Underwater photographer Andrey Nekrasov took some amazing shots of the warplane

Mar 12, 2014 17:11 GMT  ·  By
Underwater photographer Andrey Nekrasov took some amazing shots of the warplane
6 photos
   Underwater photographer Andrey Nekrasov took some amazing shots of the warplane

A Second World War transport aircraft which used to carry Turkish paratroopers during the war is now home to schools of tropical fish, as revealed by a series of amazing photographs taken by Andrey Nekrasov.

According to Daily Mail, the Douglas Dakota DC-3 was deliberately sunk 21 meters under water in July 2009 to create an underwater playground for divers. The aircraft is now resting at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Cas, Turkey, and shelters hundreds of shrimps, tropical fish and barracudas.

The Douglas DC-3 is a legendary propeller-driven airliner. Its speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1940s and remained in history as one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made. Its development started in early 1935 with the prototype flying by the end of the year.

The military version of the plane had many capabilities, including dropping paratroops and supplies, evacuating the wounded, troop transportation and glider towing.

However, such an warplane now lays on the sea bed with its twin propeller engines rusted and covered in coral.

Underwater photographer Andrey Nekrasov, from Odessa in Ukraine, dived the wreck and took some stunning shots of the sunken warplane.

Together with a group of experienced divers from Russia, he descended to the bottom of the sea and explored the almost perfectly preserved wreckage using no breathing apparatus. Instead, they wore full face masks and wetsuits and had to resurface every two minutes to breathe.

Nekrasov entered the rusty aircraft, once capable of speeds of up to 230mph (370km/h) and of reaching heights of 23,000ft (7,000m), through the large door of the plane's frame, which once served as the main exit for jumping paratroopers.

“We went on a diving boat to a small island. Directly below us lay the plane - its blurred outlines were visible on the surface of the water. […] The plane was so well preserved, it looked as if it were resting on an airfield runway. It looked unusual and beautiful,” the photographer said.

His amazing photos show the interior of the plane which is now covered with algae and barnacles, the rusted but intact outer body, its propellers, wings and the cabin, all still in place.

There still are some small operators that use DC-3 models in revenue service and as cargo aircrafts. Its ability to take off and land on grass or dirt runways makes it popular in developing countries, where runways are not always paved.

Photo Gallery (6 Images)

Underwater photographer Andrey Nekrasov took some amazing shots of the warplane
Experienced divers explored the wreckageThe almost perfectly preserved aircraft rests on the bottom of the sea
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