Metal Supermarkets, the world’s largest distributor of small quantity metals, helped Seatech Commercial Diving Services, an underwater services and multi-disciplined marine construction company, salvage a German Bomber that was submerged underwater in the English Channel.

Metal Supermarkets Southampton provided custom metal parts to the Seatech team which it used to build the raising contraption. Seatech worked directly with the Royal Air Force Museum to rescue the sunken aircraft, which is said to have been shot down during the Battle of Britain over 70 years ago.

The aircraft was discovered in 2008, when a group of divers spotted it lying on a chalk bed. Since then, the plan for its recovery has been carefully thought out and in June 2013, the bomber was successfully raised.

Ray Caple, Manager at Metal Supermarkets Southampton, explains the important role his store played in this project. “The boat had a control panel specially made to accommodate various dials and measuring devices, which were all required to give feedback to the divers and the crew on board. We supplied the aluminum sheet for them to build the panel. Metal Supermarkets also provided material used to construct the barge’s ladders.”

The aircraft now resides in the Royal Air Force Museum in London, England. The bomber will undergo a lengthy five year restoration process before it is openly displayed to the public.

Metal Supermarkets Southampton is located in the Mount Pleasant Industrial Estate, Unit 16, Southampton, SO14 0SP.