Italian Reggiane RE.2000 Update

Few weeks ago we reported the successful rescue of an Italian Re.2000 which  had sunk in the waters of Portovenere (La Spezia) in 1943 . The operation was carried out for free by the company Micoperi (the same company which  has completed he straightening of the cruise ship Costa Concordia).The Falco, originally discovered  in April 2012, was about twenty feet deep and it crashed off the Liguria coast during a training mission.

Few days go we had the opportunity to speak with officials from the Italian Air Force Museum of Vigna di Valle. At the moment the Re.2000 is located At XXXXXX .There are not major updates to report, the process will inevitably be long. It ‘was necessary to secure the aircraft with the intervention of the Italian Air Force explosive ordnance disposal corp, as the cartridge belts were full of loaded shells. It Is about to begin the process of desalination and the difficult task to clean the aircraft’s surfaces which are covered with 70 years of marine wildlife.  Accordingly to the museum’s officials this  process should  last at least 2 years. The first impression by the museum’s restoration team about a possible restorations was not positive.  Unfortunately  the aircraft is in very poor condition and severely incomplete, most likely It will be exposed as it is once the “clean up” is completed.