"Full Stall Landing" -- TBF-1C Avenger (Pt Loma -- 150 fsw)

[beldridg]

@California Diver and I believe that we have located, dived, and identified a new WW II TBF-1C Avenger (Bureau Number 24272) airplane wreck in Southern California off of Point Loma.

Given that the depth is relatively reasonable, I believe that Marissa Charters will be taking technical divers to the wreck site in the future. The first trip is planned for July 9th but is "sold out" already.

Not including the "dumped" airplanes that we located and documented in the fall of 2021, this is the 3rd TBM located in Southern California. This is a TBF-1C version that had a full power failure and stalled. Both crew survived and were rescued shortly after hitting the ocean.

The entire story including the clues to identify the airplane type and then the specific airplane are all at the post below.

“Full Stall Landing” — TBF-1C Avenger (Point Loma — 150 fsw)

Background We believe that we have located, dived and identified a new WW II TBF-1C Avenger (Bureau Number 27272) airplane wreck in Southern California off of Point Loma. A couple months ago, Tyler…

wreckedinmyrevo.com

Regards,

- brett

 

[sandiegoaes]

Awesome find! Congrats!!!

 

[broncobowsher]

So this is the mystery plane wreck I signed up for. Cool stuff. See you in July.

 

[beldridg]

Awesome find! Congrats!!!

Thanks! Hopefully more to come...

- brett

 

[beldridg]

So this is the mystery plane wreck I signed up for. Cool stuff. See you in July.

Oops! I didn't know Tyler was trying to keep the dive location a secret.

- brett

 

[RyanT]

Simple, look for the rear facing machine gun. Just kidding! Looks like your plane has a lot of deterioration. I dove one off Pensacola back in the 90's. It was pretty much intact. I suspect your plane probably looked a little better 30 years ago too.

Thanks for sharing, I love this so much!

 

[Akimbo]

@beldridg

During your research, have you found information on a single engine WWII Navy aircraft that was recovered in 1970?

Here is what little I know: The Trieste II was not part of the operation but her support vessel, the White Sands floating drydock, was. I was on the TII crew and had the chance to look the wreck over in the well deck before it was taken away, no idea where.

I seem to remember it was a trainer or training flight, but could be wrong. It was surprisingly intact. There was fair amount of corrosion but almost no growth. The blue paint and insignia was clearly visible.

As I recall, it was found deep, like ~2,000m, by one of the deep submersibles — the Lockheed Deep Quest I think.

 

[beldridg]

Simple, look for the rear facing machine gun. Just kidding! Looks like your plane has a lot of deterioration. I dove one off Pensacola back in the 90's. It was pretty much intact. I suspect your plane probably looked a little better 30 years ago too.

Thanks for sharing, I love this so much!

You are very welcome. Yes - the entire rear part of the fuselage is gone. The wings and the front half of the wreck are in reasonably good condition given that it crashed 75 years ago.

We think the rear section might be nearby since we got some sonar returns from something about 400' away, but we haven't dived it yet.

- brett

 

[RyanT]

Very cool, fingers crossed it's the rear of the fuselage!

 

[beldridg]

@beldridg

During your research, have you found information on a single engine WWII Navy aircraft that was recovered in 1970?

Here is what little I know: The Trieste II was not part of the operation but her support vessel, the White Sands floating drydock, was. I was on the TII crew and had the chance to look the wreck over in the well deck before it was taken away, no idea where.

I seem to remember it was a trainer or training flight, but could be wrong. It was surprisingly intact. There was fair amount of corrosion but almost no growth. The blue paint and insignia was clearly visible.

As I recall, it was found deep, like ~2,000m, by one of the deep submersibles — the Lockheed Deep Quest I think.

Very interesting. I have not heard of this recovery. I'll ask around to see if anybody I know has any info on it.

- brett