P38 bomber fighter
Characteristics of the wreck
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27/01/1944
40 m
Confirmé
France
Var
Mediterranean Sea
P38 bomber fighter (0)
Information
A diving trip to La Ciotat and Les Lecques, on the Mediterranean coast of France, allows you to explore the wreck of a P38 fighter bomber aircraft. This P38 belonging to the US Air Force, is a Lightning G15 model which weighs 9500 kg and reaches 660 km/h thanks to its 2 engines. That day, the P38 escorted a formation of B17 bombers whose mission was to bomb the Salon de Provence airfield.
The P38 was shot down on 27 January 1944, over the Bay of Lecques. Later, the fishermen were hauling up pieces of sheet metal in their nets. Then, the divers are attracted by an unusual concentration of fish always located in the same place. Finally, the wreck was reported in 1996 to the CBI authorities, who sent divers to investigate. The radio and the identification plate were then recovered and allowed for the authentication of the aircraft lying upside down on the sand.
To be seen: the cockpit, the landing gear that the pilot did not have time to take out, the original armament that is still in place with the 4 12.7mm machine guns and the 20mm cannon, covered with encrusting sponges, the engine with the 3 propeller blades. Lobsters and conger eels have taken up residence in these remains and lobsters are hidden in the empennage.
Dive centers
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Sanary snorkeling
France
- Sanary-sur-Mer

Sanary Snorkeling is located on the fishermen's wharf in Sanary-sur-mer. Amarilli and Jacques welcome you warmly on their boat, a semi-rigid, to make discoveries of the bay and the islands of Embiez.
You can embark for half a day or a full day, at sunset or at dusk in the evening. With family or friends, come and discover the most beautiful Natura 2000 classified sites in the bay of Sanary, for a first dive or a diving course.
Small family structure, Sanary Plongée offers the opportunity to privatize the boat for a birthday, the bachelor party, a theme trip or any other festive occasion!
These outings are accessible to everyone from 6 years old. The equipment is provided and the outings last 2h30 on average. You can choose one of the four possible time slots during the day. [+]
- Friendly atmosphere
- No equipment carrying
- Stay without a car
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Lecques Aquanaut
France
- Saint Cyr les Lecques
 
The Lecques Aquanaut diving center is located in the new port of Les Lecques, in front of a huge car park. Open all year round, you will benefit from beautiful and comfortable facilities, ideal for groups of divers with changing rooms equipped with hot showers, toilets, a classroom equipped for training with a computer. The shop allows you to stock up on any small equipment you may be missing. The air in the filling station is checked.
The diving school offers ANMP and PADI training courses from baptism to divemaster. About 50 adult and children's equipment are renewed every two years. Park near the Aquanaut and H2O boats, 30 m away, to unload your personal equipment directly. The boats are also suitable for groups, with capacities of 19 and 29 divers respectively. Board the Lecques Aquanaut boats to explore the dive sites of Bandol and La Ciotat.
The former owner of the Lecques Aquanaut diving club, Marcel Camilleri, thought he had found St Exupery's little plane. The wreck of a P-38 Lightning lies upside down on a sandy bottom. This American twin-engine plane is literally covered with fishing nets. Later, divers and experts made the connection with another P-38 lying in the bay of La Ciotat. This one was shot down in the same conditions, the same day, only a few minutes apart! The two wrecks are part of the same Fighter-Group squadron and are separated by 3 nautical miles. [+]
- Near Downtown area
- Located close to the dive sites
- Spacious premises
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Sanary Plongée
France
- Sanary-Sur-Mer
 
The Sanary Plongée diving center, open every day of the year, is located along the Wilson quay, in Sanary-sur-Mer. The Sanary Plongée diving center offers introductory scuba diving courses in the afternoon only, SSI or FFESSM courses from Open Water Diver to Divemaster, TEK, and Rebreather training. Certified divers book explorations and night dives. Sanary Plongée welcomes groups by offering them preferential rates.
Over the years, Sanary Plongée has become a real institution for all those who love the deep blue sea, allowing them to discover the richness and diversity of the local diving sites. Come to the after-work organized once a week, for a memorable night dive followed by a hearty aperitif. The new, modern premises include a changing room and showers as well as a large 20 m2 room reserved for seminars and courses.
Embark on the Ulysses, which can accommodate up to 25 people and is equipped with a sunbathing area, toilets, and a large cabin. You can sail to the Calanques National Park or to Giens, by choosing a day trip or a 2-tank Dives or by privatizing the boat. The Baruna, an 8m long semi-rigid, powered by 250hp, is ideal for fast travel.
Discover the wrecks and drop-offs from La Ciotat (with the Ile Verte) to Cap Sicié, (the Arroyo wreck). Also very suitable for rebreather divers and heavy configurations, the Baruna is fitted out for comfortable launches. The number of divers on board is limited in order to favor comfort and conviviality. The Galoubet, a 17m wooden fisher boat, built-in 1963, is part of the historical heritage and remains the pride of Sanary Plongée.
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- Friendly atmosphere
- Located close to the dive sites
- Meeting after diving
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Le Brusc Plongée
France
- Six Fours les Plages

The Brusc Plongée diving center is located 30 meters from its boats, in the port of Le Brusc, near Six-Fours-les-Plages. There is a paying parking lot, 20 meters away from the Brusc Plongée diving center. You can leave your equipment in front of Brusc Plongée, then park further away. On the spot, you have a 50 m² store with a reception area, rental equipment, changing rooms, and space to store your equipment, as well as an area for selling equipment and accessories. The inflation of the blocks takes place on the spot, with 2 compressors.
You will embark on Brusc Plongée aluminum catamaran, the Matata, 10.50 m long, sailing at 8 knots and carrying 34 divers. The launch is done by a straight jump from the back platform with a return dive using the 2 parrot ladders. Also coming aboard the Rubis, a semi-rigid boat with a capacity of 10 divers. It is ideal to go to small creeks or to drop experienced divers on dry land falling between 20 and 40 meters deep. It also allows you to reach remote dive sites such as the 2 Brothers, the Arroyo, and P38 Wrecks.
The Brusc Plongée Diving Center also offers discovery diving courses for children. You have at your disposal the whole range of SSI and FFESSM diving courses from the baptism to level 4, and from Try Scuba to Divemaster. Scuba diving is for everyone. Whether you are an autonomous diver or whether you are supervised by a guide, you will discover the seabed off the island of Les Embiez, 20 minutes away by boat. Brusc Plongée offers you the ideal conditions to observe the fauna and flora of the Mediterranean Sea and to refine your knowledge of marine biology! [+]
- Stay without a car
- Near beach
- Functional boat
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C.P.S.M Centre de Plongée de Saint Mandrier
France
- Saint Mandrier

The diving school CPSM of Saint-Mandrier is located on the seaside, in the bay of Sablettes, at the exit of the bay of Toulon. Open on weekdays from April to October, the CPSM of Saint-Mandrier's boats depart at 9:30 am and 2:30 pm and on weekends, at 10:30 am only. In July and August, the first departures of the speedboats with 15 divers each, take place at 8:30 am.
At the CPSM of Saint-Mandrier, you park your car in a large free public parking lot, next to the center and you benefit from a nice infrastructure on the spot, with a classroom equipped with a video projector, a store selling equipment, a changing room with hot showers and toilets.
From the C.P.S.M Centre de Plongée de Saint Mandrier, you have fast and direct access to the most interesting dive sites of the area, including the wreck of the Aroyo, with a 10 minutes drive. Non-divers can enjoy the sun and sea on the sandy beach, a few meters from the center. Further on, games of bowls are played in specially designed areas in the shade of the pine forest. [+]
- Located close to the dive sites
- Functional boat
- Meeting after diving
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