Need help finding some serials and codes - post war accidents in/off Norway
 

Hi all.
I've started a rather big undertaking, titled something like "Post War Non-Norwegian Military Aircraft Accidents in/off Norway". So far I've gathered about 80 incidents, but I am sure there are many more that just hasn't been registered since the aircraft maybe flew another day - albeit with a new wing or a new set of tires. :)
Some information has come through word of mouth, other stuff from books and then there are a few lists on the web. Joe Baugher is very thorough, but as I've found out, naturally even he's got some missing stuff.

I thought perhaps some here like a challenge and therefore I'll just post a few puzzles for you. Maybe you can help? If serials are missing, that's what I need, and if I do have the serials then perhaps markings of that particular aircraft? Anything helps! So without further ado, I'm posting a few of my findings, with a bit of history as collected off books and web:

1. Story and markings?
15.11.1954 F-86A Sabre 49-1197 92 FBS/81 FBG North Sea Kenneth L Nellermoe W/O Disappeared between Sola, Norway and Kastrup, DK.

2. Serial of this Neptune?
26.01.1957 P2V-2 Neptune Neptune Tail: LF or HH
Confirmed nose number: "8" VP-16 USN Fornebu W/O Veered off runway after landing. Crew jumped out, aircraft continued down a slope and ended up in a hangar door. Small fire.

3. Two skyrays of VF-101. Anybody know the Mod-ex?
24.09.1957 F4D-1 Skyray Skyray 134896 VF-101 USN "An F4D Skyray jet fighter crashed into the sea while attempting to land back on board the USS Saratoga. Two additional F4D Skyray aircraft crashed following a mid-air collision off Andøy, Norway.

24.09.1957 F4D-1 Skyray Skyray 134902 VF-101 USN Off Andøya Crashed with Skyray 134896

4. Need a nose number confirmation of this Wyvern, 275 or 215?:
24.09.1957 Wyvern Wyvern VZ756 "275 (Also 215?)" 813 NAS RN Off Harstad
"Regarding my ejection from a Wyvern - it was not from RNAS Ford, but while serving temporarily in HMS "EAGLE." I was returning from a Forward Air*Control sortie over Northern Norway, when I suffered a propeller planet gear failure. This resulted in loss of control of my elevator and rudder due to the discing of the rear prop. The high rate of descent forced me to eject over Harstadfjord 100 miles north of the Arctic Circle, at about 800 ft - my chute opened just as I hit the sea! So I became the first 'Arctic Caterpillar' and 'Blue Nose' dinghy user. I was picked up by two Norwegian fishermen in a row boat, and then flown to Andoya by the USAF in a Grumman Albatross. I started a trend - the next day a Seahawk pilot ejected and a Gannet ASW a/c ditched!! Michael J. Doust, Commander, RN(Rtd)"

5. Can anybody confirm the nose number of this Sea Hawk?
25.09.1957 Sea Hawk FGA6 Sea Hawk WV854 J-146 ('150') 803 NAS RN Andøya "Lt. S. Idiens*
ejected" While operating off HMS Eagle in the Atlantic Ocean off Angola (My comment: Andøya) the pilot ejected due to a fire caused by a fuel leak.

6. This one is a mystery, was it VF-14 or 32?
04.10.1973 F-4B Phantom II VF 32 or 14 USN Bodø A Soviet Tu-16*Badger*overflew the USS John F. Kennedy (CVA-67) in the Norwegian Sea. While attempting to escort the bomber away from the area, a US Navy F-4 Phantom II collided with it. The Tu-16 safely returned to its base and the F-4 landed at Bodø Norway.

As indicated, any help is appreciated. Also, if you have any "unknown" accidents that you know of, particularly in the late 40's, 50's and 60's, please let me now what you know, whether it's a rumour or a confirmed incident.

Re: Need help finding some serials and codes - post war accidents in/off Norway
 

A couple of points:

2) The VP16 Neptune badly damaged on 26 January 1957 was P2V-5F 131490.

3) I think that the mid-air collision on 24 September 1957 was between two Grumman Trackers from VS36, off Essex, not two F4Ds. The aircraft were S2F-1, 133315 and S2F-2, 133332.

Re: Need help finding some serials and codes - post war accidents in/off Norway
 

Thanks a lot for the Neptune! That serial has been a mystery for quite some time. 131490 has obviously gone under the radar, couldn't find it on http://www.verslo.is/baldur/p2/vp16.htm.

Yes, there were two trackers lost on the 24th of September as well, as you pointed out. All in all on that day 1 Wyvern, 2 Trackers and 3 Skyrays were lost. The next day a Sea Hawk and a Gannet went down. Not a good count for the exercise Strikeback.

Again, thanks for the input,

Kyrre

Re: Need help finding some serials and codes - post war accidents in/off Norway
 

Kyrre,

For F-86A 49-1197 (Nellermoe) aviationarchaeology.com points to a "structural failure" as cause of loss.
Pilot Nellermoe survived the crash. He made combat tours over SE Asia and died on Jan. 15, 2008 in Tucson, AZ.

Regards,

Leendert

Re: Need help finding some serials and codes - post war accidents in/off Norway
 

Thanks for the input, Len! Since he survived the crash it can't have happened too far from land - a lot of that trip would be over water.
If it happened in Danish waters it would push this accident out of the scope of my paper, but so far I'll keep it on the list.

Regards,
Kyrre

Re: Need help finding some serials and codes - post war accidents in/off Norway
 

Hei Kyrre,

Must be on your list:

17 Nov 1964 F-104G D-8045 RNLAF 322 Squadron. Pilot killed
06 Dec 1965 F-104G DA+254 GAF JBG31. Pilot killed
06 Apr 1970 F-84F P-198 RNLAF 312 Squadron Pilot ejected near Sola
04 Sep 1986 A-7E BuNo 159646 USN VA-82 USS Nimitz, pilot missing Norwegian Sea
05 Sep 1989 F-16 FA-105 Belgian AF. Mechanic hijacked a/c and crashed, Orland.

Both Starfighters crashed under same circumstances: pilot had become unconscious and a/c made long flight before fuel exhausted.

Hilsen,

Leendert

Re: Need help finding some serials and codes - post war accidents in/off Norway
 

And another:

15 Jun 1968 F-84F FU-7 Belgian AF. DBR at Orland (landing accident?) Wreck flown by C-119 to Florennes AB for salvage.

Regards,

Leendert

Re: Need help finding some serials and codes - post war accidents in/off Norway
 

Many thanks, Leendert.
I had these, but you brought in some new information about them. I love adding pieces to the puzzle, one by one. I had the Dutch one as 315 Sqn.
Thunderstreaks did not fare well in Norway, it seems. Please let me know if you have anything to add!

26.06.1957 F-84F-45 Thunderstreak 52-6799 78FBS/ 81st FBW USAF Sola W/O Crashed near Sola AB, Norway
12.06.1963 F-84F-56-RE Thunderstreak 53-6690 FU-112? BAF Andøya Crashed into the North Sea off Andøya/Andalsnes … Pilot killed
03.06.1964 F-84F-56-RE Thunderstreak 52-7012 7012 FU-61 BAF Rygge W/O collision with trees
05.06.1964 F-84F-56-RE Thunderstreak 52-7195 FU-34(?) BAF Andøya Crashed near Andoya
15.06.1968 F-84F-56-RE Thunderstreak 52-7125 3R-E or FU-7 BAF Ørlandet Crashed while landing at Orland AB. Flown by C-119 to Florenne for Salvage.
20.02.1969 F-84F-56-RE Thunderstreak 53-6554 Z6-A BAF Ørlandet Crashed at Florennes or at Ørland?
06.04.1970 F-84F-71-RE Thunderstreak 53-6931 P-198 312 sqn RNethAF Valavik/Hardanger Tweede Leutnant F. de Kort (2LT/Fen.) Collision with power lines. Pilot ejected. Suffered a broken arm and leg. See newspaper Late type seat (US) and drag chute installed.

Re: Need help finding some serials and codes - post war accidents in/off Norway
 

A Belgian webiste gives FU-137 for the 20 Feb 1969 F-84F accident and places it at Florennes.
FU-7, FU-34 and FU-112 confirmed.

Hilsen,

Leendert

Re: Need help finding some serials and codes - post war accidents in/off Norway
 

Thank you. I will hide that one then.
If you want I'll send you my Excel list - it's a tad too big to share here on the forum.

Re: Need help finding some serials and codes - post war accidents in/off Norway
 

Check your PMs. I sent you the BuNo and lat/long for my Great Uncle's crash.

Best regards,
Paul

Re: Need help finding some serials and codes - post war accidents in/off Norway
 

Very much appreciated, Paul. Now, to find time for all the planes I want to build ...

Re: Need help finding some serials and codes - post war accidents in/off Norway
 

Kyrre:

I wasn't sure if you saw this prior thread on the board, but it has some interesting info on the NATO operation in which my Great Uncle died (http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=40168), including mention of a Norwegian news article that you may be in a better position to track down.

For your modeling purposes, I'm attaching four pictures. The first two are of VF171 Banshees on the FDR. The first picture looks to have been taken from FDR's island/bridge and is of planes parked on the deck during the storm the day prior to my Great Uncle's accident. The weather looks horrendous and the planes are tied down. The second is a more placid picture from deck level that should give you a good idea of the paint work on the front ends and undersides of the wings of these Banshees.

The final two pictures are from the official report on my Great Uncle's accident. The first shows his plane as it traveled down the deck and began to cant to the port side of the deck. The last picture shows the plane nose down and inverted seconds before it hit the water. In this last picture you can clearly see the a/c number (111) on the top of the starboard wing as well as the white tip of the tail, which you can also see on some of the aircraft in the first two pictures.

Hope this helps.

Best regards,
Paul

Re: Need help finding some serials and codes - post war accidents in/off Norway
 

Wow,
Those two photos are amazing! Thank you very much for filling in the blanks in this story. (Though I can't really see the 111 on the wing. I can see the large R, though)

I understand you did get access to the accident report from some governmental archives? Is it so that anyone can request information from there?
The reason I ask is I would really like to find out more about the events on the 24th of September 1957, during Exercise Strikeback. As mentioned earlier there were Three Skyrays off he Saratoga and two Trackers off Essex within hours. Would like to find out the modex for the different aircraft. This was the only operational cruise for VF-101 with Skyrays.
Edit: Yes, I did go to that linked website, but the site is very confusing. Is it at all possible for a foreigner to request information about a particular ship or operation?

Re: Need help finding some serials and codes - post war accidents in/off Norway
 

Kyrre:

I got a copy of the report from (I think) http://www.accident-report.com. I had to pay a fee and probably could have gotten it myself from the archives if I had time to call around myself.

Best regards,
Paul

Re: Need help finding some serials and codes - post war accidents in/off Norway
 

Thanks. I did contact them now, we'll see what they can come up with regarding Operation Strikeback in September 1957.

Re: Need help finding some serials and codes - post war accidents in/off Norway
 

In the hope that someone can come up with a serial I've come back to this post to update question 6.
I got information on a facebook forum that the incidident was with a plane from VF-32. This would be from a crew member at JFK.

6. This one is a mystery, was it VF-14 or 32?
04.10.1973 F-4B Phantom II VF 32 or 14 USN Bodø A Soviet Tu-16*Badger*overflew the USS John F. Kennedy (CVA-67) in the Norwegian Sea. While attempting to escort the bomber away from the area, a US Navy F-4 Phantom II collided with it. The Tu-16 safely returned to its base and the F-4 landed at Bodø Norway.

From another website I've got these serial/code correlations from this cruise:
F-4B VF-32 153067 AB-201, 153016 AB-202, 153010 AB-203, 155208 AB-204, 152221 AB-206, 151504 AB-207, 151002 AB-210, 150490 AB-211, 152321 AB-212, 152968 AB-214

I have yet to find which individual aircraft was involved in this incident, so if anybody can help here I'd appreciate it.

Kyrre

Re: Need help finding some serials and codes - post war accidents in/off Norway
 

A photo that I hope will be helpful.


https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/F...eback_1957.jpg


And other information:

http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/aircrew2.htm

https://web.archive.org/web/20060517...entsPage2.html

https://web.archive.org/web/20060619...BuNoPage2.html

Re: Need help finding some serials and codes - post war accidents in/off Norway
 

Finally, you may want to contact this archive:

https://www.history.navy.mil/researc...-commands.html



Ed