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-   -   F-51H crash 6 Jan 49 Derry NH. Serial? (http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=59022)

DavidIsby 28th December 2020 17:47

F-51H crash 6 Jan 49 Derry NH. Serial?
 
I would be grateful for information on this incident. Baugher's on-line list of serial numbers does not identify an F-51H lost this date. It was from a SAC fighter escort group. The pilot, Lt Brent Scowcroft, injured his back and decided to take up geopolitics rather than flying fighters.

RSwank 28th December 2020 17:58

Re: F-51H crash 6 Jan 49 Derry NH. Serial?
 
Nice account of the incident here:

https://www.google.com/books/edition...sec=frontcover

Unfortunately, no serial number.

Alex Smart 28th December 2020 20:29

Re: F-51H crash 6 Jan 49 Derry NH. Serial?
 
Could it be F-51D, 44-73852
Londonderry, New Hampshire, 6th January 1949.

AndyMa 29th December 2020 14:19

Re: F-51H crash 6 Jan 49 Derry NH. Serial?
 
Yes, see:
http://www.accident-report.com/world...ica/US/NH.html
where Scowcroft is named as the pilot.

DavidIsby 31st December 2020 22:11

Re: F-51H crash 6 Jan 49 Derry NH. Serial?
 
Many thanks to all for their input, but:

Nothing in Baugher’s list on P-51D 44-73852 but it is shown as having a mid-air collision on 2 July 1945 by:
https://www.aviationarchaeology.com/...y/Jul1945S.htm

450702 P-51D-25NA 44-73852 T 341AAFBU Pinellas AAF 3AF MAC BL Herbst, John C USA FL Largo/ 12mi SW

Alex Smart 1st January 2021 04:36

Re: F-51H crash 6 Jan 49 Derry NH. Serial?
 
Thanks David,
Yes a mid air collision followed by a belly landing , MAC /BL.
So maybe not to badly damaged and later returned to service ?

DavidIsby 1st January 2021 06:17

Re: F-51H crash 6 Jan 49 Derry NH. Serial?
 
It is possible that this airplane was repaired and put into service (at a time when vast number of perfectly good airplanes were going to the scrapyard) and ended up crashing a second time flown by a pilot in 97th FS (a F-51H equipped unit that does not record the crash details in its annual historical summary). See:

http://users.vermontel.net//~tomh/AI.../MHT/82FG.html


While the mid air collision did not reportedly result in damage to another USAAF aircraft that would put it on the list, it could be that the P-51D in question ended up with some other outfit (ANG training?) as the historical summary identifies issues with F-51Hs.

RSwank 1st January 2021 16:25

Re: F-51H crash 6 Jan 49 Derry NH. Serial?
 
Just to clear up the entry on the Aviationarchaeology.com listings:

A "BL" in the "D" (Damage) column does not mean "Belly Landing" it means the damage level was left "Blank". The BL used in the "Action codes" does sometimes mean "Belly Landing" but it has other meanings depending on the other letters used in the code. CBL means "crash belling landing", while BLS means "blade strike", for example.

Explanation of BL as Blank:
https://www.aviationarchaeology.com/...tabase%20Notes

Explanation of the Codes:
https://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/help.htm#ACTION

So the 1945 crash was coded MAC (Mid Air Collision) with the damage level left Blank.


The other thing of interest is the pilot of the P-51 in the 1945 incident, John C Herbst.

Some background on him:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_C._Herbst

Tony Kambic 2nd January 2021 16:50

Re: F-51H crash 6 Jan 49 Derry NH. Serial?
 
From Tom Hildreth page on the 82nd FG history at Grenier:

Jan 1949

97th FS Summary- Maj. Shivers foot to be in cast for six weeks due to skiing injury. 2Lt. Brent Scowcroft was in hospital following aircraft accident, details of which were not listed in the history. Five engine changes were completed due to cracked blocks, leaking transfer seals, engine roughness due to reconditioned spark plugs (a recurring problem), and low oil temperature with oil scoop completely closed.

DavidIsby 13th January 2021 19:27

Re: F-51H crash 6 Jan 49 Derry NH. Serial?
 
The aircraft in question was:

F-51D 44-73852, which is given on some documents as 73852A.

MICHAEL STOWE provided me with a pdf (53 pages) of the original file.


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