Suplus aircraft dumped down mineshafts?

[no such agency]

Hi Guys,

I'm just wondering how many people here have heard the urban legends about aircraft and other war materiel dumped or buried at the end of WWII. I've heard some great stories about this old favourite, but I have also seen some evidence which suggests there may be some truth in it.

Cheers,

NSA

 

[Nonskimmer]

Many surplus aircraft were dumped in the ocean, following the war.
Supposedly, some were dumped in a few of the large lakes of central and western Canada, though I've yet to come across any evidence to confirm this.

 

[cheddar cheese]

Here a picture of surplus P-38's after the war that were dumped

 

[Medvedya]

Sad isn't it?

 

[cheddar cheese]

Yup, very much so. You'd think it would be more effective and useful to seel them off to the forces of less developed countires.

 

[Nonskimmer]

Well, some of them were. Some were also given to the air forces of recovering European countries like Denmark, Belgium, etc. Yet there were so many leftover, and with the downsizing that followed the war and the coming of the jet age, there wasn't much left to do with them.
Still, you'd think more of them would've been properly scrapped instead of simply dumped.

 

[evangilder]

Here is another shot of P-38s piled up. These aircraft were BRAND NEW and were awaiting assignment to a Fighter Group.

 

[plan_D]

Many M4 Shermans were dumped in the ocean, that's for sure. I hear there were so many they created dams, of sorts in the places they were dumped.

 

[no such agency]

I've heard that too. I've got the coordinates of about 5 aircraft dumpsites off the eastern Australian coast - apparently the entile RN carrier complement of aircraft was deep-sixed off Australia as well in 1946.

I daresay that most people on this board have heard the stories of the aircraft and vehicles dumped down mineshafts or hidden in old bunkers by the yanks in the UK at the end of WWII?

 

[plan_D]

I've heard of the British dumping toxic gases which were to be used as a weapon, in the Irish Sea.

 

[Nonskimmer]

I've heard of our own government burying toxic gas stockpiles in the northern interior of this country. I don't doubt it, either.

 

[no such agency]

Same thing happened here as well. In 1989, mustard gas was uncovered near Maxwellton in Queensland. On a recent trip up north, we came across chem weapons drums which had rusted open, but were not holed then burnt out with incendiaries as per policy. Wouldn't drink water from the creeks up there that's for sure. BTW: how does one go about posting pics on thsi forum. We took photos of the drums...

 

[Kongo Otto]

The US and the UK Occupation Forces dumped all German
Gas Bombs,Arty Shells etc. in the North Sea.
Untill today Danish Fishermen found Gas Grenades and Bombs in their Nets.
This Dumping took Place from 1945 until 1947. There have been about 15000 tons which where dumped in the North Sea,mostly sunk in old Freighters.
Also great amounts of Ammo and Weapons were dumped in Bavarian Lakes by the US-Army after WW2.

Source:Umweltbundesamt,Berlin(Federal Enviroment Agency,Berlin)
Stockholm Peace Research Institute(SIPRI)


Greetings from Germany
Kongo Otto

 

[DaveB.inVa]

In the past year or so China found a huge poison gas dump left behind by Japan.

Also on the B-29 Yahoo group theres a retired AF General Earl Johnson. He was stationed on Guam during WWII and stationed there again as a B-52 wing commander in Vietnam. He said they would regularly raid a known WWII bomb dump and load old WWII 500lb bombs on B-52's destined for North Vietnam.

I also know another guy, Bob Mann, from that group whom I have met, he lives a few miles from my college apartment. He was on Guam in the Korean War doing weather recon. They found (and he has pics too) a huge dump of left over R-3350's from WWII. They were packed in crates and still in cosmoline. Since the weather service B-29's were the redheaded stepchild of the Air Force at the time they didnt get all the required materials they needed because almost all of it was sent to Japan or Okinawa for the B-29's there. So he said they would frequently raid the dump and find the parts they needed. He said each time they did so they were sure to remove the ID tag and replace it with the newer tag on their B-29 so everything matched. Popular items were magnetos, fuel injection pumps and just about all engine accessories.

Bob Mann also has the most comprehensive list of everything B-29 known. I've been to his house and its a complete plethora of B-29 material. He also has a list of each and every B-29 made, their crews, missions, markings, modifications, and their eventual demise. It is truly one of the greatest works I have ever seen!!! He also recently published a book regarding all that stuff... although to a lesser extent than all the actual information he could have put in there. If he put everything he had it would be volumes.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

According to Martin Cadin (Aviation Author, The Forked Tailed Devil) a number of P-38s (F-38s) were hacked apart and buried in Korea, 1950. The State Department didn't want to antagonize the North Koreans. A few weeks later the North Koreans invaded. I'm sure if this is true, many lives would of been saved if these aircraft were available to the forces attempting to combat the invading North Koreans!

 

[R Leonard]

First you'd probably need some current pilots

 

[FLYBOYJ]

In reading his book it sounds like they were being flown, thus the pilots being current, although most AF information shows the last of the "F-38s" were retired in 1949?!?

 

[Wildcat]

Hi Guys,

I'm just wondering how many people here have heard the urban legends about aircraft and other war materiel dumped or buried at the end of WWII. I've heard some great stories about this old favourite, but I have also seen some evidence which suggests there may be some truth in it.

Cheers,

NSA

Apparently there is a huge quarry at Archerfield in Queensland that is full of WWII stuff. If found plenty of info at ozatwar.com also has some pics.

 

[R Leonard]

In reading his book it sounds like they were being flown, thus the pilots being current, although most AF information shows the last of the "F-38s" were retired in 1949?!?

Harrummphhhh! Caiden . . . 'nuff said, IMO.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

YEP - Ole Iron Annie