WW2 German bomber?

KINSALE
ANGLING

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Diving German WW1 minelaying submarine UC-42.

Propellor boss, WW1 German submarine UC 42

Propeller boss of one of WW1 sub UC-42's propellors. She lies sunk approx 5nm south of Roches Point. Photo ©Timmy Carey

Wreck of 1692

Sidescan sonar image of Wreck of 1692 (to be confirmed) discovered by Carroll O'Donoghue, owner/operator of HARPY, in 2015.

Survey equipment.

A selection of our underwater survey hardware. We're ready when you need us.

Divers off Old Head

Wreck-diving off the Old Head of Kinsale

Commercial Diving

Commercial Divers working on undersea pipes outside Kinsale harbour.

Recovering Diver

Recovering Diver after ascent from Lusitania wreck.

Kinsale Sunset

Sunset in Kinsale, pictured from the quays.

WW2 German bomber?

WW2 German Bomber?

The propellor photographed in the back of the lorry was recovered by a west-Cork trawler some years ago and I was lucky to be passing the quays at the time to take these photos. I'm taking a guess at this stage that the propellor is from a Focke-Wulf Fw200 Condor - hopefully time will tell. The aircraft ditched off the west Cork coast near Cape Clear. The propellor's condition indicates that the engine was stopped when the aircraft ditched and the blades feathered. Also, the lack of bending of the blades points to a very professional and gentle ditching.

If this is indeed from a Focke-Wulf Fw200 then it is probably from the wreck of aircraft F8+GL, operating from Bordeaux–Mérignac airfield, that ditched on 18/April/1941. The crew of 6 survived, to be interned in the Curragh Camp, Co.Kildare for the duration of the war. They were Oblt. Ernst MULLER, Fw. Karl MACHT, Fw. George SIGL, Gefr. Willi SALBENBLATT, Obgefr. Alfred JACKAL and Reg. Rat. Walter HABICH .

A picture of an identical aircraft that also ditched, (after being crippled by a Lockeed Hudson Mk V of 233 Squadron RAF), some four weeks later on 23/July/1941 off the west coast of Ireland is included here for reference. Also attached is an image of another Condor engine, this time outside O'Connors Pub in Cloghane, Co.Kerry, which was recovered from a wrecksite on nearby Mount Brandon. This propellor hub is very similar to the West Cork propellor. The crew of that bomber were also very lucky to survive, the fog-bound bomber pulling up in the last seconds and "landing" uphill.