Experts today hope to lift Dornier 17 for restoration at Cosford
Experts attempting to recover the world’s last surviving Dornier 17 from the bottom of the English Channel are today hoping good weather will allow them to lift the aircraft.
After three years of planning, the RAF Museum came within 40 minutes of success on 2 June when a sudden increase in winds around the Goodwin Sands area made the sea too choppy to complete the lift of the Dornier 17.
The forecast now suggests two weather windows this week when experts can return to the wreck site and complete the lift, today between 3.30pm – 6pm and early tomorrow morning between 3.30am - 6.30am.
If the lift is successful the aircraft will be laid on onto a support barge and transported directly to Ramsgate Harbour where it will be dismantled for travel to the RAF Museum Conservation Centre at Cosford.
Peter Dye Director General, Royal Air Force Museum said: “We have adapted the lifting frame design to minimise the loads on the airframe during the lift while allowing the recovery to occur within the limited time remaining. The RAF Museum has worked extremely closely with SeaTech throughout this process and both organisations remain determined to complete this challenging task and see the Dornier safely recovered as planned and delivered to the Museum's Conservation Centre for preservation and public exhibition."
