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The disciplines of archaeology and military history were rocked this spring after Hollis ambassador Martin Strmiska released footage of a lost WWII bomber 200 feet under the waters of the Adriatic Sea.
The B-17 aircraft, originally manufactured by Boeing during the peak of World War II, has rested on the Croatian seabed for over 70 years.
Martin Strmiska Finds WWII Bomber
But according to the dive team, the wreck is still in remarkably good shape considering it’s been underwater for decades.
“It’s basically untouched,” Strmiska, a professional lensman and dive explorer, says of the crashed B17. “The feeling of being under there is quite overwhelming. You constantly want to see what’s behind the next corner.”
After the discovery, the Hollis ambassador told news outlets that he had been “overwhelmed” by the discovery and coming face to face with the wreckage. And for good reason. In Strmiska’s profession, finding a lost warplane from WWII is akin to finding the Holy Grail.
The Flying Fortress
Commonly referred to as “The Flying Fortress,” the B17 was a terror of the skies during its deployment. Most of these aircraft are gone, however the recently discovered craft, known formally by its serial number, 44-6630, is being hailed by researchers and scholars as one of the best preserved B-17 wrecks ever discovered.
According to the Daily Mail, it’s believed that the aircraft embarked on its last flight as part of a mission to free the Baltic states from German control.
“The Boeing-made aircraft was on a bombing mission to Vienna as part of the Allied push to free Europe of the Nazis when it made its final, fateful journey on November 6, 1944.” The article states. “Under heavy anti-aircraft fire, the plane crash-landed in the Adriatic Sea — 31 miles from the Croatian coast near the village of Rukavac. All but one of her crew survived the landing.”
The Vanishing Relic
Now, resting on the Adriatic seabed, the B-17 is covered with algae, sand and crustaceans. And although its nose is smashed from its initial crash impact, the rest of the aircraft are still in remarkably good condition.
However, among other negative signs, the plane’s wheels have begun to sink into the seabed, indicating it may have only a few more years to be explored as an intact craft.
“At some point,” Strmiska says, “it will be gone. So I’m thrilled to be able to show these images and talk about the history behind it!”
