An American WWII fighter was pulled from the bottom of a Chinese lake (3 photos + 1 video)
The plane belonged to the so-called volunteer air group "Flying Tigers". 
Chinese workers lifted from the bottom of Lake Dianchi (province Yunnan) Curtiss P-40C fighter, which took part in air battles against the Japanese. The plane, judging by the published video, was preserved Fine. It is known that this particular Curtiss P-40C flew American pilot John Blackburn, who was a volunteer Air Force Flying Tigers. Blackburn committed forced landing on Dianchi Lake on April 28, 1942. The pilot survived.
The history of the Flying Tigers is quite interesting. Chinese in during the war with Japan (1937-1945) were constantly defeated in air battles (and not only). At some point, a military adviser from America, former pilot Major Claire Lee Chennault, suggested to the Chinese comrades to create an aviation volunteer unit, consisting of Americans. The government of Chiang Kai-shek liked the idea. And after the decision many legal delays, China hired about 200 pilots and technicians from the USA and purchased 100 Curtiss fighters with an American loan P-40C. 
One of the pilots (Robert Smith) in front of his plane with division emblem. It is noteworthy that it was developed animators from Walt Disney Studios.
Volunteer air force unit fought with December 1941 to July 1942. In just a year and a half, "Flying tigers" lost 51 cars, only 6 of which were destroyed in air combat. At the same time, 60 American pilots shot down one or more enemy aircraft, and 18 of them are considered aces - 5 or more destroyed Japanese aircraft, including on the ground. 
