Showing posts with label helldiver. Show all posts
Showing posts with label helldiver. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Bass Fisherman Lands World War II Dive Bomber


Bass fisherman Duane Johnson was looking for a lunker with his "fish finder" in San Diego's Lower Otay Reservoir when he caught the outline of something much bigger - an SB2C-4 Helldiver in 85 feet of water.

Duane made a phone call when he got his bass boat back on dry land and a team of historians and conservators was assembled to recover the Helldiver and land it in a local museum.

The plane was forced into a water landing in the reservoir back in 1945 during a practice bombing. The crew made it out but the Navy, faced with wartime priorities, decided to leave the aircraft in place.

Until Duane came along, that is.