Museum wants to restore WWII SB2C-4

A story about a Helldiver that suffered a forced landing in a lake southeast of San Diego, and the decision to recover and restore it.


Museum wants to restore WWII Plane

According to the article, there are less than 5 existing Helldivers.

I sure hope it works out.

-whatever

-Lou

 

That would be a nice project. Thanx for posting.

 

This is a plane its pilots called "The Beast" or "The Lead Sled." It was not a popular aircraft with its crews. That's for sure.

 

Hope things work out for the museum! I've been able to walk the wing of the "Commemorative Air Force's" flying Helldiver; great aircraft!
In times past the Navy has been known for claiming salvaged aircraft from those who've recovered them... we'll see how this one works out.

 

Yeah.... I've heard that... the crews even penned a song....

THE HELLDIVER DRIVERS
(sung to 'My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean)
​

Oh Mother, dear Mother, take down that blue star.
Replace it with one that is gold.
Your son is a Helldiver driver, he’ll never be 30 years old.
My body lies under the ocean; my body lies under the sea.
My body lies under the ocean, wrapped up in an SB2C!


​

I've also heard the SB2C called the 'SonofaBitch - 2nd Class', which I thought was kinda' catchy.

-whatever

-Lou

EDIT: A bit of explanation of the reference to the 'Blue Star' and the 'Gold Star' in the song. During the war years, American families with men in the service displayed a large red and white service banner with a blue star in the windows of their homes - one star for each serviceman. If the individual was killed, the blue star was replaced with a gold one.


​

 

Well, it's the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola that wants to recover and restore it, so I believe they've at least cleared THAT particular hurdle!

-whatever

-Lou

 

always good to see another ww2 aircraft getting restored

 

I recall that when the SBD was pulled out of Lake Michigan a few months ago, the story mentioned that there is a couple of SB2C's in there that are candidates to retrieval and restoration.

 

I remember when they salvaged the SBD, but I never heard the comment about the Helldivers.

Interesting.

I might have to do a little digging, see if anything ever came of it.

-whatever

-Lou

 

The Pacific Aviation Museum near my house has a fully restored F4F Wildcat, A6M2 Zero, and a B-25

 

and and SBD

 

has anyone ever been to the imperial war msueum theres a few planes there

 

Here are a couple of articles on the San Diego Helldiver.

Evidently, it was recovered last month.

WEDNESDAY AUG 18 - 2010 HELLDIVER TO BE RAISED ON THURSDAY


FRIDAY AUG 20 - 2010 WWII WARPLANE RAISED FROM CALIFORNIA RESERVOIR




It's nice to see that it was recovered and will be preserved.

-whatever

-Lou