WW2 Aircraft carrier USS Lexington found after 76 years

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  • Sylvain

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    She has been found off the coast of Australia by Paul Allen who also found the USS Indianapolis.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Lexington_(CV-2)

    USS_Lexington_%28CV-2%29_leaving_San_Diego_on_14_October_1941_%2880-G-416362%29.jpg


    USS Lexington: Lost WW2 aircraft carrier found after 76 years - BBC News

    35 aircrafts were still on board when she sank.

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    07lexxx_1520299356.jpg


    The paint looks amazing after 76 years in salt water.
     

    Kutnupe14

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    Wow, they are in pretty god shape after all this time. You can see the victories and wing logos clear as day.
     

    TB1999

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    The ship will not be retrieved because the US Navy considers it to be a war grave.
     

    T.Lex

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    Yeah, I saw that this morning (EDT) and was going to post. Shoulda figured a dude closer to GMT would beat me to it. ;) :)

    This is actually pretty amazing tech that made it possible to get those pics.
     

    Thor

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    Could be anywhere
    After being torpedoed multiple times and then scuttled...being 2 miles down and having sat for 70 years I doubt it would come up in one piece anyway...and if it did it would probably be the most expensive museum ever conceived. Recovering some aircraft might be possible and they may not fit the designation of gravesite; though I think there may be less daunting places to find old aircraft.

    Thanks for posting, neat to see.
     

    Sylvain

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    After being torpedoed multiple times and then scuttled...being 2 miles down and having sat for 70 years I doubt it would come up in one piece anyway...and if it did it would probably be the most expensive museum ever conceived. Recovering some aircraft might be possible and they may not fit the designation of gravesite; though I think there may be less daunting places to find old aircraft.

    Thanks for posting, neat to see.

    If you bring them to the surface they will be exposed to oxygen for the first time in 76 years and will rust.

    They will be better preserved at the bottom of the ocean than they would in any museum.
     

    Hawkeye

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    Wow, they are in pretty god shape after all this time. You can see the victories and wing logos clear as day.

    We've recovered a bunch form Lake Michigan. USN had converted ferries acting as training flattops in the lake. As you can imagine with trainee pilots there were a lot of planes that went into the drink. Most are in VERY good shape. Cleaned up and somewhat restored they are great museum pieces.
     

    88E30M50

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    It's amazing to see the old Devastator torpedo bombers and Wildcat fighters in their early war markings. Devastators are extinct with the only known ones being a couple of documented crash sites. Wikipedia lists 7 Devastators around the Lexington wreck and if they are not actually in the ship, recovery should be possible if not prohibitively expensive. But, those aircraft are in amazing shape, even down to the red and white striped fabric covered rudders. They look like they could be pulled up and placed in a museum as is. It would be nice to see the Navy museum recover one of them for restoration and display in Pensacola.

    Thanks for the links Sylvain!
     

    Kutnupe14

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    Quite humbling. Finally families can have closure.

    I looked a little more in-depth into the story of the Lexington, and given that it was scuttled, rather than outright sunk, the loss of life was comparatively small at 216 dead, but 2735 rescued.
     

    Birds Away

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    Amazing the VF-31 Tomcatters logo is still on the plane. That squadron is till active. I made a deployment with them on the old Forrestal. They flew the F-14 back then. They are currently flying the F/A-18.
     

    Kutnupe14

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    Amazing the VF-31 Tomcatters logo is still on the plane. That squadron is till active. I made a deployment with them on the old Forrestal. They flew the F-14 back then. They are currently flying the F/A-18.

    Most beautiful Navy aircraft ever! That thing was just so pleasing to the eye.
     

    Birds Away

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    Most beautiful Navy aircraft ever! That thing was just so pleasing to the eye.

    I agree. Have you ever seen the movie "The Final Countdown"? It had Kirk Douglas and Martin Sheen in it. The F-14 scenes in that are great.

    I should add that the movie itself isn't all that great but it is interesting.
     
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