Antique Curtiss HS-2L flying boat found

Some weeks ago, French maritime historian Samuel Côté and his crew were filming for a TV series called “The mysteries of the lake” in an area about 50 kilometres north of Sept-Iles (QC) Canada.

During these activities, the wreckage of an (almost) antique flying boat was found on the bottom of a lake.

The aircraft, a Curtiss HS-2L with registration G-CACS was lost on 16 July 1926. After a hard landing it drifted to the centre of the lake and sank. The flying boat was registered to the Ontario Paper Co.Ltd. so its crew was probably on a survey for future forestry exploitation.

Currently only one Curtiss HS-2L is known to have survived, G-CAAC, which is displayed at the Canada Air & Space Museum.

And it will probably remain the only HS-2L to be inspected, as the newly found G-CACS is unlikely to be recovered. Lying 18 metres below the surface of a Canadian lake that can only be reached through the air is not exactly the ideal start of a successful aircraft recovery!

Source: TVA nouvelles / Photos: Mario Cyr PVP and Canadian Aviation Preservation Association