- The Boeing aircraft was on a bombing mission to Vienna when it made its fateful journey in November 1944
- Pictures show the aircraft lying at on the sea bed with a crushed nose, but the wreckage remains largely intact
- The aircraft was new as it arrived in Amendola, Italy before it was gunned down just days later
- The pilot landed on water so the crew could evacuate but the co-pilot died before he could be rescued
She once dominated the skies above war-torn Europe but this B-17 Flying Fortress is still capturing attention as she rests 200ft below the surface of the Adriatic Sea.
These stunning new images show how the giant World War Two bomber, serial number 44-6630, remains one of the best preserved wrecks of a B-17.
The Boeing-made aircraft was on a bombing mission to Vienna as part of the Allied push to free Europe of the Nazis when it made its final, fateful journey on November 6, 1944.
Under heavy anti-aircraft fire, the plane crash-landed in the Adriatic Sea – 31 miles (50km) from the Croatian coast near the village of Rukavac. All but one of her crew survived the landing.
+20
View gallery
The wreckage of the Boeing B-17 remains largely in one piece after the pilot crashed landed the aircraft in the Adriatic Sea on November 6 1944. The fighter plane was on a doomed bombing mission to Vienna when it was met with German air missiles
+20
View gallery
The nose of the plane was crushed as it’s thought the plane landed on its landing gear. The cockpit of the plane is visible and a boot was found by diver Martin Strmiska
+20
View gallery
The plane was renowned for its defensive capabilities. Machine guns were fitted on the tail. A B-17 aircraft could carry bomb loads of up to 3,600kg on shorter distance missions
+20
View gallery
A diver swims past part of the wreckage of another plane on the seabed. A fallen B-24 Liberator, nicknamed ‘Tulamerican’ was discovered in 2009
She is now an attraction for divers, who witness the B-17 in almost all of her glory.
Its nose is crushed but the pilot’s cockpit is visible as the windscreen has shattered.
The plane’s wheels are starting to sink into the seabed – raising questions of how long the wreckage will remain before disintegrating.
Its engines and wings are covered with algae, sand and dead crustaceans.
The plane was renowned for its defensive capabilities and a turret with two machine guns was positioned on the tail.
The sturdy four-engine aircraft were built for the United States Air Army Corps (USAAC) during a period when twin engines were the norm.
+20
View gallery
Pictured: a close up of the B-17 bomber wreckage. The Boeing B-17 aircraft was built in the 1930s for the US Air Army Corps
+20
View gallery
Pictured is a diver going through the wreckage. It’s not recommended that recreational divers tackle the challenging mission located off the coast of Vis Island due to the depth of the site.
+20
View gallery
It’s thought that the pilot landed on the sea so the crew could escape on life rafts. The co-pilot US Army Air Force Second Lieutenant Ernest Vinneau died in the crash as he couldn’t be rescued before the plane sank
+20
View gallery
The plane was gunned down over the Adriatic before sinking to the seabed hours later on that fateful November 6 day
The aircraft had only arrived at its base in Amendola, Italy three days before she was shot down.
With his plane heavily damaged by air defences over what is now Slovenia, the pilot veered towards Vis Island (now part of Croatia), which was the closest Allied airbase.
However he had to land on the sea, although that did allow the crew to evacuate on inflatable rafts.
The plane was en-route to Vis Island – the only island that the Nazis didn’t occupy by 1944. The Adriatic campaign was a minor campaign during World War II but resulted in an Allied victory
+20
View gallery
Photographer and diver Martin Strimiska, 40, of Vietnamska, Slovakia captured the stunning footage. He was fascinated by the wreckage. ‘You constantly want to see what’s behind the next corner,’ he said.
+20
View gallery
The plane was en-route to Vienna on a bombing mission before veering towards Vis Island – the nearest Allied airport. Vis is located off the Dalmatian coast.
Co-pilot US Army Air Force Second Lieutenant Ernest Vinneau died at the scene as the crew couldn’t rescue him in time before the aircraft filled with water and sank.
He was just 25 and grew up in Millinocket, Maine and served with the 340th Bomber Squadron, part of the 97th Bomber Group.
The remains of the B-17 on the Adriatic seabed is one of the best preserved World War II plane wrecks due to its depth of over 60m, making it difficult for divers to reach.
+20
View gallery
Pictured: a close up of the tail of the Boeing B-17 Bomber. The tail fin remains visible as small fish circle it and algae grow
+20
View gallery
The remains of the B-17 is one of the best preserved World War II plane wrecks due to its depth of over 60m, making it difficult for divers to reach
+20
View gallery
A diver (pictured) close to the cockpit of the ‘Flying Fortress’. The cockpit remains visible but the windshield has shattered
+20
View gallery
Pictured: a sunken ship on the Adriatic Sea. Vessels carrying supplies were often torpedoed by the enemy during World War II as they made fateful journeys
Photographer and diver Martin Strmiska, 40, of Vietnamska, Slovakia captured the stunning images during a visit to Vis last year.
‘It’s (the wreckage) is basically untouched, the feeling of being under there is quite overwhelming. You constantly want to see what’s behind the next corner,’ he said.
‘At some point it will be gone so I’m thrilled to be able to show these images and talk about the history behind it,’ he added.
Along with the B-17, Mr Strmiska also photographed a fallen B-24 Liberator, nicknamed ‘Tulamerican’ which was discovered in 2009.
+20
View gallery
Mr Strmiska said he felt ‘overwhelmed’ when he came face-to-face with the wreckage. Pictured is a diver investigating the remains of the historic World War II plane
+20
View gallery
The aircraft sunk just three days after arriving at its base in Amendola, Italy. Crew members managed to evacuate the plane on life rafts but their stories remain a mystery
+20
View gallery
Pictured: The propeller engines of the World War 2 fighter plane. They are coated in algae, sand and dead crustaceans. The plane was designed during a period when twin engines were the norm
+20
View gallery
Mr Strmiska was thrilled that he had the opportunity to capture the stunning footage before the wreckage disintegrates