Supermarine Spitfire MJ789 - the conservation of a World War II aircraft wreckage at the RAAF Museum
Loading...
Citations
Altmetric:
Altmetric::
Download
Associated Records
Authors
File Licence
Editors
Date
2016
Source Title
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Melbourne Authors
Affiliation
School of Historical and Philosophical Studies
Document Type
Masters Coursework thesis
Subject Code
Citation
Access Status
Only available to University of Melbourne staff and students, login required
DOI
Access URL
Open Access URL
Open Access at PMC
Linked Resource URL
NHMRC Grant Code
ARC Grant Code
Description
Abstract
Flight Lieutenant (FLTLT) Henry 'Lacy' Smith and his Mark IV Spitfire MJ789 (MJ789) from 453 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) was shot down by anti-aircraft fire on 11 June 1944 near Normandy, Northern France, in a battle which followed D-Day. Their remains were hidden until Smith and MJ789 were recovered in November 2010, by a private archaeologist. Smith was interred with full military honours in France in April 2011 at the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery Ranville, Normandy, whilst MJ789 was repatriated to Australia in September 2011. Housed in a purpose-modified tank, MJ789 as part of the RAAF Heritage Collection is with the RAAF Museum for preservation and eventual display. In the four years since its arrival, the wreckage of MJ789 has been housed in a shipping container filled with aqueous solution, which is pumped constantly around the artefacts. Conductivity readings are taken fortnightly and the submersion solution is changed as required, so as to continue the passive desalination treatment. Even though a proven technique, MJ789 is due for more proactive treatment so interpretation and display can occur. The wreckage contains not only metal alloys, but additional materials found in the cockpit of World War Two aircraft such as glass, Bakelite, metal instruments, steel armour plating, wiring and wire coatings, some hazardous materials such as asbestos and radium, as well as the remaining original timber propeller stubs, which are evidence of the sheering force of the water which Smith and MJ789 impacted in 1944. In consideration and evaluation of two completed conservation projects of large technology objects, the Australian War Memorials 'Oscar' Stabilisation Project and the Royal Air Force Museums Dornier 17 Project, as well as the current simple immersion desalination approach of MJ789, as undertaken on direction of Dr Ian MacLeod, Executive Director, WA Museums Fremantle and Maritime Heritage at Western Australian Museum, this report aims to identify the most appropriate, efficient and effective preservation technique for the wreckage of MJ789 so as to produce a chemically sound and reactively inert aircraft for future interpretation and display at the RAAF Museum, Point Cook.