Planes make the second-important group of the objects at the bottom of Gulf of Finland and the Ladoga Lake. During search and mapping works for wreck studying we often found objects preliminary identified as remains of planes of different types and periods. In due course, when there were a lot of such finds collected it was necessary to include planes in the catalogue of objects and to start information on cases and their loss circumstances gathering.
Here we have faced a problem of archival primary information reliability for the first time. The majority of planes was lost during battles and we were quickly enough convinced, that pilots of all belligerent parties, to put it mildly, exaggerated the victories. By comparison of the same air battle materials of both parties this number could be several times "exaggerated"! Finally we based not on pilots’ information on victories over the opponent, but on technical service information on the own planes losses. These figures are essentially less, nevertheless they are also impressive.
So according to information collected and published by one of the best sea pilots of Baltic Fleet Air Forces nowadays general-colonel V.F. Golubev 2604 planes were lost by Baltic Fleet Air Forces during 4 years of war. Thus not less than 1500 machines were lost over water areas and lay at the bottom of Gulf of Finland and the Ladoga Lake. Baltic Fleet Air Forces aircraft losses of during Soviet-Finnish War are up to several hundreds machines, Finnish losses are 54 machines during battles and several tens of machines as a result of accidents.
Actually according to documents losses of the Finnish Air Forces during 1939-1944 do not exceed 500 machines. Real losses of the Air Forces of Germany over water areas of northwest can be preliminary estimated in 1200 planes. If we add approximately 200 planes lost over Gulf of Finland and the Ladoga during First World War, in battles of 1918-1919 and as a result of accidents in 1920-1939 to these figures the total predicted number of machines laying at the bottom in our region can be estimated in 3000-3500 pieces that makes our region one of the richest in avia curiosities.
But it is not less important, that our catalogues impress with great variety of machine types reflecting almost the whole history of aircraft construction.
1. So the history of Russian aircraft is presented by the following models:
1.1. Domestic manufacture:
1.1.1. Bombers: SB, DB-3F, IL-4, IL-8, PS-2, MBR-2, LI-2, TU-2
1.1.2. Fighters: M-9, M-20, S-10, UTI-4, I-15, I-153, I-16, YAK-1, YAK-3, YAK-7, YAK-9, LAGG-3, La-5, La-7, MiG-1
1.1.3. Scout planes: R-5, U-2, SH-2, KR-1
1.1.4. Attack aircrafts: IL-2, Su-2
1.2. USA manufacture
1.2.1. Bombers: Donglas A20/Boston, -25
1.2.2. Fighters: Kurtiss P-39Q, Kurtiss P-40 Kitty Hawk
1.2.3. Scout planes: Kurtiss -52
1.3. Great Britain manufacture:
1.3.1. Fighters: Neaport-XXIII, Martinsyde F4, Hawker Hurricane, Kurtiss P-10-Toma Hawk
1.4. Manufacture of Germany:
1.4.1. Scout planes: Fokker F-4, Junkers J-20
1.5. Manufacture of Italy: Savoja B-62bis
2. Aircraft of Finland:
2.1. USSR manufacture:
2.1.1. Bombers: SB, DB-3F, Pe-20, MBR-2, IL-4
2.1.2. Fighters: I-15, I-153, I-16, LaGG-3
2.2. Manufacture of Germany:
2.2.1. Bombers: Junkers J-88, Dornier Do 177, Dornier Do-22 Ke, Heinkel He-115, Junkers j-43
2.2.2. Fighters: Messerschmitt Bf-109
2.3. Manufacture of the Great Britain:
2.3.1. Bombers: Westland P8, Avro Enson, Bristol Blenheim MK I, Bristol Blenheim MK IV
2.3.2. Fighters: Martinsyde-F4, Gloster-Gladiator
2.3.3. Scout planes: Blackborn Rypon 11F, Gloster-Geimcock
2.4. Manufacture of Holland:
2.4.1. Fighters: Fokker CX, Fokker D-XXIII
2.4.2. Scout planes: Fokker CV-E
3. Aircraft of Germany:
3.1. Bombers: Heinkel He 111, Junkers Y-87, Junkers Y-88, Dornier DO-17
3.2. Fighters: Messerschmitt Bf-109, Messerschmitt Bf-110, Fokke-Wolf FW-109
3.3. Scout planes: Henshel Hs-126, Junkers Y-86, Dornier D-24, Fokke-Wolf FW-189, Arado A-196
4. Aircraft of the Great Britain:
4.1. Fighters: Short, Strutters
Despite of rather big number of plane-like objects detected by sidelooking sonar, we usually cannot distract on survey during our expeditions and objects remain not identified conditionally. The truth to say at two cases connected with selection of nature for film about two pilots of Second World War we have examined the found planes and were convinced, that sonogram data are rather reliable. The first case was a survey of remains of a German bomber Heinkel H111 brought down by guard senior lieutenant V.F. Golubev on 5/28/1942 over the Ladoga executed by divers. Inspection has revealed rather good safety of both wing center section and mechanisms of the plane.
The second object is the Soviet fighter I-16 found to the north of Moshjnyi Island. It lays fully complete though it was damaged by corrosion and sea motions.
In total more than 20 objects identified as more or less safe plane remains were found during 3 seasons of works. The same number of disintegrated fragments was stated which theoretically can be planes. Generally search works allow to find about 12-15 object for a season that is rather high rate and it confirms assumptions of big concentration of plane remains in the given region. But it is necessary to emphasize, that all the made finds are incidental. We have to agree, that target search of plane remains has appeared to be rather complicated. It is connected to that the information on the impact areas, as a rule, is insufficiently concrete and it is necessary to survey rather greater areas.