olive oil and was the first to lay hands on it for 374 years, that was a very thought provoking moment. Duncan B 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Headroom Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 There is a lot that already could be done to the RAF Museum Halifax, but their intention is to retain its present state. Several years ago FlyPast did a piece on the Hendon example. The conclusion was that even if they wanted to bring it back to pristine, it's too far gone as the aluminium has delaminated and corroded. The science of preserving dunked wrecks has moved on considerably since the 70's Even so, this one looks like a Swiss cheese. Much/most/all would need replacing and then we are in the 'Trigger's broom' scenario mentioned by Edgar in the now locked thread about the Guy Martin programme on Spitfire N3200. Other than taking some bits for museums (assuming it's not a war grave) then leave it alone. Trevor 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sten Ekedahl Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 The Blucher wreck in the Oslo fjord is as mentioned, a war grave. However it is also an environmental hazard since there is an awful lot of oil still left in the tanks. And due to corrosion this is now continuosly seeping out. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panzer Vor!!! Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 The Royal Oak was leaking oil into the flow A company successfully drained/sealed her tanks without disturbing the wreck I watched a video of the work at a Navy day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now