# Ju-88 found in the Adriatic sea close to Montenegro



## seesul (Feb 9, 2010)

I read in our newspapers yesterday that a German Ju-88 was found in the Adriatic sea close to Sutomore harbor in Montenegro (former Yugoslavia). The wreck is 56 m deep and in a good condition.
I haven´t found any info in English about it yet. Anyway, there was written that the DPA agency brought this news.
Attached is a map with a Czech notes. The red dot shows the crash site.


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## imalko (Feb 9, 2010)

I heard of this news a few days ago myself, but didn't want to post anything because I was hoping some actual photos of the aircraft itself will show up first. However nothing so far. Wreck is known to some Montenegro divers for a while know and it became a tourist attraction of a sort, but only a selected few had the privilege to see it. It was discovered back in September 2008. However only recently aircraft was identified as Ju 88 when experts from Aeronautical Museum from Belgrade were summoned to examine the site. Their research confirmed that this is a wreck of Junkers Ju 88. Previously there were many theories about which type of airplane this is. Exact location of the wreck is still held a secret however out of fear of unauthorized attempts to recover the parts. 

I will post Serbian news article about this when I find some spare time to translate it to English.


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## seesul (Feb 9, 2010)

Thx Igor. There was nothing else in our newspapers but this brief news.


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Feb 9, 2010)

Very cool news. If some pictures show up somewhere, please post them.


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## wheelsup_cavu (Feb 9, 2010)

I am looking forward to seeing pictures of this find too.


Wheels


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## diddyriddick (Feb 9, 2010)

DerAdlerIstGelandet said:


> Very cool news. If some pictures show up somewhere, please post them.



Agreed! Thanks for the heads-up!


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## Wayne Little (Feb 10, 2010)

fingers crossed we will see something soon!


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## Messy1 (Feb 10, 2010)

Agree with all! Looking forward to some pics!


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## Colin1 (Feb 10, 2010)

Still waiting to hear Guttorm's dusting off his scuba gear...


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## B-17engineer (Feb 10, 2010)

He'll fly the Ju-52 over parachute out with scuba gear on 

Nice find!


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## imalko (Feb 28, 2010)

As promised earlier I’ve translated the news article regarding Junkers Ju 88 wreck found underwater at the coast of Montenegro. With great regret I must say that no photos of this aircraft had been published yet. Still hoping they will appear somewhere and if they do I’ll post them here. 
According to this article it appears that State authorities haven’t made any plans for this wreck so far while the people who found it would be keen to keep it where it is now - under the sea. Can’t say I agree with that opinion. If the wreck is indeed in good condition as they say it is, then I think it should be raised and restored and not left to deteriorate further under the water. Anyway here's the article...

*Bomber Wreck At The Coast Of Montenegro*

Source: "Vijesti" 2nd February 2010
By Radomir Petrić

_After almost year and a half mystery of sunk aircraft near beach at Čanj is finally solved_

Lying in sand at the depth of 54 meters, as a current habitat for dozens of lobsters, there’s a wreck of German bomber Junkers Ju 88 from WW2! Secret of this aircraft, about which "Vijesti" published exclusive story 18 months ago, was solved by experts from Belgrade. Wreck of Junkers, which was discovered by international team of divers in 2008 already became one of the greatest must see underwater attractions on Montenegro coast together with sunk 17th Century ship, Mikovićeva cave, torpedo ship "Dag" and antic shipyard Bigovica.

- We have just received answer from the experts of Aeronautical Museum in Belgrade that, according to available footage and dimensions of the wreck, this is indeed German twin engine/four crew medium bomber Junkers Ju 88 from WW2 period - Dragutin-Dašo Durutović, famous lawyer and diver from Bar, said for "Vijesti".

He was a member of diver team which in September 2008 explored waters off Čanj, motivated by fishermen stories about "something which was snagging and tearing their nets for decades."

When twin engined wreck was found, it wasn’t quite clear from the footage which type of plane was in question. Speculations were ranging from Blenheim and SM.79 to Dornier Do 17 and Messerchmitt Bf 110. All dilemmas were resolved after new series of dives to the wreck in last September when high quality video footage was taken.

- In comparison to first dives in 2008, when there was a great excitement about the discovery, dive the last September left completely different impression. With one year passed, wreck looks different now, it’s covered with more fishing nets, one engine is moved, but all in all she’s in very good condition and offers much to see. Both engines are still there and wings are still attached to the fuselage. Fuselage is damaged and the aft part of it together with tail surfaces isn’t visible, probably submerged in sand, damaged by the crash and staying under water for over 50 years. - Durutović tells.

Selected few who had the opportunity to see this wreck up close are: Željko Dragutinović from New Jersey (owner of divers ship "Down Under"), Durutović (who is also diving instructor), Srđan Miletić (diving instructor from Kruševac), diving instructor Ivana Orlović-Kranjc and her husband Janez, Dušan Varda (film maker, director and diver from Belgrade, autor of TV documentary "Secrets of the South Seas’"and author of book "Underwater Treasure of Montenegro"), Alexander Sandi Jereb (diver from Ljubljana) Milan Vujačić (diver from Bar) and famous diver Đorđe Đukić.

- After few failed attempts because of bad weather we managed to locate the wreck again on 1 September. We were lucky to have good weather for filming the wreck, diving down the rope in several groups from two ships. We measured the dimensions of the wreck and made really good shots which were used by experts from Belgrade to identify the type. We are ready to give the exact location of the wreck to the State officials, Military, Police and to Tourist-divers which could go to visit the wreck with our help. However, due to the large depth and strong current this is not advised to amateurs but only to experienced divers. Out of caution we haven’t yet marked the exact position of the wreck out of fear of unauthorized attempts to raise the parts. I’ve seen a lot of wrecks in Mediterranean Sea and am of opinion that this Junkers has all that it takes to make it a real under water attraction. On our coast there is only a submerged Spitfire at Boka Kotorska bay, but this aircraft had completely fell apart with parts spread on large area at the bottom of the bay. Junkers is in much better state, it’s in one piece and more interesting to see. - Durutović concludes.


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## timshatz (Feb 28, 2010)

Tranks for the translation Imalko. Appeciate it.


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## proton45 (Feb 28, 2010)

Maybe the "National Geographic" people will film a program about it...

p.s. is this an "old persons" reference (lol)?


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## vikingBerserker (Feb 28, 2010)

Thanks for translating Igor.


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## imalko (Feb 28, 2010)

Cheers fellas!


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## ccheese (Feb 28, 2010)

Good find ! Let's hope some pic's get published, soon.

Charles


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## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Feb 28, 2010)

Great find Seesul and Imalko, and thank you for the translation Imalko. Let's hope the raise it and restore it.


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## A4K (Mar 1, 2010)

With the guys, thanks for the heads up, and the translation Igor!


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## Gnomey (Mar 1, 2010)

Very cool, thanks for the heads up. Looking forward to some pictures of it when and if they surface.


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## Vardad (Mar 17, 2010)

My name is Dusan Varda.

I was the first person after more than 65 years on the wreckage of Ju88 in Montenegro.
Pictures are poor, Nikonos leaked at deep bellow 50 meters. Only few close-ups.
There is a short video material made on site, from which experts in Belgrade Aircraft Museum made indetification.

We are still looking to find ANYTHING about aircraft orgin, or date and circumstances of crash. No eyewitness, no records in local archives.

If anyone of you can find something about it, it will be very nice and helpful.

Ju88 is lying on a sea floor in one piece, with no tail, upside down...


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## imalko (Mar 17, 2010)

Hello Dušan and welcome to the forum. Glad to have you here.

How much of the aircraft fuselage is left? German bomber aircraft carried code letters on the fuselage sides next to the national markings. This letters could indicate the unit from which this aircraft was. Another clue about the unit might be emblem on the aircraft nose below the canopy. However, not all Ju-88s wore these emblems.

Igor


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## Vardad (Mar 17, 2010)

Hi Igor!
Nose of plane is smashed in crash. When I saw it first, I was sure that we found Savoia also crashed in this area, which have hole on place of third engine in front. Secont thought was Bristol Beaufighter, engines looks very alike. Later we realised that it plane is lying upside down, with smashed front cabin. Measuring wings (66 feet) was one of the first signs what plane it could be. I can say that I am expert in recognizing fish, but not submerged aircrafts. Let's say that 3/4 of fuselage is there, but there is over half century fat layer of algae on whole body of aircraft. We have only few minutes of dive at that deep, so it is impossible to wipe out corrosion even from the smallest part on the plane. Grabbing on one part of wing, we noticed yellow paint. This is very hard way to find some marks on plane.

Our idea was in easier way to find out in papers/internet what MIA it was, not to make forensic investigation under sea -problem is very-deep diving.


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## seesul (Mar 17, 2010)

Welcome aboard Dusan. As Igor says, you gotta find something. Code, emblem, number. Just something.
What about your feelings during this dive? It must have been something I bet.
Thanks for joining us!


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## seesul (Mar 17, 2010)

And Igor, I know I´m late but thank you very much for your translation and posting the article!


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## Vardad (Mar 17, 2010)

Feeling was ONCE IN A LIFETIME....)

First, we was not sure what it was down there - shipwreck or stone reef. I even was assuming that it is UFO. It was very small hill on very flattern muddy sea bed. It was very hard to locate with sonar. And it was really big suprise, because no data about plane crash here was known, excluding Savoia wich was known that wings fall off when it hits water(by whitness stories and other divers informations about location of one wing). We find it at the end of summer 2008 (31.august), and it was only succesful dive at site in the end of season. Last summer we make several dives (measuring, filming, etc.). Occasionaly problem on location is visibility and sea currents. 

Next dives will be during this summer. Than we can search for some marks on plane. Fuselage is also partly destroyed by dinamite (common way of "fishing" in Montenegro). That's how we found location- from traditional fisherman experience. Holes from dinamite are quite small, but enough to make tricks for your eyes not to see clearly shapes and details. We didn't want to dig and search inside a plane because we don't know situation about bombs or other explosives.

My opinion is that shape and condition of aircraft is for salvage or restoration impossible, especially in Montenegro. On the other side, it is too deep for touristic-recreational dives. 
Probbably, it is best for good short film or TV story, and I will be very pleased to see it on National Geographic or Discovery one day.


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## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Mar 17, 2010)

Very interesting Mr. Varda. Looking forward to more information and photos. Keep up the good work sir.


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## imalko (Mar 17, 2010)

You would be surprised Dušan to know in which state some airframes were recovered from sea and then completely restored.

If the wingspan is 66ft then we can at least rule out Ju-88A-1, early version with shorter wingspan. Interesting that you found traces of yellow paint on the wings - it's underside wingtips I presume. This represent tactical marking usually associated with German aircraft operating on the eastern front, but it was first time applied on some aircraft in the Balkan campaign of 1941.


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