SAN DIEGO — A rare World War II dive bomber was raised 90 feet from the bottom of a San Diego reservoir Friday and awaited a last lift from a crane to reach dry land for the first time in 65 years.
The SB2C Helldiver aircraft was brought to the surface after days of work to free it from debris on the floor of the Lower Otay Reservoir. After being lifted to shore, it will be disassembled and trucked to Florida to be restored and displayed at the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola.
The Helldiver crashed when the engine failed during a training flight May 28, 1945. Sgt. Joseph Metz and his pilot swam to shore and survived but have since died.
Only a few of the 5,100 Helldivers manufactured during World War II still exist. One of its nicknames was “The Beast” because it was so hard to handle. The aircraft had a tendency to crash.
