Case ref: MLA/2016/00390
Licence ref: L/2017/00082/1

Case summary

Main content

Project description

Recovery of engine from P-47 Thunderbolt 42-75116
The location of the engine and propellor set of a P-47 Thunderbolt was identified about 15-20 years ago. Since that date the engine was dug up by unlicensed individuals who took the propellor set, and apparently unable to deal with the weight of the engine abandoned it some 100-200m from the original crash site. It now lies below the spring low tide, but breaches the water surface on very low tides on the approach to the beach at Tanner's Lane. The recovery is proposed to recovery some tangible remnant of the 50th Fighter Group which operated from Lymington Advanced Landing Ground in the D-Day period. The A.L.G. is located on the Newtown Park Estate on behalf of whom the application is being made. It will also safeguard the remains from further unlicensed disturbance and remove the object which may endanger the boats and other users of the shoreline.
The recovery is simple. With the engine lying on the surface of sea bed, it is proposed to recover the engine by attaching strops to the wreckage and lifting it by use of a FV180 amphibious, tracked, combat engineer tractor a hydralic bucket. Using the bucket attached to the strops to lift the engine and break any suction, followed by a repositioning of the strops to the bucket so the engine can be lifted into the bucket by a tilt of said bucket.

The work is proposed to take place in suitable weather during the period of 'spring' tides in early to mid-March 2017. It is impossible to specify an exact date and time as calm weather conditions are required. Suffice to say the lowest tides occur around March at times of full moon.

It is unlikely that time on site would exceed 1 hour due to the location of the engine and nature of the tides, it is quite possible that the recovery will take less than 1 hour.

Other information

Applicant details

Mr   Richard Reeves / 023 81848593 / richard.p.reeves@outlook.com
63A HIGH STREET LYNDHURST / SO43 7BE
22-SEP-2016
04-OCT-2016
17-MAR-2017
Completed
(Discharging conditions)
While the applicant has highlighted the previous unlicensed removal as potential for not including this within the public register, this is not in accordance with the reasons under MCAA