Contributions to the Maid of Harlech Memorial Fund go to help cover
TIGHAR’s expenses in advocating for the responsible recovery and
conservation of Lockheed P-38F 41-7677. If you wish, you can make your
donation of $100 or more in the name of any World War II veteran. When
the aircraft is recovered, a permanent memorial with the names of the
donors and honorees will accompany the P-38 to the accessioning museum.
In the meantime, we’ll send you a handsome Certificate of Recognition
acknowledging your support in helping us make sure this priceless relic
is preserved for future generations.
 
To donate to the Maid of Harlech Project,
click HERE. |
In the summer of 2007, a Lockheed
P-38 Lightning fighter aircraft, presumed to be USAAF serial number 41-7677,
emerged from the sand of a beach in Wales where it crash landed in 1942.
The aircraft, largely intact and remarkably free of corrosion, is one
of the most significant WWII-related archaeological discoveries in recent
history.
We call her the Maid of Harlech after the magnificent
13th century Welsh castle, but until she can be rescued
from the sands of time, her actual location must remain confidential.
Although the aircraft is covered by the Protection
of Military Remains Act and disturbing the site in any way carries heavy
penalties, the looting of historic wreck sites by unscrupulous souvenir
hunters is, nonetheless, a major problem worldwide. Nature has done a
good job hiding the wreck.
Nothing presented here provides site information and we ask that everyone
support our efforts to protect the aircraft until it can be recovered.
Recognizing the Lightning’s historical significance
as the oldest surviving Eighth Air Force combat veteran, and its potential
as an object of study in corrosion research, TIGHAR has made a commitment
to champion the aircraft’s recovery and preservation. Local aviation
historian Matt Rimmer (TIGHAR #2916) has been granted a Ministry of Defense
license to recover the aircraft. It was Matt who first alerted us to
the wreck’s
discovery and assisted the TIGHAR archaeological team throughout the
October 2007 survey. Working with Gwynedd
County authorities, Matt provided surveillance and security for the site
for the next several months as the sands once more shifted and eventually
hid the wreck from view.
Click HERE for
information about the plans to recover this great aircraft, or use the
links below.
Use this Google Search function to find things on the TIGHAR website:
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Click on
the photo for a large image.
