“Salvaging History: Efforts in Marseille to Recover a WWII German Aircraft Wreck”

Over 80 years ago, a German bomber plane finished its race off Marseille. Since then, its wreckage is still there 54 meters deep next to the Frioul islands and archaeologists try to save what is left.

It was within the framework of such a mission that the Luftwaffe junkers 88 was surely crashed at sea in 1943. Since then he has almost moved.

“” “This junkers 88 has a fairly special story, its general state of conservation is good since it did not dislocate and that it arrived at the bottom of the sea flat in January 1943. Only a fishing boot damaged it in the head and it was moved”Explains at FigaroMarine Sadania, archaeologist specializing in underwater and submarine research.

According to the cross -checking of certain sources, the crew had four members and all died. However, during a first excavation, only one body was found. 80 years after the end of the Second World War, the time has now come to take the German airplane out of the water and to “save” it from the elements.

Junkers 88, a versatile bombardier plane

During the Second World War, the German army was able to develop its air force to make it one of the most competent and terribly prepared to dominate the heavens. And one of the Luftwaffe's flagship devices was undoubtedly the Junkers Ju 88.

Both a bombardier, a reconnaissance plane, a hunter, capable of ground attack, day and night, this plane caused many losses in the camp of the Allies between 1939 and 1945.

Capable of boarding an impressive arsenal (six machine guns and up to 500 kg of bombs, in its bombardier version) it could fly up to 8,200 meters above sea level, or even 10,000 meters in some of its versions and within a radius of about 2700 kilometers. In short, the Junkers 88 was a plane made for the war and it was unfortunately formidable.

In the space of nine years, between 1936 and 1945, Germany produced this plane in nearly 15,000 copies. If the one who is at the bottom of the Mediterranean were to be raised without incident, he would be part of the devices of this best preserved type in the world.