The Airplane Graveyard. Available for sale on Amazon or send a messaged for signed copies shipped within the USA.
Dive into the submerged history of the Pacific theater of WWII where ships, planes, submarines, and military surplus rest beneath the waves. Explore the underwater museums preserved in time through stunning photography from award-winning photographer, Brandi Mueller, and captivating firsthand stories of diving the wrecks and the history of how they came to rest at the bottom of the sea.
From airplanes lost in the depths of Guadalcanal and Sherman tanks swamped off the coast of a beach in Saipan to medicine bottles deep within a ship intended for American soldiers in Vanuatu, WWII left behind an abundance of relics underwater. Mangled metal associated with destruction and lost lives litter the seafloor of the Pacific theater. The wrecks have been transformed into prolific coral reefs teeming with fish and life.
Go on an adventure to the underwater museums of little-known Kwajalein Atoll; the world-famous wreck diving destination, Truk Lagoon; Guam, where two WWI and WWII ships touch; an anchorage in the Philippines where a fleet of Japanese ships that thought they were safe and out of range of US aircraft; and the WWII ships, submarines, and planes that rest at the bottom of Bikini Atoll after finishing out their service as targets for Operation Crossroads.
This journey into the past will immerse you in extraordinary locations and includes stunning images and captivating firsthand stories from visiting these captivating museums.
The Airplane Graveyard. Available for sale on Amazon or send a messaged for signed copies shipped within the USA.
Extraordinary images, never before published in book form, of the forgotten American WWII Airplanes at the bottom of the Kwajalein Atoll lagoon, from award-winning underwater photographer Brandi Mueller.
At the end of WWII, around 150 American airplanes, all veterans of the Pacific war, were dumped in the lagoon of Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands. A master diver and superb underwater photographer, Brandi Mueller has dived to depths of 120 feet to capture rare images of these forgotten war birds, many looking as if they could still take off and return to the war-torn skies at any moment.
Encrusted in coral, these haunting aircraft are now home to a colorful array of tropical Pacific marine life, including fish, turtles, and even the occasional shark.
Discover the stories of these historic aircraft, their heroic role in the Pacific Theater of WWII, and how and why they ended up here.
In The Airplane Graveyard, Brandi takes you below the ocean’s surface to discover the forgotten remains of Douglas SBD Dauntless, Vought F4U Corsair, Curtiss SB2C Helldiver, Curtiss C-46 Commando, Grumman F4F Wildcats, Grumman TBF Avengers, and an astounding eleven PBJ-1 Mitchell Medium Bombers. The haunting images are accompanied by a text that includes a historical account of the aircraft by military historian Alan Axelrod.
One of my favorite types of diving is wrecks. I love visiting these underwater museums, frozen in time and decorated with marine life. From artificially sunk ships purposely placed underwater in hopes of coral aggregation and marine life recovery to WWII ships and airplanes which now rest below the waves. This is only a brief selection of my wreck images. Please inquire about specific ships or planes for more options. Prints available of all images.
USS Carlisle - Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands
USS Anderson - Bikini Atoll
Colors, shapes and textures abound underwater. Even the smallest marine creature, no larger than a spec of dust, can be a unique, intricate animal unlike anything we see on the surface. This is a selection of the small stuff from around the world. Please inquire for specific species, locations or types of underwater macro images for a wider selection. Prints available of all images.
An emperor shrimp in what seems like a forest of thorns on a crown of thorns starfish.
Shawn the Sheep nudibranchs (Costasiella sp.) in Fiji
Flamingo Tongue
Too much lipstick? Fairy Basslet
Sandpaper-like skin of a Nurse Shark
Best Friends - False Clown fish and Cleaner Shrimp
Diva - Chromodoris bullockii
Pygmy Seahorse
Anemonefish Eggs
Seahorse - Galapagos
Shawn the Sheep nudibranch (Costasiella sp.)
False Clownfish
Blue Ring Octopus
Pipefish - Red Sea
Smile
False Clownfish
Epaulet Shark Skin
Nudibranch - Bahamas
Pufferfish
Parrotfish Colors
Minute Filefish
Arrow Blenny
Squid
Tomato Anemonefish
Helfrich's Dartfish
Parrotfish Colors
Hiding
Three-spot Damselfish
Longnose Hawkfish
Juvenile Yellow Boxfish
Yellowheaded Jawfish
Cuttlefish
Dinner
Octopus
Take Me to Your Leader - Blue Ring Octopus
False Clownfish
Mouthfull - Jawfish
Isopod
Harlequin Shrimp
Bath Time
Hitchhikker - Skeleton Shrimp Riding on a Nudibranch
Mating Ocelot Octopus
Emperor Shrimp on a Spanish Dancer
Flamboyant Cuttlefish Eggs
Taking Care of the Next Generation
Moray Eel Cleaning
Open Wide
Anemonefish and Tongue Eating Isopod
The light that gets through the darkness. Mexico’s Cenotes and Caves. Prints available of all images.
The Big Stuff. Many other images available - please inquire about specific locations or animals. Prints available of all images.
Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands
Great Barrier Reef, Australia
Marine Iguana, Galapagos
Green Sea Turtle - Siladen, Indonesia
Costa Rica
Red Sea
Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands
Socorro
Isla Mujeres
Red Sea
Fiji
Saba
Socorro
Seychelles
Fiji
Silfra, Iceland
Kona, Hawaii
Fiji
South Africa
Fiji
Roatan
Bahamas
Seychelles
Komodo
Philippines
Roatan
Komodo
Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands
Mexico
Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands
Shinkoku Maru, Truk Lagoon
Tasmania, Australia
Lake Malawi
Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands
Red Sea
Above Water. Prints available of all images.
South Africa
Hawaiian Monk Seal
Galapagos
Galapagos
Galapagos
Tasmanian Devil
Galapagos
South Africa
Komodo
Galapagos
South Africa
Komodo
Galapagos
Galapagos
Galapagos
South Africa
Costa Rica
South Africa
South Africa
South Africa
South Africa
South Africa
South Africa
Underwater Puppies. Many other images available. Please inquire about species or locations. Prints available of all images.
Sand Tiger Sharks - North Carolina
Nurse Shark - Maldives
Tiger Shark - Tiger Beach, Bahamas
Grey Reef Shark - Bahamas
Tiger Shark - Tiger Beach, Bahamas
Sand Tiger Shark - North Carolina
Sand Tiger Shark - North Carolina
Grey Reef Shark - Tiger Beach, Bahamas
White Tip Reef Shark - Socorro
Hammerhead - Galapagos
Zebra Shark - Truk Lagoon
Lemon Shark - Tiger Beach, Bahamas
Hammerheads - Galapagos
Grey Reef Sharks - Roatan
White Tip Reef Shark - Socorro
Great White - South Africa
White Tip Reef Sharks - Socorro
Great White - South Africa
Drone Images and shots from land. Prints available of images.
Bahamas
Marshall Islands
Kona, Hawaii
Socorro
Antelope Canyon, Arizona
Samoa
Indonesia
Marshall Islands
Red Sea
Socorro
Alaska
Samoa
Red Sea
Marshall Islands
Silfra, Iceland
Tasmania, Australia
Sri Lanka
Saba
Things with Wings. Prints available of all images.
Penguins - South Africa
Hummingbird - Costa Rica
Puffin - Iceland
Tern and Pelican - Galapagos
Egyptian Geese - South Africa
Red-billed Hornbill - “Zazu” - South Africa
Quetzel - Costa Rica
Blue-footed Booby - Galapagos
Hummingbird - Costa Rica
Baby Nasca Booby - Galapagos
Red-headed Weaver - South Africa
Quetzel - Costa Rica
Booby - Socorro
Lilac Breasted Roller - South Africa
Hummingbird - Costa Rica
Red Billed Oxpeckers on Giraffe - South Africa
Tern - Alaska
Bald Eagles - Alaska
Quetzel - Costa Rica
Bald Eagle - Alaska
White Tern - Marshall Islands
Bald Eagle - Alaska
Mot Mot - Costa Rica
Bald Eagle - Alaska
Puffin - Alaska
Bee Eater - Sri Lanka
Puffin - Iceland
There’s something special about being in the water with other mammals. Sometimes it feels like they are looking right at you, just as inquisitive of us as we are of them. Prints available of all images.
Sea Lion - Galapagos
Minke Whale - Australia
Dugong - Red Sea
Humpback Whales - Dominican Republic
Manatees - Florida
Cape Fur Seal - South Africa
Humpback Whale Calf - Dominican Republic
Dugong - Red Sea
Dolphins - South Africa
Manatee - Florida
Humpback Whale - Dominican Republic
Humpback Whale - Dominican Republic
Hawaiian Monk Seal
Pilot Whales - Hawaii
Dolphins - Socorro
Southern Right Whale - South Africa
Sea Lion and Dolphins - Galapagos
Sea Lion - Galapagos
Dolphins - Marshall Islands
I have amazing dive buddies willing to dress up and hold their breath for an attempt at something different. Prints available of all images.
Coffee first, then, the world. Lifestyle Photos. Prints available of all images.