WW II bomber recovered from Lake Michigan arrives at Air Zoo for restoration

A rare, combat-flown World War II U.S. Navy Douglas SBD-2P "Dauntless" Dive Bomber recovered from the bottom of Lake Michigan arrived Friday at Air Zoo, where it will be restored. (Chelsea Purgahn/Kalamazoo Gazette)

[@ThreenaddiesRexMegistus]

It’s in incredible shape for 80 years immersed. That should restore well. 👍🏻

[@ervinthompson6598]

I remember a Dauntless sitting beside a surplus store in Charlotte, NC, about 1959..... the perforated dive flaps still stand out in my mind.

[@richardlahan7068]

Early SBD. The red roundel in the middle of the star was phased out on USN/USMC aircraft by 1943.

[@michaelmckinnon1591]

What happened to the SBD that served in Operation Torch that they restored now years ago (the blue disc with the white star surrounded by a thick yellow ring is how US aircraft that participated in Operation Torch were marked and the aircraft that were so marked were Wildcats, Dauntlesses, Grasshoppers and other aircraft operated from the USS Ranger in 1942 ).

[@bedattack]

Amazing plane!

[@sheagoff6009]

Lake Michigan is like a gold mine, old wwll planes ship wrecks from over a hundred years ago, like what!?!?

[@tomdoland6918]

Looks to be in pretty good shape. I hope it flies again.

[@milliondollarsooner]

Tom Doland it was in water

[@Fightin6]

Nah that thing will never fly again

[@JMathieson]

@@Fightin6 The Navy owns the plane and has deternined that it will not be flown and only restored to museum status.

[@danielmkubacki]

will they restore the plain to fight worthy condition or just as a museum craft?

[@towringer]

Does this mean the plane will fly again, or will it just rest as a static museum piece?

[@fw1421]

I imagine it will be a museum piece. The only Vindicator in existence is on display at the Air Museum of the US Navy in Pensacola,Fla. It came from Lake Michigan too. Looks brand new. Great restoration job by the Navy.

[@charlesmanning5819]

Looks like it was running when it took on a water landing 👨🏼‍✈️

[@Dejaelvicio507]

If I find one, is it legal to repair it?

[@billsmith4990]

Yes. You could make it experimental. Good luck!!

[@fw1421]

The Navy retains ownership. They decide what happens to it. Looks like it was donated to the museum to be static displayed.

[@smangandwandwe5761]

He died for us???? No ways not me not even in my dreams

[@samphillips7040]

You should have left it in the f****** Lake

[@daddyrabbit835]

You beat me to that comment. The only way I'd argue for the salvage is the damn zebra mussels covering everything.

[@fw1421]

Why? There was no human remains in it. Not a war grave.

[@ZachCotton]

1st

[@pilotguy1141]

loser

[@beeter3588]

Why here?