Many stories have been preserved in Latvia about equipment sunk and abandoned in swamps and lakes. People have seen planes fall into the lake, fishermen have accidentally picked up parts while fishing. There are many confirmed cases of historical objects, there are also many cases when the planes are not found, often people tell about the places of the event, the names of the lakes and maybe even make up different stories. There are 2,256 lakes in Latvia whose surface area exceeds 1 hectare.
- Eyewitness, if you know information about historical places under water, send information... If you have information about equipment - a tank, an airplane, a heavy car under water, it will be confirmed, the diving club "Divings" will give you diving training for the whole family (4 people) worth 1600 Eur. WhatsApp 220-77-202.
- We support the idea of historical preservation of equipment as a diving attraction!
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How did the Douglas A20 bomber made in the USA of the Second World War end up in the Gulf of Riga?
The American bomber Douglas A-20 (named "Boston", "Heavok") is one of the famous series of aircraft that the United States lent to the Red Army to fight fascism at the end of World War II.
Douglas A-20 aircraft were used by Soviet pilots as bombers and aerial reconnaissance aircraft. The Douglas A-20 aircraft, a US military aid, played a particularly large role in naval aviation, where aircraft were used to drop torpedo-mines at enemy ships from a height. The US government supplied 3,128 different modifications of the Douglas A-20 to the Red Army.
Civil aviation planes also arrive and land on the territory of Latvia
In September 2022, the Latvian Navy searched for a downed plane at the place where a private passenger plane fell and sank in the sea near Ventspils on Sunday. An underwater drone was also involved in the search, a device with which the military searches for mines sunk in the sea every day. Already at the beginning of the week, rescuers managed to find several fragments of a passenger plane above the water. On Sunday evening, a private passenger plane registered in Austria, built in 1979, crashed in the sea near Ventspils, with four people on board. The plane was supposed to land at the Cologne-Bonn airport on Sunday evening.
What planes flew in Latvian airspace?
Considering that the water areas are large, many lakes or swamps in Latvia have a legend about a sunken plane or ancient military equipment. German Luftwaffe fielded two of the best fighter jets of all of World War II – Messerschmitt Bf 109 and Focke-Wulf 190, these two planes flew in Latvian airspace and some of them did not return to the airfields.
WWII Focke-Wulf 190 found
While diving in a lake, a diver discovers a World War II plane Focke-Wulf 190, which has been on the bottom of the lake for decades, covered with a 10-meter-deep layer of water. The find raises questions about what to do with the plane and how to preserve it. In this article, we will explore the planes of World War II Focke-Wulf 190 discovery and discuss its possible preservation options.
World War II plane found in lake, debates arise over extraction
The discovery of a World War II plane in a lake is an exciting find, but it also comes with great responsibility. The first thing to do is assess the condition of the aircraft and determine if it can be safely salvaged. If it is possible, the next step is to decide what to do with it.
Is it possible to place a plane found in a lake in a museum?
One option is to raise the plane from the bottom of the lake and preserve it in a museum. This would allow the public to view the aircraft and learn more about its history. However, this is an expensive and time-consuming process that requires a team of experts. A Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-8/R-2 is being restored in the restoration hangar of the Berlin-Gatow airfield branch of the Bundeswehr Museum of Military History in Berlin, Germany.
Airplane in the underwater environment, as a great sight for divers!
Another option is to leave the plane where it is and build a diving attraction around it. This would allow divers to explore the aircraft and learn more about its history while preserving it in its natural environment.
Regardless of the option chosen, it is important to ensure that the aircraft is preserved in a way that respects its historical importance and significance. The aircraft is a reminder of the sacrifices made by soldiers during the Second World War and should be treated with the utmost respect.
Conclusion about restoring and showing the planes to people
In conclusion, the discovery of a World War II aircraft in a lake is a fascinating find that raises questions about how best to preserve it. Whether raised and preserved in a museum or left in a lake as a diving attraction, it is important to ensure that the aircraft is treated with respect and preserved in a way that respects its historical significance. The plane is a reminder of the sacrifices made during World War II and serves as a testament to the power of human ingenuity and perseverance.
Various sources:
- Airplane Douglas A-20, US bomber in the Gulf of Riga.
- CNN "World War II plane discovered in lake."
- “Diver Discovers World War II Plane at Bottom of Lake,” National Geographic.
- HistoryNet's "Salvage of Wrecked World War II Aircraft."
