Ford
Tri-Motor
Vancouver
Search
Douglas
TBD-1 Devastator
History
1994 Search
1994 Gallery
1998 Search
1998 Gallery
Doug Champlin Editorial
Letter Details Battle of the
Midway
Crashed
B-17
Tacoma
Narrows Project
Anchor
Project
P-38
in Adak Alaska
Wrecks
of Lake Washington
Boeing
314 Clipper Project
|
1998 Search Gallery
 |
 |
| One mission
objective required the use of the sub’s manipulator arm. An anode was
placed on the radial engine. |
With the
anode in the manipulator, the sub was positioned directly in front of
the Devastator.
|
 |
 |
| With amazing
dexterity and depth perception the arm was positioned, lowering the
anode directly into the top cylinder of the TBD’s rotary engine. |
One objective
is to identify the state of decay and the orientation of the wreck.
|
 |
 |
These
pictures are important for determining exactly how to proceed with the
recovery.
|
The Harbor
Branch pilots are very skilled. The pilot could hold a position in mid
water just inches from the wreck while a Gulf Stream current swept over
the wreck. |
 |
 |
The final
goal was to recover a small piece of the aircraft. Optimally this piece
would be small, detached, and clearly a piece of a TBD.
|
Reaching out
with the arm, a long narrow object was grasped. Moving the object
closer, the shape and rivets clearly indicate this is part of the
aircraft. |
 |
 |
| The artifact,
on closer examination, turned out to be the antenna mast. The
three-foot pole was teardrop shaped, hollow, and riveted on the
trailing edge. On a TBD the antenna was mounted to the nose of the
airframe. This coincides with the location of the artifact prior to
recovery. |
The Harbor
Branch Oceanographic Institute operates three deep sea submersables.
UAS called on their capabilites to aid in this mission.
|
 |
 |
| The sub has
three external cameras; one Hi8 video camera and two still cameras,
28mm and 15mm. Inside, a basic digital camera and a Sony VX1000 digital
video camera. |
Returning
from the second dive, the submersable Clelia is readied for retrieval.
|
|
