Warrior Rises From the Depths
By JetAviator7 with Comments 0
On November 30th, 2009 another World War II warbird emerged from 250 feet of water near Chicago, Il to reach daylight once again after all of these years. An F6F-3, flown by Lieutenant Walter Elcock, has been recovered from the icy grip of Lake Michigan.
The recovery effort for this aircraft was funded, in part, by the CEO of Enterprise Car Rentals, a business named after the aircraft carrier “Enterprise”. It turns out the Enterprise CEO, Andrew Taylor, knew his father had flown Hellcat’s off the Enterprise.
Here is a short video showing the recovery of the aircraft:
It turns out the pilot of this aircraft is alive and well, living in Atlanta, GA – far from the cold waters off Chicago.
Plans are for the aircraft to be disassembled and transported to Pensacola, Florida, where it will be restored and reassembled for display at the National Naval Aviation Museum. What a great landing for a workhorse of the Navy during WWII.
Until next time keep your wings straight and level Hersch!
JetAviator7
Man’s flight through life is sustained by the power of his knowledge.
— Austin ‘Dusty’ Miller, the quote on the Eagle & Fledgling statue at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Donated by personnel from Air Training Command in 1952.
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