Another one dragged up

[stona]

Those Norwegians again! This time it's Gunther Seraphim's "Yellow 3" which ditched in 70m of water following engine trouble. Gunther was rescued by locals. This sounds a bit familiar but this is a Bf 109 not a Fw 190.

Here are a couple of piccies,the first for any budding dioramists:

The second shows the state of preservation. Just look at the paint on the Gelbe 3.

Also a link to a Norwegian article ,not much use if you don't speak the lingo but it has a nice video embedded.

Vellykket heving av tysk jagerfly - NRK Trøndelag - NRK Nyheter

I take my hat off to the Norwegians,they keep dragging these aircraft up and they afford us a wealth of first hand information. It can't be cheap,my mind goes back to the P-38 exposed off ,I think,the coast of Wales. We just let it rot. Don't forget that these events are on the verge of passing from living memory.

Cheers

Steve

Edit,just reread and thought "a bit light on detail" so for those who like to know.

"Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-2 Risværsundet, Nord-Trøndelag

Stab./IV./JG 5 Yellow 3 WNr.14649 Uffz.Günther Seraphim (21) 24.03 1943

Uffz. Seraphim was flying northwards, along with two other Messerschmitts when his engine suddenly stopped. He performed a successful landing at sea north of island Gjerdinga in Vikna. He was rescued by Olette Bliksø and her son Birger which witnessed the ditching from island Blikøya. They dragged the pilot into their boat while the two other Messerschmitts were circling above their heads. Then rowed to Risøyværet and contacted German forces based at Rørvik."

[Guest]

Amazing that these are still being recovered.

A rough translation of the site

_________________________________________

The German fighter plane of World War II is in surprisingly good condition after having been 67 years in salt water.

Photo: André Rasmussen

The German fighter plane that sank in the sea at Nærøy Nord-Trøndelag 24 March 1943, was adjourned Saturday after having been 67 years on 67 meters.

TINE NILSEN

tine.nilsen@nrk.no


Posted 5/22/2010 2:46 p.m.. Updated 5/22/2010 6:37 p.m..

- It was both spectacular and a little sad to see the plane will be raised, says Hilfred Mikalsen the Folla Dykkerklubb to NRK.no.

- Amazing and sad

Diving veteran has followed the entire process, from the day in 1983 when the German fighter plane was found until the uplift today.

- It was great to be part of this. At the same time vedmodig that work for our part towards the end. Also, there's a fantastic dykkermål now disappear, "Mikalsen.

Uplift of the plane started just before 12 o'clock Saturday. He had Mikalsen and his colleagues have been at sea for several hours to check that everything was right.

- It's a challenge to raise such an aircraft on land. A lot can go wrong after so many years in salt water.

The engine came loose

But raising went better than expected.

- It went very well. The engine came loose, but we'd strap it to the hull, so it did not fall off, "says Mikalsen.

It was the Norwegian Aviation Museum, which was responsible for the salvage of the aircraft, a Messerschmitt Bf 109 from the seabed north of Rørvik.

Diving enthusiasts who found the aircraft, assisted in the salvage operation

Emergency landing

The German fighter was accompanied with two other north along the coast trøndelag 24 March 1943 when it had engine failure.

The 21-year-old pilot Gunther Seraphim jumped not into the parachute, but made an emergency landing at sea. Both he and the plane was good from emergency landing.

The pilot was rescued by a mother and a son who rowed out and took him to land. He was later shot down over Germany and died.

The plane was heading straight down towards the seabed. The eight hundred kilograms heavy engine in front went straight down. The plane planted himself standing vertically in the mud.

In good condition

The German fighter was raised in good condition.

Photo: André Rasmussen

- The propeller went a long way down the bottom and has contributed to the aircraft remains firmly rooted in the same position, "said Birger Larsen.

It was last summer that a group of divers from Folla found the German fighter plane. Since the crash landing in 1943, it has been known where the plane went down.

Several times it has been easy after that. When the plane was finally found, after a seven-hour session, including underwater robot.

The aircraft was on 67 meters and is in surprisingly good condition after so long in salt water.

Hilfred Mikalsen looking forward to seeing the aircraft restored.

- It will be incredibly fun to see it in place at the Norwegian Aviation Museum in Bodø.

Birger Larsen, Curator at the museum in Bodø told NTB that the plane is very valuable.

It is part of the museum plans to exhibit the trefire most widely used German planes in Norway during the Second World War.