Quote:
Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra
So Chase, I'd say get over there, sign that waiver and go find those hulks - but do tread lightly!  |
I am very much planning on making the trip if I can find more specifics of the tanks location in the preserve... as it is almost 13,000 acres of wooded land and I am half-way across the US.
From what I've read the South Tract of the preserve is off-limits, but the North and Central are open. I wonder if the South Tract is the old Ft. Meade firing range and that's why it is "closed off"?
From the link to the other website... the Preserve tells you to stay on trails and sign a waiver... but obviously people have made it to the Crusaders without blowing themselves up. In fact, I haven't found a single case of somebody blowing themselves up there.
IMO, UXO is something to take seriously, but at the same time, every range wreck that even been recovered and every "bog tank" from Eastern Europe had the same danger. I doubt they are in the middle of an abandoned mine field. At the same time I can see while they will likely never be recovered, it is one thing to sign a waiver and go take pictures... its another to expect people to assume the same risk and go in with heavy equipment to excavate them. I'm sure the reserve would catch wind of it as well and shut you down. Even if all of that went well I'm sure there is some obscure law that the US Government retains ownership of all range wrecks... image retrieving one, restoring it and then having it seized
It will probably be early next year before I can go... I want to wait for cooler weather, but I also gives me time to keep searching for archive information... I want have as much information as possible before going... Ideally I'd like to find a scan of the spare parts manual so I can take photocopies of the breakdowns out there to photograph and dimension individual parts and hull plates.