A routine berry-picking excursion in a forest near Świnoujście, Poland, has led to a potentially significant historical discovery: debris and marked parts suggesting the buried wreckage of a World War II Allied aircraft. The find was made by a local resident who noticed an unusual depression in the ground surrounded by metal fragments.
Initial examination by staff at the Museum of Coastal Defence indicated the debris was not random scrap. The nature of the metal, its riveting, and the presence of burnt ammunition pointed towards an aircraft. A crucial clue emerged from the ammunition remains, identified as .303 British calibre, commonly used in British aircraft machine guns, suggesting an Allied origin.
The investigation gained momentum with the discovery of an alphanumeric marking, 'T7', on a cleaned copper tube fragment. This symbol, according to British RAF technical documentation, denotes a type of copper tubing used in various aircraft systems. The fitting on the tube further suggested it was an Avimo-type component, a high-pressure coupling found in British aircraft, including those powered by the legendary Rolls-Royce Merlin engines, which were fitted to aircraft like the Lancaster bomber.
While museum officials are cautious about definitively identifying the aircraft type, the proximity of the current find to a previously recovered Lancaster bomber wing is highly intriguing. The five-meter wing section was salvaged from the Baltic Sea in 2009 by fishermen and is located approximately one kilometer from the new discovery site. Researchers are exploring the possibility that both finds belong to the same aircraft.
The discovery site has been secured, and relevant authorities, including the Voivodeship Monument Conservator and institutions responsible for war graves, have been informed. The area is being protected to prevent interference from souvenir hunters. Museum representatives emphasize the need for professional examination, as the main part of the aircraft may be buried deeper, and there is a possibility that the remains of crew members could still be present.
