Stinson

[ginamod]

Hi All,

a simple attempt to approach to a forgotten crash in Stubaier Alps, Tirol, Austria.
We have a part with big number 102, not engraved!
A former index told me to be a Stinson, now it would say p-51.
The front behind the prop shows clearly two cooling holes (openings). Never on a p-51.
Crash day, season, year, pilot unknown. Pilot survived, a proposal. No records. 2600 m height.
One witness told, that men carried down cigaretts and chocolates. Is there a homepage for Stinson friends ?

Where could I publish some debris of the plane, wher all can open it. ?
Thx for any suggestion.
I try to reach the crashsite, which is said to be "empty".
Best
dnalor

[Alex Smart]

Possibly-
11-01-1946 – Proctor C.3 - LZ642.
07-02-1946 – Proctor C.3 - HM363.

From the Joe B USAF serial number database.

Stinson L-5B Sentinel
42-99583 crashed Wels, Austria Dec 19, 1945. Pilot and passenger both killed.
42-99661 (1st Tactical AF) written off in non-fatal crash near Passau, Austria Jul 8, 1945.

Or
Have you looked here Accident-Report.com ? look for AUSTRIA you will find the following -

450701 TRIMM, CORNELIUS L-4H 43-30327 MIRECOURT, FRANCE SCHLAGEL, AUSTRIA 444 320

450709 DUNLEAVY, JOHN D UC-64A 43-35376 ANSBACH (R-45), GERMANY INNSBRUCK (R-88), AUSTRIA - 42

450725 STEALY, ALLISON R L-4H 43-29514 KAUFBEUREN (R-70), GERMANY ST JOHANN, AUSTRIA - 1

450912 PARSLOW, HENRY W L-4H 43-30252 HORSCHING (R-87), 406 371

451219 MUNOZ, ARMAND L-5 42-99583 VIENNA-TULLN (R-92), AUSTRIA WELS 1MI NE, AUSTRIA -

460315 HOLLAND, CLARENCE B L-5B 44-17111 ERDING AB, GERMANY REICHESBERG, AUSTRIA 43 -

460402 LEVY, STANLEY H L-5E 42-99214 HORSCHING AB, AUSTRIA WALDKIRKEN 2 MI NE, AUSTRIA 542 42

460506 OPENSHAW, BENJAMIN L L-5 42-99083 HORSCHING AB, AUSTRIA WEISSENBACH 1 MI SW, AUSTRIA

460629 TENNYSON, ALLEN R UC-45F 44-7675 TULLN AB, AUSTRIA TULLN AB, AUSTRIA 10 516

460710 FURAN, VINCENT C L-5B 44-17127 SALZBURG AB, AUSTRIA SALZBURG, AUSTRIA 4 442

460804 DAVIES, CLINTON W L-5 42-99017 TULLN AB, AUSTRIA VIENNA, AUSTRIA

461115 BUTLER, ARTHUR P L-5 42-98914 TULLN AB, AUSTRIA TULLN AB, AUSTRIA 10 313

461215 REED, WILLARD D L-5 42-98819 TULLN AB, AUSTRIA VIENNA, AUSTRIA

470213 OSWALT, JOHN W L-5A 42-99033 VIENNA, AUSTRIA TULLN AB, AUSTRIA HQ US FA

470522 LAPPIN, LYLE M UC-45F 44-47146 HORSCHING AB, AUSTRIA HORSCHING AB, AUSTRIA 548 548

470822 BOURG, CHARLES W L-5A 42-98548 HORSCHING AB, AUSTRIA RANSHOFEN, AUSTRIA HQ 4 CR

500806 BERGMAN, HAROLD O L-5A 42-99357 TULLN AB, AUSTRIA VIENNA, AUSTRIA 7306 -

510707 KENNEDY, WALTER C L-5 42-99282 TULLN AB, AUSTRIA VIENNA, AUSTRIA 7360 BCS 12 AF

520310 ST JOHN, WILBUR E L-5 42-99282 TULLN AB, AUSTRIA TULLN AB, AUSTRIA 7360 BCS 12 AF

530505 KELLY, CHARLES W III T-6F 44-81786 SALZBURG AB, AUSTRIA SALZBURG 31 MI, AUSTRIA 317 -

530505 KELLY, CHARLES W III T-6F 44-81786 SALZBURG AB, AUSTRIA SALZBURG, AUSTRIA HQ 317 ABG

540115 MCGEE, WILLIAM G H-19B 52-7510 FURSTENFELDBRUCK AB, GERMANY BLONS, AUSTRIA 84 12

540917 STOCKDELL, VICTOR B L-5 42-99282 TULLN AB, AUSTRIA VIENNA, AUSTRIA - 1142

[ginamod]

Alex,

many thx for your great, burdensome work!

[ginamod]

Alex,

many thx for your great, burdensome work!

I went through the list too, but found no hint to the Stubail Alps or neighboring villages.

[ginamod]

Continuation:

As soon as possible I try to get access to the police records, if they still exist.
This step is hard to go, but i try it, even if it will last.
The visit of the crashsite is a close goal too.
I hope my reply can be read, there were difficulties...

ATB
dnalor

[Leendert]

Just FYI and in case it was a Stinson after all: there also was the US Army's 4th Constabulary Air Section in Austria in the late 1940s. It was based at Camp McCauley (Hörsching) and had 9 x L-5 Sentinels. Among the duties were patrols along the borders of the Allied Zones.

The (HQ) USFA Air Section at Heiligenstadt airstrip (Wien) had a couple of L-5s as well.

You may also want to check the online Austrian newspaper archives on https://anno.onb.ac.at/ (use Erweiterte Suche to narrow down years to look in) to see if the or like accident is recorded.

Regards,
Leendert

[ginamod]

Leendert,
many thx for your effort. Please excuse my delay. Meanwhile we found a solution for the Stinson
and it will be published here as soon as possible.
Thx also for your hint to Austrian Historic Newspapers. I did not know it. So much can be studied there.....

All the best TNT
ginamod

[ginamod]

Hi All,
after a while of intense research, we are able to send a successful
solution on Stinson mystery. First step was the find of the pilot´s name
in police report „Maj. Maxwell David CROSS, crash on Simming Glacier, Tyrol, between May or June 1946“. Nothing more.
So we now had a name.
The search for the military history of Maj.Maxwell David CROSS began. Alex Smart, well known 12 o Clock member, discovered day of crash and fotos, he found that Cross was a soldier of a US army division and found Cross´ unfortunate flight route in wrong direction. Therefore Cross is not a USAAF case, Cross was a Stinson pilot for the 8th armored artillery division.
Cross crashed far apart from civilisation quite lonely aready on 22nd Dec. 1945 into Simming galcier ice on Tyrolean Alps. He melted out of snow and ice between May and July 1946. On 27 July 1946 his wife was informed about her husband`s death".

[Leendert]

Thanks for sharing outcome. Likely you've already seen https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/...ll-david-cross https://www.newspapers.com/article/w...ror/135609833/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/w...ror/104586097/

His ASN was O-392648

Grüss, Leendert

[ginamod]

Thx Leendert
for your reference to Stinson story.
Actually Alex Smart found all details
on FIND A GRAVE site, just as you are mentioning it
via your URL adresses.
ATB
dnalor