Diver recovery of Battle of Britain bomber

The Dornier 17-z has been submerged beneath 50 feet of water for over 70 years, but a recent dive survey by Seatech found that it was in remarkably good condition.

Specialist salvage divers from Seatech sister company, Seatech Commercial Diving Services Ltd, will have to work around the clock in difficult diving conditions to assemble a lifting frame around the aircraft.

A sheerleg crane owned and operated by subcontractors GPS Marine Contractors Ltd will then be used to lift the aircraft aboard one of GPS’s floating barges before being towed along the River Thames by GPS’s tugs. The aircraft will then be road transported to RAF Cosford by specialist haulage contractor Abnormal Load Services Ltd (ALS).

The Dornier will be subjected to a conservation process at RAF Cosford before eventually going

on display in the new Battle of Britain exhibition at the RAF Museum at Hendon in North London. Seatech was named as the successful main contractor at a contract signing ceremony held at Imperial College London. PhD students from Imperial College are working with artefacts already recovered from the aircraft by Seatech during a dive survey last year to develop a new conservation process that will eliminate all traces of corrosive salt water from the aircraft’s delicate aluminium frame.

Seatech was awarded the contract after a lengthy tendering process involving numerous presentations and meetings with the RAF Museum which convinced curators that Seatech’s extensive salvage experience, combined with the specialist marine equipment of GPS and the specialist haulage capability of ALS would give the project the best possible chance of success.

Whilst this type of recovery has never been attempted before, Seatech has experienced the challenge of other difficult salvage operations in countries such as India, Egypt, Italy and South America. GPS has been involved in salvage operations throughout Europe, whilst ALS has experience of road transporting historic aircraft.