Are you wondering how special an old and forgotten plane could be? Think back to the year 1946, just after World War II had ended. This aircraft could be found in an airplane hanger somewhere in Canada, all shiny and new.
Although the war was over, tensions were still high, and another attack was a real possibility. With each side doing their best to get a leg up on the other, Canda was looking for their advantage. The Canadian government hoped it would come in the form of a one-of-a-kind jet fighter.
Guided From Land
While the ThunderFish may look like someone could fit inside, it isn’t designed for a human to ride. This means the exploration team was left on land while navigating it around the lake bed. To the surprise of many, the underwater drone fulfilled its purpose!
The ThunderFish sent many clear images to the team, but did it capture anything worth their time? It was time to learn if the rumors were true! The explorers may not have known what they were looking for, but it was pretty clear there was something down there. So what was in the photos?
The Results Are In
The team wasn’t able to determine what the pictures were showing them right away. They had to study them first, trying to make sense of the images. One thing was for sure, and they had stumbled upon something big!
Seemingly all at once, the picture came together for them, and they knew what they had found. What was hidden fathoms below the lake’s surface? An aircraft! And it wasn’t any ordinary old airplane. This plane was special.
The Cold War
Their search continued into the Cold War, which started in 1947. Each side prepared for a big battle; however, it never happened. The war ended in 1991 without a single battle, hence the name, Cold War.
With the threat of an invasion hanging over the world for decades, leaders remained on edge. With democracy ruling the West and Communism ruling the East, third world countries did their best to stay neutral.
Nuclear Threats
With the emerging creation of atomic bombs, both sides of the Cold War could devastate the other. Even though they all knew that stooping to such a level result in irreversible mass destruction, they still used it as a threat.
During these times, many countries felt that the only way to remain safe and untouched by enemy fire was to possess superior weapons. For example, during this time, the USSR built an aircraft large enough to transport their weapons to the United States and Canada, flying over the Arctic. This made temporarily put them in the lead.