Part Of a Warbird

ScubaDetective

In Memory Of
Forum Supporter
Joined
May 14, 2008
Messages
12,276
Location
Underwater with the fishes
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.
 
Those are some spectacular finds! I live not far from the Curtiss museum in Hammondsport NY. This is where Curtiss had his beginnings and actually tested many aircraft on the lake there. Have you ever contacted them? I bet they would love to hear about these relics.
 
Some very cool, and historical finds, thanks for sharing them with us. That Tank is AWESOME, who would think you'd find one of those...lol
 
Dang Scuba.... How the heck did you manage to pull that thing out of the water.

LOL I DIDN'T. It was in 5' of water at a very popular boaters swim beach called Poor Man's Beach. There are three marina's there and I notified one of them of the hazard. They took a work boat out to it and I hooked a rope to it. we pulled it to the seawall that you can see in the background. He had his largest boat forklift put the forks over the lake. we then tied the rope on the forks and brought it up.

My old boat is behind me to the right, the work boat is against the sea wall and the forklift is still holding the tank.

We think the ice brought it in because it wasn't there the last season. An officer from Selfridge came and identified it and I think took it away.

This is one of the areas I am hoping to find a complete machine gun. They shot carbines, Thompson and Lewis machine guns out there. Now it is packed with boaters every weekend stepping on the shallow stuff.
 
Ahhh man.... now you just ruined the picture I had of you with that thing strapped to your shoulders coming up from 30' under with your flippers going crazy like you were having an epileptic seizure. All this time I thought you were a real life Aquaman. :lol:

This isn't you???
 

Attachments

  • aquaman.jpg
    aquaman.jpg
    39.4 KB · Views: 635
This may not work but I wonder if you could walk around on the ice with a 2 box deep seeking detector and gps possible locations to dive. I like to ice fish, a guy could do this while keeping an eye on his tip-ups, a 2 box is not in my near future (finances). They claim these detectors work up to 25 feet. Just a thought,what do you think?
Those are some awesome finds Scuba, what is the piece above the magazine in the pic?
 
This may not work but I wonder if you could walk around on the ice with a 2 box deep seeking detector and gps possible locations to dive. I like to ice fish, a guy could do this while keeping an eye on his tip-ups, a 2 box is not in my near future (finances). They claim these detectors work up to 25 feet. Just a thought,what do you think?
Those are some awesome finds Scuba, what is the piece above the magazine in the pic?

The piece above the magazine in the first picture is a Springfield trapdoor bayonet I found in another lake. That is another story.
 
Fanastic finds congratulations. To think... those have been down there for decades...
 
So, has the police department got all the stains out of their underwear yet?:laughing:
 
That's one cool recovery! With all that metal around bet people tear their feet up & need a LOT of tetanus shots.
 
cool finds. Did you find the revolver too? Is it a S&W model 25 or 27? It seems to be in great shape.

Yes I found the 357 mag. And unfortunately it is a Taurus. Not a S&W

And yes it is in great shape. Had to be cleaned and a new main spring installed and is operational now although I have no intentions of shooting it.

This is what it looked like right after I pulled it out of the water:

 
Back
Top Bottom