Luftwaffe Dornier 17 at Goodwin Sands 'still intact'

[Notebook]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12997528

The discovery of a unique German warplane off the Kent coast left experts "incredulous". New images suggest the Dornier 17 is still intact and there are hopes that it will go on show.

N.

 

[Belisarius]

It's not very intact - the images show the fuselage badly broken, the engines gone and the forward dome eroded. If they drag it up it'll probably break up completely.

 

[Ian]

According to the report the aircraft is inverted. The hole you're looking at in the fuselage is the bomb bay. The holes in the engine nacelles are for the gear. The nose is damaged from the impact but it's in good condition after being on the sea bed for 70 years.
Speaking as an ex-archaeologist I'd have to say it should be possible to raise (not drag) it without to much further damage being done.

 

[SiberianTiger]

It's good if it gets retrieved and restored for the history. I sense a lot of work coming the way of aircraft restorers.

 

[Notebook]

I'm surprised this aircraft is unique, thought there would be lots(relatively speaking) of them around?

EDIT:
Had a read of this:
[ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dornier_Do_17"]Dornier Do 17 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]
I'd assumed this aircraft coninued a lot longer than it did
Official figures state 2,139 Do 17s were built on German assembly lines

I also thought it had most of its action on the Russian Front, just goes to show.

N.

 

[Evil_Onyx]

Combat aircraft on the losing side of a wars tend not to survive the war intact. The few that do usually have good stories of how they survived.

Its good to see a mostly intact WWII aircraft located and hopefully restored.

 

[Notebook]

Looks like its going ahead:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22380915
N.

 

[Notebook]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22752625

Looks like its not going ahead!

I read they are getting to the end of the budget and facilties. If it can't be done very soon, its unlikely to survive another year.

N.

 

[Notebook]

Then again!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22846645

Good for them.

N.

 

[Urwumpe]

Congratulations to the salvage team