Strides Towards Standard Methodologies in Aeronautical Archaeology (eng)

This volume presents a subfield overview on current research, trends, and commentary on the state of aeronautical archaeology and its development, through selections from a session on aviation archaeology at the 2020 Society for Historical Archaeology Conference. It serves to highlight those practices and projects that take strides towards standard methodologies in aeronautical archaeology. This book involves the study of aircraft crash sites, airfields, battlefields, and buildings or structures related to aviation. High profile sites and topics in this book include Lake Mead’s B-29 Superfortress, Tuskegee Airmen in Michigan, and patterns of preservation in WWII aircraft and their importance.

A relatively new field, aeronautical archaeology is the sub-field of archaeology that examines past human interaction with flight. The authors aim to create more awareness for aviation cultural heritage projects and the associated community of scholars, practitioners, and enthusiasts. This volume includes contributions from leading global scholars through varied scientific inquiries, summaries of site investigations, and conservation techniques of aeronautical heritage.

Hunter Whitehead is an archaeologist with experience in maritime archaeology, cultural resource management, marine geophysics, and historical archival research. He completed his Master’s in Historical Archaeology at the University of West Florida, with a concentration on maritime and aeronautical archaeological studies. He has been a leading expert in aircraft wreck studies and has focused on sites offshore Pensacola, Florida and within Lake Huron. In 2020, he founded the AerAqua Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and protection of aviation heritage in the United States and around the world. Hunter’s professional career has consisted of archaeological surveys and investigations in offshore, coastal, and inland maritime environments including investigations along the Atlantic, Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and Great Lakes coasts. Hunter's current projects involve geophysical surveys in search of World War II and post-war naval aircraft wreckswithin Texas and Florida. 

 

Megan Lickliter-Mundon is an archaeologist and museum professional with a broad range of experience in the heritage sector. She received an MSc in Archaeology from Edinburgh University and a PhD in Anthropology from the Nautical Archaeology Program at Texas A&M University, specializing in underwater aviation archaeology. She also holds graduate certificates in heritage preservation, metal artifact conservation, and has specialized in museum studies for over 20 years.

During the course of her archaeological career, Megan has directed or participated in terrestrial and historical underwater projects in Europe, the Atlantic, and the Pacific. She has directed or been team member on both dive surveys and ROV/AUV deepwater surveys with NOAA, OET, Air/Sea Heritage Foundation and Vulcan-R/V Petrel. Prior to returning to graduate studies for her PhD she was the director of a local aviation history museum housed in a historic air terminal. She volunteers for and has served on the board of several non-profit museum organizations and is dedicated to museum development.Megan's interest areas involve diver-integrated ROV wreck site survey, site mapping and photomosaic rendering, aluminum conservation research and experimentation, and 3D laser scanning of heritage objects.