Million Dollar Valley/Smith River B-26s

[Tom_W]

Hello Guys,

I'm in the process of researching the history of our C-47, 43-15211/N1944A and the pilots that flew her during the war.

She was assigned to Major Cecil Petty who'se family I managed to get in touch with earlier this year in Virginia. Unfortunately he passed away in early Feb but not before he was told of his old ship's existence, which he was very happy to hear of.

He was co-pilot on the C-47 of Major Frank Krebs which, along with the P-40s of John Chennault's group which they were leading up to the Aleutians, located the downed B-26s in the Smith River Valley, which came to be known as the 'Million Dollar Valley'. I'm searching for any info, stories and photos on this subject please. Many thanks.

Tom

[RMAllnutt]

If you go to the MAPS museum, they used to have a small 30 page booklet on the Million Dollar Valley incident, with some pretty interesting pictures in it. You might try giving them a call.

Cheers,
Richard

[Tom_W]

Thanks for the tip Richard, I will give them a try.

I did try Yesterdays Air Force/Tallichet but had no luck, hopefully MAPS might be more forthcoming.

Tom

[davem]

A couple of websites:

http://www.b-26marauderarchive.org/DA/MDV/MDV.htm

http://www.explorenorth.com/library/avi ... alley.html

Air Classics also did a fairly large article in the 1970's on the recovery which has been reprinted in a few of the Challenge publications magazines over the years.

[oscardeuce]

If you do not hear from MAPS, let me know I think I saw some of those books there last time I was there.

I just posted on the updated webstie
www.mapsairmuseum.org

[Tom_W]

Thanks lads,

davem, the links you posted are superb, I'd read the marauderarchive info but I hadn't discovered the other link, I also ordered the Wings Over The Alaska Highway book mentioned on there, many thanks for that.

oscardeuce, I've e-mailed MAPS so we'll see what happens, cheers

Tom

A friend of mine who used to fly in the bush in that area about ten years ago swears up and down that one fuselage is still there.

Dan

[davem]

One stripped airframe remains on site. The nose section and anything of value was removed when the other aircraft were recovered.

So it basically is a hulk. But it is there.

D

Has it got wings at all?

[Wolverine]

Wasn't this the one that was recovered for Hill AFB? ...or is that a totally different one?

Pictures?

[mustangpilot]

I say we go get in Hulk and all. Volunteers?

[Warbird Kid]

Heck YES!

One of my favorite bombers, and yet it’s practically extinct!

This beast needs to come off of life support. A.K.A, Airframes need to be recovered from the Moon or from somewhere!

[Rocketeer]

Count me in! Its a shame that there aren't more late model Marauders. Maybe we could use these remains as a pattern for the fuselage and construct a tail assembly, the longer wings of a later model B-26, and rivet a B-26C nose section to build a flying B-26C, F, or G.

[TonyM]

Hello Guys,

I'm in the process of researching the history of our C-47, 43-15211/N1944A and the pilots that flew her during the war.

She was assigned to Major Cecil Petty who'se family I managed to get in touch with earlier this year in Virginia. Unfortunately he passed away in early Feb but not before he was told of his old ship's existence, which he was very happy to hear of.

He was co-pilot on the C-47 of Major Frank Krebs which, along with the P-40s of John Chennault's group which they were leading up to the Aleutians, located the downed B-26s in the Smith River Valley, which came to be known as the 'Million Dollar Valley'. I'm searching for any info, stories and photos on this subject please. Many thanks.

Tom

You might want to check out Blake Smith's excellent book: "WARPLANES TO ALASKA".

There are photos and a good explanation of what happened.

TM.