Wildcat lifted from Lake Michigan today

[VBF-13]

They identified it as an FM-2 involved in carrier qualifying when it went down for engine trouble. They say they're going to restore it and return it to Glenview. Cool. Here's the link:

World War II Fighter Raised From Lake Michigan « CBS Chicago

 

[Crimea_River]

Great news.

 

[meatloaf109]

Out-standing!

 

[joker_86z28]

Awesome

 

[vikingBerserker]

That is some great news!

 

[GrauGeist]

This is definately great news!

I know Terry will be glad, too!

 

[Wayne Little]

 

[evangilder]

That's cool!

 

[Airframes]

Good news - honest!

 

[Thorlifter]

So glad to hear this.

 

[VBF-13]

My feelings are the same! These guys who restore these planes are amazing! It's like model plane building taken to the extreme!

I'm curious how they're going to go about it, especially recreating that rear half and tail section. Are GM blueprints still available, and they go off those? I suppose so, no?

 

[Balljoint]

Lake Michigan holds many well-preserved (fresh water and low oxygen) Navy planes, most of which are final resting places for their pilots and are not to be disturbed. It was a particularly treacherous training area in that the clear water presented no sense of surface or horizon. Not the place to become familiar with advanced fighters.
I recall looking down from a commercial flight on a lake approach to O'Hare and seeing two barges, each retrieving a 727 that flew into the lake. The pilots had not accommodated to the differing sink rates between a 707 and a 727 and the lake gave no warning.

 

[Gnomey]

Great news!

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Lake Michigan holds many well-preserved (fresh water and low oxygen) Navy planes, most of which are final resting places for their pilots and are not to be disturbed. It was a particularly treacherous training area in that the clear water presented no sense of surface or horizon. Not the place to become familiar with advanced fighters.
I recall looking down from a commercial flight on a lake approach to O'Hare and seeing two barges, each retrieving a 727 that flew into the lake. The pilots had not accommodated to the differing sink rates between a 707 and a 727 and the lake gave no warning.

I can only imagine what lies beneath those waters. I was just in Chicago today and was looking out over the lake from the water front near the Aquarium. It does not even feel like a lake. More like a vast ocean.

 

[VBF-13]

Not the place to become familiar with advanced fighters.

FWIW, at the time this FM-2 went down, these pilots were already familiar with their aircraft, and they were there, in Glenview, simply to take carrier-qualification on same. That's why my dad had to take his in a "Speedy D." That's what he was trained on, in Florida. Here's an actual log of his landings. These are from late October, 1944, although the program was underway in 1943. Wiki it, if you need exactly when.

 

[bobbysocks]

first off i am glad to hear they found and are retrieving another plane. actually i think its appropriate that she is rescued from the deep 71 years to the day after PH. its been a great year for finds and i hope it stays that way. the great lakes preserve planes and ships just about like no where else. you can still dive on wooden shiips that were lost a hundred years ago and see a lot of the structure. while that is great for ac...the bad part iirc is the navy can ( and does ) lay claim to these planes. so brining them up is only a small part of the struggle. my question is what difference does water make? if a plane crashed in the mountains or augered into a field and wasnt discovered for years... it seems they will escavate the wrecks on land but anything in the water is hands off...or is it?

 

[VBF-13]

I don't know the specifics when it comes to the law in this case but I'd imagine it's at least plausible such a find could be considered a find of abandoned property.

 

[GrauGeist]

I'm pretty sure that any authenticated piece of equipment remains the property of the U.S. government until they officially relinquish ownership...

 

[bobbysocks]

that is the way i understand it....they wont go after it but if you do...they will gladly take it from you....not pay you for doing it but maybe thank you....

 

[VBF-13]

From what I'm seeing on the Internet it looks like you gentlemen are right. The restorer would have a lien on the aircraft for the work done, but that's about it.