The Flying Fortress

 
 

A Flying Fortress crashed off Burton Beach near West Bexington during the war. Most of the wreckage has eroded away but there are still some recognisable features. In fact much of the plane has been colonised by sea creatures and these still pictures and short movies show the site in 2001. Some times the wreck is covered with silt and at other times fairly exposed.
The US had B29 Superfortresses – the RAF version was a B50 Washington which is the likely plane here.

We are grateful to Richard Edmonds for these shots.

 
 

This simple plan (which is not to scale) shows the current layout of the aircraft in relation to the beach.

There is no evidence of the main fuselage or the engines.

 
    
 Short movies: -NOTE - may take some time to load  
 South Wheel with crabThe south wheel with a crab 
 North wheel showing extensive marine lifeNorth wheel 
 Swimming North from southern wing tip to main landing wheel (low definition) (better definition)The South Wing showing some of the structure 
 

 

Click on pictures for higher definition image

 

  
 Anemone on part of the wing structureAnemone on part of the wing structure 
 'Crab apple' anemones'Crab apple' anemones 
 'Crab apple' anemones - close upThe proper name for the 'crab apple' anemone is Plumore Anemone. This close up with a small crab shows clearly that some are open and others are closed up. The wreck provides a hard surface in the strong
current that then helps to deliver food every day.
 
 diver near a wheelDiver near a landing wheel to give some idea of scale 
 Close up of tyre with a diverClose up of tyre with a diver 
 a fuel tank (empty)A fuel tank (empty) 
 The south wheelThe south wheel 
 The south wingThe South Wing 
 North wheelNorth wheel 
    

Spider Crabs and other undersea life off Burton Bradstock

Diving off Hive Beach

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Tim Linford