Wreck Chasing Advice Needed

Mon Sep 03, 2007 8:41 am

I hear rumors that there are 1 or 2 crashes of either a WW2 trainer or Bomber (or both) in the Catskill Mountains. The Mountain in question is Doubletop. No one knows the type, the date of the crash, the location or if they are even really there.

Where does one start to try and find out if this is just a rumor of if there is something to it?

Tim

I know there is a B-25J on Friday Mountain that crashed in 1948, so I assume they are talking about a completely different crash site.

Mon Sep 03, 2007 10:10 am

Hi Tim,
A good place to start is the local library, check their local newspaper articles for that time period. Send a letter to the current local news paper with your questions, they may find interest or comments from the local population that remembers the accident. Check military records for that era and location, there are several companys that specialize in wreck site historys and locations. Chances are other wreck hunters have already been there, a post on some of the wreck finders web pages may result in a positive connection. If your a pilot an aerial search can cover a lot more area than hiking once you've got a general location. Many times you can walk right past a crash site and not even see it, they rarely look like an aircraft more like a pile of twisted wreckage. Good luck and happy hunting if you find something please post the photos .

Thanks Mike

Mon Sep 03, 2007 10:43 am

Tim,

Here's another source for questions about wreck chasing and searches:
http://www.websitetoolbox.com/tool/mb/pacaeropress
and
www.wreckchasing.com

Mon Sep 03, 2007 12:46 pm

Isen't there a B-18 crash site some were in New England? I think I remember seeing pictures of it and infact was in a hilly area.

Cool idea,
Nathan

Yes, there is, I should be heading up there this week and I'll post pictures. The site is in New Hampshire and it is a B-18A 37-619 that crashed in 1942.

Tim

Mon Sep 03, 2007 1:04 pm

Might take a look here for wrecks in the Catskills...

http://www.chayden.net/Catskills/Notes/ ... ashes.html

Mon Sep 03, 2007 5:20 pm

Old SAR pilot wrote:Might take a look here for wrecks in the Catskills...

http://www.chayden.net/Catskills/Notes/ ... ashes.html

That is where I'm getting a lot of my information but they are missing some details of a few of the crash sites. Sometimes it is hard to find all the information that is out there on the net, but thanks for the help.

Nathan
I hope to make the trip to the B-18A site this week if everything works out. More on that when and if I get up there.

Everyone thanks for the advice

Tim

Mon Sep 03, 2007 10:46 pm

Hey,

Roger Cain has a good link. The message board there is really good and so are a lot of the resources on the site.

Cheers,

David

Mon Sep 03, 2007 11:23 pm

As a result of Nick Veronico's books and information, I've been to four different sites in our area, one which included the large remains of an early B-17 near Placerville.

Wed Sep 05, 2007 5:40 am

Looks like that one site that Roger gae was very helpful. I'll have to keep digging through the database they have to see what else I can find.

One of the aircraft might be a AT-6D.

Tim