NAS Museum To Unveil F6F3 Hellcat crashed in Lake Michigan

Moreno Aguiari
Moreno Aguiari
The recovered plane was piloted by Lt. Walter B. Elcock, who survived the crash on Jan. 5, 1945. Elcock was 89 at the time of the recovery.
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The recovered plane was piloted by Lt. Walter B. Elcock, who survived the crash on Jan. 5, 1945. Elcock was  89 at the time of the recovery.
The recovered plane was piloted by Lt. Walter B. Elcock, who survived the crash on Jan. 5, 1945. Elcock was 89 at the time of the recovery.

In November 2009 more than 60 years after it went crashing into Lake Michigan, a Navy F6F-3 Hellcat fighter plane was lifted from the water of lake Michigan. The aircraft recovery  was paid for by the chief executive officer of Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Andy Taylor. He requested the recovery to honor his father, a World War II naval aviator who flew the Hellcat fighter planes on the carrier Enterprise.Estimated to cost  $250,000. The plane was then sent to the National Naval Aviation Museum in Florida for restoration.Taras Lyssenko, owner of the Chicago-based A&T Recovery lead the two-week recovery project.

Accordingly to abc 3  WEAR channel Volunteers will unveil it to the public on Friday during their World War II Remembrance Service. The ceremony begins at 10 am.

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Born in Milan, Italy, Moreno moved to the U.S. in 1999 to pursue a career as a commercial pilot. His aviation passion began early, inspired by his uncle, an F-104 Starfighter Crew Chief, and his father, a military traffic controller. Childhood adventures included camping outside military bases and watching planes at Aeroporto Linate. In 1999, he relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, to obtain his commercial pilot license, a move that became permanent. With 24 years in the U.S., he now flies full-time for a Part 91 business aviation company in Atlanta. He is actively involved with the Commemorative Air Force, the D-Day Squadron, and other aviation organizations. He enjoys life with his supportive wife and three wonderful children.