While checking the Chicago Tribune for info on the Charles A. Jones crash, I turned up a couple interesting items. First, an Illinois ANG F-51 (post-1948 designation) that shot down a runaway advertising balloon:

Wonder if Capt. Donahue painted a kill marking on his plane afterward?
Next, the story of ten USAF twin-engine planes - type not mentioned - stuck in Iowa while being moved by road from Utah to Chanute Field:

Any guesses what twin-engined USAF type minus its outboard wings would have been 17.4' wide? And why ten of them were being trucked to Chanute?