March 29, 2024
Kerala , April 2001 - The wreckage of a small aircraft that was reported by the fishing boat Hansantony off the Kollam (Quilon) Coast was retrieved at the Shaktikulangara Beach. Naval experts from INS Garuda identified the wreckage as that of a Vought F4U Corsair aircraft. This aircraft is a World War II

From Sainik Samachar (Journal of the Indian Armed Forces) Datelined April 2001

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Onlookers observe the center fuselage section of the Corsair recovered from the sea. The Corsair’s familiar “inverted gull wing” mainspar is very much evident in the picture along with one of the undercarriage legs sticking up.

The wreckage of a small aircraft that was reported by the fishing boat Hansantony off the Kollam (Quilon) Coast was retrieved at the Shaktikulangara Beach. Naval experts from INS Garuda identified the wreckage as that of a Vought F4U Corsair aircraft. This aircraft is a World War II vintage presumably dumped at sea by the Royal Navy. Naval experts are of the opinion that many more catches of this nature could be expected off the Kochi coast in years to come. The oleos of the aircraft are still intact on the wreckage. Also intact are two steel hooks used for launching the aircraft from an aircraft carrier.

The Vought F4U Corsair aircraft of the Royal Navy was manufactured by the United Aircraft Corporation of USA and operated from the Royal Navy’s Aircraft HMS Ilustrous in 1944. They formed a part of a consignment that was brought to HMS Kalugu Kochi for disposal at sea. The wreckage is a testimony to the glorious heritage of naval aviation which dates back to second World War. With the fall of Singapore in February 1942 and subsequent air strikes by the Japanese on Ceylon (Sri Lanka) in April 1942, the British launched a massive programme for creating facilities for naval aviation in India. The main Royal Naval Air Stations were established at Peelamedu (Coimbatore), Tambaram (Chennai) and Kochi.

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