RAF Luftwaffe Dornier 17 Bomber Recovery

8th July 2014

ALS is privileged to have been involved in one of the most important historic projects in recent years to recover the aircraft from beneath the English Channel, which has recently been televised (links below)

The Dornier Bomber was shot down over the Kent Coast in World war 2 over 70 years ago, with the loss of 2 of its crew in the Battle of Britain on Goodwin Sands.

This project was purely funded by fundraising including a National Heritage Memorial Fund a grant of over £345,000 which allowed the operation to start.

ALS have been involved in this high profile and challenging project as part of a tri company tendering team that won the project almost 3 years ago over an 8 month period from the planning and bidding stages

The ALS Team was responsible from off-hook including the coordination of removal from the barge, loading to specialist trailers, transportation, escorting, and offloading from vehicles at the RAF Museum in Cosford.

The last surviving Dornier 17 Bomber was laid to rest at the Royal Air Force Museum, Cosford in Birmingham one year ago and has undergone painstaking work on the remains before it could go on public display.

When the aircraft arrived at Cosforth it weighed 9 Tonnes, however, only around 5.5 Tonnes was the aircraft's weight as the reminder was a mixture of sand, seaweed, and barnacles from the sea bed.

You Tube - ALS escort vehicle and mention http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDpI838THpI

BBC recently televised film - ALS’ escort van appears in the film on the way to the RAF museum and an ALS colleague is seen in his ALS coat around the barge. http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b048vpmp/the-old-plane-and-the-sea-rescuing-the-last-dornier-17

For further information please contact:

Mrs Jill Peacock – Group Marketing Manager
E-mail: jillian.peacock@als-europe.com
Tel: +44 (0) 1482 796214