Rare World War II dive bomber dislodged from California reservoir floor, ready to pull up

Salvage crew has plane primed to move in San Diego

SAN DIEGO — Salvage divers have dislodged a rare World War II dive bomber from the floor of a San Diego reservoir and are primed to hoist it up and out of the water.

A crew member says workers are securing loose parts and then will bring the SB2C Helldiver to shore. He says without complications, the plane could be on shore by noon Friday.

Crews spent Wednesday and Thursday working in zero visibility to remove mud and debris that was holding the plane down on the reservoir bottom.

The plane crashed in 1945 after the engine failed during a training flight. It is one of only a handful still in existence. If it can be restored, it will be displayed at the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Fla.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Salvage divers say thick mud slowed their efforts to pull out a rare WWII dive bomber from a San Diego reservoir.

Crews will resume their efforts to extract the Helldiver on Friday.

After working all day Thursday, divers couldn’t remove enough mud and debris to enable the plane to be lifted out of the water.

Relatives of the two-man crew waited at the reservoir’s edge to see the plane that crashed there in 1945 after the engine failed during a training exercise.

The SB2C Helldiver is one of only a handful still in existence. If it can be restored, it will be displayed at the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Fla.

A former Army ranger who has rescued 33 planes for the museum says there is zero visibility at the bottom of the reservoir.