Without tail and wings. The story of an American plane that crashed on a beach in Iceland

Popular travel bloggers compete to find places where they can take a photo with something extraordinary in the background. One of the finds for them is an absolutely deserted beach with black sand, on which rest the remains of a military aircraft hull. We figured out how he got there, why he stayed there, and most importantly, how to find this place.

So, the US Navy cargo plane, the Douglas Super DC-3, half a century ago symbolized the power of engineering. On November 24, 1973, this plane crashed, the reasons for which remained a mystery. It is believed that he simply used up all the fuel and could no longer return to the aircraft carrier, so he made an emergency landing on a beach near the city of Vik in Iceland. However, the date is also not so clear: according to some sources, reports about the crashed plane appeared in the Icelandic press as early as November 22. Fortunately, the crew survived, but it was no longer possible to repair the plane, so the engines and other surviving parts were simply taken from it, and the body was left behind. It is worth noting that the fuselage was made of really high quality; for 45 years now it has withstood the onslaught of stormy winds and icy downpours that hit the deserted beach.

Photo: @richardthawng/Instagram.com

Photo: @jacobmoore424/Instagram.com

Photo: @marcianowo/Instagram.com

The plane has no tail or wings, which is also somewhat of a mystery. According to one version, one of the local farmers was able to take them away and probably sell them for scrap. But thanks to the holes that have formed, the inside of the plane is well lit, you can climb inside and walk around the lifeless body of the once great miracle of technology.

The plane is not in plain sight, it is hidden by sand dunes, but it is easy to find using the navigator. Coordinates in Google maps: 63.459523 -19.364618, from the nearest road you need to walk about 40 minutes. Don’t be afraid of bad weather, the plane looks even more impressive against the backdrop of gloomy clouds!