Posted on 08/09/2017 9:33:40 AM PDT by simpson96
(full article title: A long lost airplane that crashed during WWII is finally discovered almost perfectly preserved on the riverbed of a remote Pacific island)
Holidaymakers can expect to witness numerous unexpected wonders when they explore the world.
But tourists visiting the Micronesian archipelago of Palau discovered an unusually rare sight, recently - after stumbling across a doomed WW2 plane.
The long lost aeroplane was found in a shallow river on the archipelago of Palau, which boasts 500 picturesque islands.
An image of the remarkable relic, which surfaced on Imgur, shows the plane largely intact with the wings still attached to the fuselage.
Eerily positioned upside-down, it's not clear which country the military craft belonged to, but the undisturbed site has now become something of a makeshift grave.
And, clearly, it exerts a fascination with holidaymakers, two of whom can be seen canoeing past the plane's rusted body.
Unsurprisingly, the image has stunned people across the internet, with one saying:, 'Looks like a movie set or the beginning or end of a novel.'
Another added: 'If was the pilot that died with that plane, I'd be happy with my final resting spot. So beautiful and serene.'
A third chimed-in: 'For me, it's the juxtaposition between the wreck and the person kayaking carefree right next to it. It seems disrespectful given that someone could have died in that wreck.'
One plane expert told MailOnline that the wreck is 'probably' that of an American aircraft, possibly a flying boat, he added.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Curtiss Helldiver SB2C. Definitely a dive bomber, note the perforated flaps and not a Dauntless ,
Looking at the flaps, they appear to be perforated like those of an SBD. If so, the wreckage isn’t inverted as the story claims or wheel wells would be prominent. Also in the rear of the cockpit area, what looks like the gunner’s seat is visible (rotated forward).
Oh! Don’t give me a P-39,
With the engine that’s mounted behind.
It’ll tumble and roll,
And dig a big hole!
Oh! Don’t give me a P-39.
Yeah...saw that right off....but dismissed it since it wasn’t all that clear that it wasn’t some part of the fuel tank or other subsystem under the skin of the wing...which looks to rotted away. But...if it was an Aichi E13A, then it wasn’t a tail dragger. You can also see what might be the remains of a pontoon landing assembly near that broken cowl.
Yes, I saw that with max magnification...................
That's what I was thinking. lol
Just a little duct tape and it would be flying again.
Alternate headline: Palau Kayak Tour Visits Well Known Local Wreck: Photgrapher Sells Picture to Online Publisher, Writer Cranks Out 500 Words of Click Bait Fluff and Nonsense.
I agree. Dauntless. Look at the dive flaps (air brakes). Dauntless had very unusual flaps with all the holes in them to slow the aircraft down in a steep dive. The flaps here look like that.
That is what I saw. The Dive Breaks. It has to be a Dauntless.
“Almost perfectly preserved”?
No, P-39’s would not have been flying/shot down in that area.
Dauuntless possibly - based on those wing-to-fusalage smooth transitions and the possible dive brake opening under the wings. No wheel/landing gear openings though ??
“’For me, it’s the juxtaposition between the wreck and the person kayaking carefree right next to it. It seems disrespectful given that someone could have died in that wreck.’ “
—
I never thought of carefree kayaking as disrespectful.
.
If these are the first people to set eyes on this spot in
in more than 70 years it would be a good place to retire in peace and quiet.
If these are the first people to set eyes on this spot in
in more than 70 years it would be a good place to retire in peace and quiet.
In the event of a water landing,
she can be used as a floatation device.
Mustangs didn’t come into play until late in the war. They primarily flew long range B 29 escort missions from Iwo. B 29s from Tinian. Later when 29’s shifted to night missions the 51’s changed to ground attack role on Japan proper.
This plane is not a 51. It is not upside down. High wing monoplane with what looks like a rather long greenhouse with what could be a rearward firing machine gun , Flaps are down and appear perforated like dauntlass dive brakes.Appears to be a single radial engine that has partially broken off downward. Its not a dauntless. More likely Japanese of some sort.
After writing this I did more research and found they are saying its a TBM Avenger.
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