This is an image of the Maid of Harlech, a United States Air Force Army (USAAF) fighter jet which is believed to have crashed during a training exercise off the coast of Wales in 1942. The pilot at the time, Robert F. Elliot was amazingly unharmed and managed to land the plane on its belly in the water. The only damage to the aircraft was a wing tip that was sheared off in the shallow waters. It wasn’t until 65 years later that the wreckage was discovered, with plans to retrieve it.
The rescue operation was announced by the charity, The International Group for Historical Aircraft Recovery. The idea is to donate the plane to the British Museum for historical aviation enthusiasts to enjoy. Specialist knowledge in how to preserve an aircraft that has been submerged in sea waters for decades needs to be applied to ensure the wreckage is kept intact.
Huge Man Hole Spills Diamonds For Decades
The Mir Diamond Mine is the second largest man-made hole in the world. The only one larger is the Bingham Canyon open-pit copper mine in Utah, USA. Between the years of 1957 – 2001, this was a rich source of diamond and was nicknamed, the “Navel of the Earth.” This aerial view shows how creepy it looks from above to have a massive hole in the earth next to an industrial area.
Originally constructed by Stalin it was eventually abandoned as the cost of keeping the mine open became untenable. It’s crazy to think what humans are capable of, especially when you see it this starkly in a photograph.
Abandoned Railroad Track in A Forest
This beautiful sight is called the Jianqing Historical Trail and is located near the Taipinshan Villa in Taiwan. It was originally made up of a 5.5 km of log railway. Over time, trains stopped using the track, but visitors still enjoyed the natural beauty of the area and would use the path as a hiking trail.
About 2 km of the track was lost, and the path measured a distance of 2.3 km. This was until a typhoon hit in 2013 and destroyed all but 900 m of the hiking trail. It was sad to lose a lot of the trail, but people still visit and enjoy a short walk with spectacular views.
London Readers Continue To Browse At A Bombed library, WWII
The Holland House Library originally formed the Manor House and the Manor of Kensington and was built by Sir Walter Cope in 1605. This image shows the wreckage of the library after a German bomb hit the building during the blitz in 1940.
It was almost entirely destroyed, but some of the bookshelves remained with men looking at what remains they could find to read in those dark and difficult days. Today, only the eastern wing of the building still stands. It was declared a Grade 1 listed building in 1949 and is owned and managed by the London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.
Abandoned Cottage at The Kerry Way Walking Path Between Sneem And Kenmare in Ireland
This abandoned cottage which is now more moss than bricks and mortar can be found along the Kerry Way walking trail. This trail is a 133-mile-long circular trail that usually takes around nine days to complete and starts and ends in Killarney. Along the way is the beautiful scenery of County Kerry including, Muckross Lake, the Torc Waterfall, and The Black Valley.
It was first proposed in 1982 and cost approximately 60,000 IEPs to complete. It forms part of the E8 European Walking Route which runs all the way from Dursey Island in County Cork to Istanbul in Turkey. If you thought you needed to get fit for the Kerry Way, just imagine how in shape you’d need to be to complete the E8!