In the desolation of Sólheimasandur, a vast black sand plain in southern Iceland, rests the wreckage of a Douglas R4D-8 (Super DC-3). This aircraft, once a powerful workhorse of the US Navy, made an emergency landing in 1973 due to a technical problem. Miraculously, all crew members survived the landing.
The aircraft, with a wingspan of 28.96 metres and a length of 20.02 metres, was powered by two powerful Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp radial engines. These engines gave the aircraft a cruising speed of about 346 km/h and a maximum flight range of 3,700 kilometres. The R4D-8 was a more advanced version of the legendary C-47 Skytrain, modified with an improved wing design and a longer fuselage for better stability and more capability.
Today, the aircraft has been stripped of its instruments and wings, but its weathered fuselage remains a symbol of survival and mystery. The contrast between the grey aluminium and the dark lava sand plain, combined with the often dramatic skies, makes this one of Iceland's most photogenic spots.
Solheimasandur
My name is Gerry van Roosmalen, photographer and author with a passion for images and stories that touch. After years in the corporate world, I followed my heart and chose photography in 2002. I completed the Fotovakschool in Apeldoorn, specialising in portrait and reportage photography.
Documentary and landscape..
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