Latest news.

30-03-2012

ARGA deploys state of the art equipment!

For the first time a GPR system (Ground Penetrating Radar) was used by the foundation ARGA during the investigation at the crashsite of a German fighter. First results were very positive and will be further analised. As soon as there is something to report it will be published on the website.

12-03-2011

Our first fieldtrip of 2011 is a fact. The possible crashsite of a Luftwaffe fighter was investigated on saturday March 12, 2011. The ARGA received a tip that local coinhunters found some aluminium parts on a field, which proved to be true after a short research with our metaldetectors.

Small aluminium parts of mainly the wing area were found. None of these parts could confirm the type though. At the end of the debris field, which was very large and long, the righthand side of the cockpitwindow of a Messerschmitt Me 109 was found identifying the a/c type. Research with the deepsearch metaldetector turned up nothing. The task ahead is to try and identify this a/c which will be a difficult job.

03-12-2010

Rain and wet circumstances has halted our fieldwork to a complete stop. Our autumn project is due to these circumstances postponed until 2011. However our archive research is going full steam ahead.

The following information was found with the help of Albert Wheatley from Worthing, Sussex. In an effort in finding more information regarding the crash of Spitfire PRIB N3069 the ARGA came in contact with Albert Wheatley. No family but very interested in the airwar he was able to help us and found some newspaper clippings mentioning the marriage of F/O Wheatley but also him being MIA.

F/O Wheatley started his training at 6 FTS on 19-09-1936 and graduated 21-05-1937. He was posted with 105 squadron at Rheims, France flying Fairey Battle during the Phoney War period. Early 1940 several pilots, Wheatley among them, volunteered for the Photographic Development Unit.

(source: Albert Wheatley, Worthing and Photographic Reconnaissance by Andrew J Brookes)

04-08-2010

Our work in the first half of 2010 was completely stopped due to personal circumstances. We are now thankfully in somewhat more "calm waters"

In July we carried out two investigations at the crash sites of German fighters. We were able to determine the a/c types, being a Fw190 and Me109. All what was found were small rest parts. But some small pieces of the puzzle were put in place in finding these two crash sites. More to follow soon…..

The Merlin 66 from the Spitfire recovered at Wehl was put on a display stand late last year as you can see on the photo above.

Hopefully we will be able to report more often and frequently the second half of 2010.