After over 50 years on the seabed, the cockpit of a USAAF Liberator was still remarkably complete and salvaged in 1995. Built in December 1942 at San Diego, this USAAF Liberator was attacked over Romania on 1 August 1943. Badly damaged, the crew headed for their base at Benghazi in Libya but one by one the engines failed and the aircraft ditched in the sea off Antalya (Turkey).

Built in December 1942 at San Diego, this USAAF Liberator was attacked by a Luftwaffe fighter during a 98th BG 'Pyramiders' raid over the Astro Romano oil refinery in Romania on 1st Aug 1943. Badly damaged, the crew headed for their base at Benghazi but one by one the engines failed and even their attempt to reach Cyprus was not attainable. The B-24 was ditched in the sea off Antalya, and although three crew members including the pilot Lt Hadley were lost, seven were able to swim ashore. Salvaged in 1995

This USAAF Liberator took part in the bombing raid on the petroleum refineries in Ploesti, Romania, on 1/8/43. Damaged by a Luftwaffe fighter, it ditched near Antalya off the southern coast of Turkey on its return flight to Cyprus. The airframe was salvaged in 1995 and partially restored for display in the museum as a permanent memorial to the raid. The pilot (Lt Gilbert Hadley), co-pilot (Lt James Lindsey), and bombardier ((Leon Storms) were killed in the crash, the remaining seven crew were able to swim ashore and survived.