"Mystery" Wings off Point Loma, California

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beldridg

beldridg

Airman
69
141
May 3, 2022
We have been trying to find a S-3 Viking that crashed into the ocean off Point Loma, California.

We found two wings that are about 400 feet away from each other. When we found the first wing, we thought it might have been a wing from the Viking but we now believe it is not. We are trying to figure out the airplane type that the wings belong to. I have built photogrammetry models of both of them and we believe they are from the same airplane that might have been salvaged.

Below are screen captures of both models along with links to the blog posts with a lot more details on both of them.

We have theories, but I'm curious if anybody can tell us what type of airplane these came from?

wing-1.png

wing2.png


Here is the sonar image of the two wings:

wing2-target.jpg


Below are links to a few of the blog posts with more photos and information:

wreckedinmyrevo.com

Wing Section (Point Loma - > 200 fsw) - Wrecked in my rEvo

Introduction After we deployed the AUV with UCSD/Scripps, we had a few targets to dive in our quest to find the S-3 Viking. We conducted two dives on 3 October 2025 and this was the second dive (more on the first dive in another post). This target was actually at the very southwest corner of […]
wreckedinmyrevo.com wreckedinmyrevo.com
wreckedinmyrevo.com

Diving Viking Targets IV (Point Loma - 200+ fsw) - Wrecked in my rEvo

Introduction If you have been following along, we have been trying to find the S-3 Viking that crashed off Point Loma in 1978. A brief rundown of previous posts: On the fourth day of diving I was out with Ross Overstreet on the Marissa and we planned to do a couple more dives. The first […]
wreckedinmyrevo.com wreckedinmyrevo.com

Regards,

- brett
 
beldridg said:
We have been trying to find a S-3 Viking that crashed into the ocean off Point Loma, California. We found two wings that are about 400 feet away from each other. When we found the first wing, we thought it might have been a wing from the Viking but we now believe it is not. We are trying to figure out the airplane type that the wings belong to. I have built photogrammetry models of both of them and we believe they are from the same airplane that might have been salvaged. Below are screen captures of both models along with links to the blog posts with a lot more details on both of them. We have theories, but I'm curious if anybody can tell us what type of airplane these came from? View attachment 863427 View attachment 863428 Here is the sonar image of the two wings: View attachment 863429 Below are links to a few of the blog posts with more photos and information:
wreckedinmyrevo.com

Wing Section (Point Loma - > 200 fsw) - Wrecked in my rEvo

Introduction After we deployed the AUV with UCSD/Scripps, we had a few targets to dive in our quest to find the S-3 Viking. We conducted two dives on 3 October 2025 and this was the second dive (more on the first dive in another post). This target was actually at the very southwest corner of […]
wreckedinmyrevo.com wreckedinmyrevo.com
wreckedinmyrevo.com

Diving Viking Targets IV (Point Loma - 200+ fsw) - Wrecked in my rEvo

Introduction If you have been following along, we have been trying to find the S-3 Viking that crashed off Point Loma in 1978. A brief rundown of previous posts: On the fourth day of diving I was out with Ross Overstreet on the Marissa and we planned to do a couple more dives. The first […]
wreckedinmyrevo.com wreckedinmyrevo.com
Regards, - brett
Click to expand...
Neither one are S-3. Look more like Catalina / PBY
 
Two things that would help...

1. Do you have the ability to give any kind of dimensions? If the wingspan is known, or even the width between ribs, it would definitely help narrow down the search.

2. If the pictures on your site would link to a larger image so that we could zoom in better on individual sections. I'm having a hard time discerning details from the small pictures.

Have you gone through the Aviation Archeology site and tried to correlate accident reports to this site?
 
pb43 said:
Neither one are S-3. Look more like Catalina / PBY
Click to expand...

Agreed. I'm not sure it is a Catalina given how narrow the wings are. We were thinking more like a Neptune or S2F.

- brett
 
smutny said:
Two things that would help...

1. Do you have the ability to give any kind of dimensions? If the wingspan is known, or even the width between ribs, it would definitely help narrow down the search.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, I didn't bring a measuring stick with me on either dive (I do sometimes, not being facetious). The relative ratios of struts, etc. should be very accurate for the photogrammetry model but I don't have absolute dimensions. If I go back, I will definitely do that.

smutny said:
2. If the pictures on your site would link to a larger image so that we could zoom in better on individual sections. I'm having a hard time discerning details from the small pictures.
Click to expand...

I will try to post a few of the key areas (i.e. the wing tips where the struts are more dense). Each of the models has 300-ish photos so I can't post them all (at least to the forum). I'd be happy to put them online and give you access if you send me a DM.

smutny said:
Have you gone through the Aviation Archeology site and tried to correlate accident reports to this site?
Click to expand...

Yes, but that is a bit of a tough task. We've used that system to help identify numerous other wrecks but it really helps to know the type of aircraft first. There are so many of those records from that era that are incomplete or hard to nail down. For example, do you search on "San Diego" or "California" or "Point Loma" or ....

Thanks!

- brett
 
Photo of one wingtip end and a detailed screen capture of the relational dimensions. The circular cutouts might be a clue. I've also attached another photo from the middle area of the wing that might be a hinge but we're not sure.

end.jpeg
hinge.jpeg
dimensions.jpg
 
Maxrobot1 said:
With the bomb cradle, I am leaning towards an SBU Vindicator. It had a lot of fabric covering on wings and fuselage.
Click to expand...

Bomb cradle? Are you referring to this other post:

Another Mystery Wreck off Pt Loma, California

Hi, We have another wreck off Pt Loma, California. This one is way more of a debris field than the last one. We have theories as to what it is but wanted to get some input from this group of experts and I don't want to bias the input based on our opinions so I will hold that back for now and...
ww2aircraft.net ww2aircraft.net

- brett
 
beldridg said:
Bomb cradle? Are you referring to this other post:

Another Mystery Wreck off Pt Loma, California

Hi, We have another wreck off Pt Loma, California. This one is way more of a debris field than the last one. We have theories as to what it is but wanted to get some input from this group of experts and I don't want to bias the input based on our opinions so I will hold that back for now and...
ww2aircraft.net ww2aircraft.net

- brett
Click to expand...
I'm mixed up. Are we discussing two different crash sites?
 
I was referring to this photo which calls it a "bomb displacement device."
 

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