missing aircraft

Seeing the response to the thread about found WWII fighters, I feel compelled to bring this subject up; how about WWI planes? I am curious over any stories about WWI planes recovered after the war, and there certainly has to be some information out there.

I know 'aviation archaelogy' is a relatively young field, but surely people in France, Belgium etc. have had this passion over the years. I have a friend in France who claims to know the location, indirectly, of a crashed plane from the Great War. I intend to search for this in the future, and wouldn't it be cool to locate a site today for excavation?

We all know that these birds were primarily composed of materials that would return to the earth, but certain types utilized metal in their construction. Of course aircraft engines would stand the best chance of preservation. I've seen WWI items that laid in the fields for more than eighty years in beautiful condition. Historical treasures captivate people, and what better way is there to promote history?

[Dan_San_Abbott]

Tim King:
In the years after WW2 when the Dutch were draining the polders to reclaim the land, the remaims of several Gotha bombers were found as well as quite a few WW2 type aircraft.
I would not be surprised if the remains of missing WW1 aircraft were found in some thick French or Belgium forest like Houthulst Forest wher Lt. Willy Coppens did a lot of fighting, it is huge, tall and thick! Of interest , he said to me one day when we had stopped there at the road to the forest, "I wish the King had given me the land and not the title!"
Blue skies,
Dan-San Abbott

>how about WWI planes?

In Australia, a shed search party should be organized and all the sheds of rural Australia searched for WWI aircraft. Probably 80% of the lost, missing or unknown aircraft would be turned up including "Sylvia". One that recently surfaced in the 80's, is the Maurice Farman CFS15;

Maurice Farman CF15, RAAF Museum

cam

Australian Flying Corps Website

For years there's been a rumor of a Fokker tripe somewhere in Poland and I've heard of a Rumpler somewhere in Belgium but the passers-on haven't run them to ground.

If you haven't visited yet, you might like to look at the wreckage of an Alabtros D.V. in my small collection, on my website at http://charlesgosse.home.mindspring.com. There's only a seat rail, undercarriage leg and wing spar and they must have been exposed to the elements for a while. Also a Halberstadt fin, similarly exposed.

Love to know more about your friends idea about the location of a wreck.

A DH9 has just been found in India and has been returned to the UK for restoration.

andy