Patterns Of Preservation In WWII Aircraft And Their Importance

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "Strides Towards Standard Methodologies in Aeronautical Archaeology" , at the 2020 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

The aircraft of World War II (WWII) provide the largest volume sample in aircraft archaeology with potential to investigate broad patterns. These aircraft represent both combat and training losses. Over 10,000 total planes were lost over the UK during this period and over 7,000 USAAF aircraft were lost in training over the USA. Preservational potential of aircraft of this vintage was elevated over earlier periods because of factors including construction materials and speed (of crashes). Aircraft were lost in a wide range of environmental settings from tundra to humid jungles and provide great potential for comparative studies: wrecks of US B-24 bombers occur in a wide range of environments from arid desert (Libya), to shallow marine environment (Malta) to humid jungles (Borneo). Some areas were foci of prolonged aerial engagements (e.g., England, Malta), others represent more transient battles with different patterns of aircraft losses.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for Historical Archaeology 2020   •
• Strides Towards Standard Methodologies in Aeronautical Archaeology

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Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 628