SB2C-4 Helldiver
Tue Nov 11, 2008 1:04 am
In 1964 I was exploring the former NAB Marpi Point on Saipan, Mariana Islands and ran across this forlorn and forgotten SB2C. Although it was complete it was hopelessly corroded and the skin was paper thin. It is no longer there. Does anyone have ny idea as to it whereabouts or its ultimate demise??
Tue Nov 11, 2008 1:28 am
I assume that is the one you told me about during our PBM E-mails.
SB2C
Tue Nov 11, 2008 10:50 am
Curtiss:
Yep, it's the same one I e-mailed to you about in the past. I've had two people do physical search of the area to no avail. High humidity, salt air, heat and several powerful typoons may have been its demise. I did a google.earth search of the former NAB to no avail. Back in the 1970's David Tallichet contacted me about the aircraft as he expressed interest but I never heard a thing again.
Yep, it's the same one I e-mailed to you about in the past. I've had two people do physical search of the area to no avail. High humidity, salt air, heat and several powerful typoons may have been its demise. I did a google.earth search of the former NAB to no avail. Back in the 1970's David Tallichet contacted me about the aircraft as he expressed interest but I never heard a thing again.
Tue Nov 11, 2008 12:11 pm
Looks like it had been burned by the looks of skin in the rear compartment. Possibly used as a fire training aid and then taken to the boonies. If burned the corrosion processes would be accelerated as paint would be removed and the metal's composition would be changed as well as oxidized by the high heat.
Rich
Rich
Tue Nov 11, 2008 12:14 pm
Just made that photo the background for my desktop...
At the time you took the photo the plane was maybe 20 years old and looked in quite a state, now it is some 40 years after that. Probably not very promising unless it was saved back then.
At the time you took the photo the plane was maybe 20 years old and looked in quite a state, now it is some 40 years after that. Probably not very promising unless it was saved back then.
Tue Nov 11, 2008 1:14 pm
At least the Navy protected it from harm by leaving it there. 
I'm sure it's still there...somewhere!
Jerry
I'm sure it's still there...somewhere!
Jerry
SB2C
Tue Nov 11, 2008 6:06 pm
51Fixer:
Good observation on the fact that the aircraft may have been used for fire training albeit a short lived one. The fact that there is no plexiglass remaining in the cockpit area nor the rear gunners position would certainly lend itself to that usage (i.e. it melted). The aircraft is not in the boonies as such but remains on Saipans only navy fighter strip of Marpi Point which was located at the very north end of the island. Because of the foilage growth it was difficult to get a decent photo. Although you cannot see from the photo but the left wing was in the folded position. Marpi Point is the location of Suicide Point where I once saw a photo (color at that) of seemingly intact FM-2 Wildcats being pushed over the edge in to the sea!! Ugh. Check out the location on google.earth as its rather interesting. Last I heard Marpi Point was being considered for a ( you guessed it) a Golf Course!!
Good observation on the fact that the aircraft may have been used for fire training albeit a short lived one. The fact that there is no plexiglass remaining in the cockpit area nor the rear gunners position would certainly lend itself to that usage (i.e. it melted). The aircraft is not in the boonies as such but remains on Saipans only navy fighter strip of Marpi Point which was located at the very north end of the island. Because of the foilage growth it was difficult to get a decent photo. Although you cannot see from the photo but the left wing was in the folded position. Marpi Point is the location of Suicide Point where I once saw a photo (color at that) of seemingly intact FM-2 Wildcats being pushed over the edge in to the sea!! Ugh. Check out the location on google.earth as its rather interesting. Last I heard Marpi Point was being considered for a ( you guessed it) a Golf Course!!