As some of you know, I dive where history was made in 1916 when the first bombs ever made were dropped out of Curtis Jenny airplanes outside of what used to be Selfridge Air Base, (now ANG).
In the waters of Lake St. Clair I have recovered 5 of those practice bombs.
They also shot a lot of practice rounds with the Lewis machine guns that fired through the propeller. Since the planes were open cockpit and the cockpits were narrow, when they had to change the magazines that held the bullets, they took them off the top of the gun and replaced them.
I have now recovered two of the machine gun magazines.
However, this post isn't about them. In the same water, since it is on the approach to the air base, there are many many more war items waiting to be discovered.
Another diver I know came across what was left of a WW2 P-38 Lightening. he gave me part of the windshield glass and all the 50 cal machine gun rounds he found off it. Sorry, they are at home and no picture. I plan on diving on it this year.
What I found two springs ago is the largest part of a plane I have ever brought up in the USA. That is a drop tank from what I was told was a P-51 Mustang. I wish it was in better shape but it was still an awesome find.
I was also told that somewhere in that lake are two Sidewinder missiles that were accidentally shot off but were not armed and didn't explode. I was also told they are mine to keep if recovered. I would wonder what my local police department would think of me having one of them since they caused such a fuss over a few dummy bombs?
http://www.wxyz.com/news/region/st-...t-huron-police-department-bomb-squad-responds
Anyway, the water is a vast unexplored area. If you dropped it, it was lost. There is more larger parts of history in the water than underground. Most folks won't find an old metal toy this big intact on land.
If you have a chance this winter, and you are around water and not scared of it. Think about getting certified as a diver. However, don't dive where all the waders search for gold. Go to unknown places in the lakes around you and search where nobody thinks of. You can be rewarded over and over with treasures others can only dream about. If it was dropped and sank, it was gone. They didn't have the resources to find and recover anything in the 50's or before. Your chances on finding old coins, old gold and old artifacts are much greater because there are virgin unexplored areas out there that are public property.
In the waters of Lake St. Clair I have recovered 5 of those practice bombs.
They also shot a lot of practice rounds with the Lewis machine guns that fired through the propeller. Since the planes were open cockpit and the cockpits were narrow, when they had to change the magazines that held the bullets, they took them off the top of the gun and replaced them.
I have now recovered two of the machine gun magazines.
However, this post isn't about them. In the same water, since it is on the approach to the air base, there are many many more war items waiting to be discovered.
Another diver I know came across what was left of a WW2 P-38 Lightening. he gave me part of the windshield glass and all the 50 cal machine gun rounds he found off it. Sorry, they are at home and no picture. I plan on diving on it this year.
What I found two springs ago is the largest part of a plane I have ever brought up in the USA. That is a drop tank from what I was told was a P-51 Mustang. I wish it was in better shape but it was still an awesome find.
I was also told that somewhere in that lake are two Sidewinder missiles that were accidentally shot off but were not armed and didn't explode. I was also told they are mine to keep if recovered. I would wonder what my local police department would think of me having one of them since they caused such a fuss over a few dummy bombs?
http://www.wxyz.com/news/region/st-...t-huron-police-department-bomb-squad-responds
Anyway, the water is a vast unexplored area. If you dropped it, it was lost. There is more larger parts of history in the water than underground. Most folks won't find an old metal toy this big intact on land.
If you have a chance this winter, and you are around water and not scared of it. Think about getting certified as a diver. However, don't dive where all the waders search for gold. Go to unknown places in the lakes around you and search where nobody thinks of. You can be rewarded over and over with treasures others can only dream about. If it was dropped and sank, it was gone. They didn't have the resources to find and recover anything in the 50's or before. Your chances on finding old coins, old gold and old artifacts are much greater because there are virgin unexplored areas out there that are public property.