Northrop Nomad A-17 - speaking of underwater finds...

[DaveCS]

It spent 74 years beneath the surface of freshwater Lake Muskoka in the middle of Ontario, Canada, about a 2.5 hour drive from Toronto. The Nomad's tail was raised yesterday (October 28, 2014) but it was originally found in July of 2010 after an approximately 3 year search. (http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2011/07/24/71_years_later_missing_plane_found.html )

Associated articles from today's news:
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2014/10/28/downed_second_world_war_plane_recovered_from_lake_muskoka.html

and background information from the RCAF website from September of 2013:

http://www.rcaf-arc.forces.gc.ca/en/news-template-standard.page?doc=the-northrop-a-17-nomad-3521/hlouaj92

It may not be as thrilling as finding a Halifax but I believe this is another good find and it allowed the airmen to "come home" after 70 long years.

Cheers,
Dave

[mhaselden]

I think it's just as thrilling. The Nomad is a great-looking aircraft (I'm being as good as I can in case Father Christmas decides to release a new 1/48 kit, preferably with Iraqi markings!).

The fact that these 2 airmen can now be laid to rest finally, and for their families to understand what happened to them, is just fantastic!

[tonyot]

I had heard that the Nomad had been found but didn`t know that they had begun to raise it, that is great news and the crew can now be buried.

Cheers for the update,

Tony

[RJP]

As I understand it, the remains of the crew were recovered a couple of years ago and they received a proper burial at that time. Now we are seeing the removal of the wrecked aircraft without having to feel a grave has been disturbed.

It's sometimes overlooked just how many casualties there were on training stations, far from the front. The Plan processed vast numbers of trainees of all trades, almost all of them recent civilians and most of them just kids and learning how to do some very dangerous jobs. I was in Jarvis Ontario last year and noticed a row of RCAF graves in the local cemetery, presumably men on training operations at the RCAF station.

Edited October 31, 2014 by RJP

[DaveCS]

Some more photos can be seen here via the Globe & Mail:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/in-photos-northrop-nomad-aircraft-recovered-from-lake-muskoka/article21379761/#dashboard/follows/

Of particular note (to me at least) is image #2 - clearly showing the serial number and can, at least, give folks an idea of the paint scheme (looks like overall trainer yellow - since most Nomad's I've seen in print only offer the Target Tug scheme)

Cheers,
Dave