Related Links
- National Research Council of Canada
- List of shipwrecks of Canada
- Great Unsolved Mysteries in Canadian History
- Jasper, Alberta Museum
Special Acknowledgement
U-Haul International thanks Dr. Susan Langley for her time and assistance during the course of our SuperGraphic research.
Unveiling Event
Sunken Habbakuk Pykrete Aircraft Carrier Resurfaces During Canada's Parks Day
The once top-secret Pykrete-built aircraft carrier, which sits silently on the bottom of Patricia Lake in Jasper, Alberta has risen from the depths of the majestic lake. On Saturday, June 19, during Canada's Parks Day at Jasper National Park, the newest SuperGraphic depicting Project Habbakuk, the ill-fated World War II project, was officially unveiled as one of the 1,500 moving vans that are now adorned with the realistic and detailed image.
U-Haul teamed up with Friends of Jasper National Park for the unveiling presentation, which took place during the middle of the Parks Day festivities. Park Manager Susan Cesco began the ceremony by introducing Dr. Susan Langley, Maryland State underwater archaeologist, who completed her doctoral research on Project Habbakuk. Susan gave the crowd a short history lesson on the Pykrete ship. The guest of honor was Henry Martens, one of only two surviving people involved with the original Habbakuk prototype built in Jasper. Marketing Company President (MCP) Gordon Anderson spoke to the crowd, after which he passed out plaques to local representatives and those involved with the project, including Mayor Richard Ireland, the entire city council, Henry Martens, Susan Langley, Cathie McCauig, executive director of the Alberta Underwater Council, and Greg Fenton, Jasper National Park superintendent.
In 1943, during the height of WWII, the Allies needed a way to protect merchant ships from brazen German U-boats. With little to work with and desperation sinking in, the idea for a ship built of Pykrete was born. Project Habbakuk was a technological wonder that was far ahead of its time, though it never went far from the drawing board. However, in 1943 a scale model was built on the surface of frozen Patricia Lake to test the viability of the seemingly far-fetched plan. Amazingly, the model was successful, but the project never reached fruition, and the full-scale, iceberg-sized Habbakuk was never built.
After poring over plans and original artwork, U-Haul re-created the Habbakuk, and it will finally be seen all over North America on the sides of U-Haul moving vans as the latest addition to the "Venture Across Canada" SuperGraphics Series.