Salvage of battle of Britain plane delayed by bad weather

Off By Sharon Black

High winds force postponement of operation to lift only surviving German Dornier Do 17 bomber from Kent seabed

An attempt to lift the only surviving German second world war Dornier Do 17 bomber from the Channel has been postponed for at least a week due to bad weather.

The aircraft was shot down more than 70 years ago during the battle of Britain and the project is believed to be the biggest recovery of its kind in British waters.

But efforts by the Royal Air Force Museum to raise the relic have been hit by strong winds and the operation has now gone back into port after an attempt on Sunday night was abandoned due to high winds.

Museum spokesman Ajay Srivastava said it was unlikely that any further attempt would be made this week but that efforts would recommence as soon as the weather improved.

Money and resources remained committed to raising the wreck, he said.

The plan to raise the Dornier has had to be adapted and now involves attaching lifting equipment to what are estimated to be the strongest parts of the aircraft’s frame and raising it whole, in a single lift instead of constructing a cage around it, which was …read more