Bertie Mae (Dodd) Hunt - WASP pilot - 4 Feb 1944
 

In WW II 38 WASP pilots were killed in the line of duty.

Following question is not 100% war related.

The 39th air victim was Bertie Mae Hunt who died when the private Lockheed 12 she was a passenger of crashed in bad weather near Elkins, West Virginia, on 4 Feb 1944.
The other four civilian fatalities were Wilbur E. "Billy" Hightower and his daughter Phyllis, Roy O. Hunt (husband of Bertie) and George E. Ruddy.

Looking for the registration number of the Lockheed 12 involved.
Thanks for info.

Regards,

Leendert

Re: Bertie Mae (Dodd) Hunt - WASP pilot - 4 Feb 1944
 

Leendert

How certain is the type?
I assumed this was a terminal accident when I checked Peter Marson's list in The Lockheed Twins (Air Britain) and sorry to say, nothing is very evident.

If we dismiss all export aircraft a total of only three have no documented fate, and none of them were civilian.

They were
c/n 1255 to USAAC as 38-538; to Alaska 30.12.1943 and condemned in Alaska 28.2.1945 (so highly unlikely)
c/n 1260 to USAAC as 38-543; to Bolling Field, DC 27.3.1943; no further trace
c/n 1283 to USNavy as BuN 2541; no details known at all

Cheers
Stig

Re: Bertie Mae (Dodd) Hunt - WASP pilot - 4 Feb 1944
 

Me again

Checking the USAAF loss records, none of the two C-40As are possible
38-538 had a category 4 accident 1 feb 1945 at Fairbanks and 38-543 had a category 5 accident on 7 Mars 1943 when it ground looped at Bolling DC.
The date 27.3.1943 listed by Peter Marson is probably the USAAF SOC date.

Cheers
Stig

Re: Bertie Mae (Dodd) Hunt - WASP pilot - 4 Feb 1944
 

Hello,

In a Thesis written in 1981, by Natalie Jeanne Stewart-Smith, entitled "The Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) of World War II; Perspectives on the Work of America's First Military Women Aviators" (Washington State University). Stewart-Smith states the following:

Appendix B - WOMEN AIRFORCE SERVICE PILOTS KILLED IN SERVICE.

Class 43-4* Dodd,Bert H.**

*
Class Number - 43-W-4
Total Entering - 150
Total Graduates - 112
Date of Graduation - August 7, 1943

**
Killed in service but not in aircraft accident!

I wonder what Stewart-Smith meant by; 'but not in aircraft accident'?

Comments?

Col.

Re: Bertie Mae (Dodd) Hunt - WASP pilot - 4 Feb 1944
 

Airplane involved was not military, but private. Co-owned by mentioned Billy Hightower and his friend Leslie Fain.
Crash occurred while en route from OK to DC.


References to crash and persons among more on findagrave.com and in the book Banking in Oklahoma 1907-2000, where type is given.


In local newspapers of that time as well.


Also see story for Bertie Hunt on websites as wwii-women-pilots.org


Regards,


Leendert

Re: Bertie Mae (Dodd) Hunt - WASP pilot - 4 Feb 1944
 

Just to add that final ownership of Lockheed 12 likely was with (still existing) Fain-Porter Drilling Company of Oklahoma City.
Type mentioned in several newpapers, e.g. Dayton (OH) Herald, 5 Feb 44; Coshocton (OH) Tribune, 5 Feb 44, The Pittsburgh (PA) Press, 4 Feb 44 and The Daily Oklahoman, 6 Feb 44.


Leslie Fain an indirect victim: he died of an heart attack when he had heard the news.



Book of Stewart-Smith: perhaps not in a military aircraft accident?


Leendert

Re: Bertie Mae (Dodd) Hunt - WASP pilot - 4 Feb 1944
 

The aircraft may have been Lockheed 12, NC18956 c/n 1244. In both Peter Marson's book and a Bill Larkins' article in the AAHS Journal the last owner is given as Fain Drilling Co, but the fate is unknown.

Re: Bertie Mae (Dodd) Hunt - WASP pilot - 4 Feb 1944
 

I guess I was taken aback by Peter Marson stating this aircraft was no longer registered in the US civil register of Feb 1941.
Neither did I know anyone named Fain was involved....
Was it put back on the register later on?
I guess we need someone with access to the FAA record for that aircraft.

Cheers
Stig

Re: Bertie Mae (Dodd) Hunt - WASP pilot - 4 Feb 1944
 

Thanks for help and lead to NC18956. Indeed a reference to the drilling company in the AAHS Journal of 1974.
Will try to find more.


Regards,


Leendert