New Photos of the Mt Baldy Hellcat Wrecks...

[Warbirdnerd]

Pictures from last week.
Sure wish these were on their way to a restoration shop...
http://community.webshots.com/album/552482552bOzYRK

[bdk]

Luckily some of the parts already removed have been flying for some time.

[frankspeaks]

Are these considered war graves or something?

Why havent they been recovered?

[bdk]

Are these considered war graves or something?

Why havent they been recovered?

These would probably have to be lifted out by air, which is difficult at nearly 10,000 feet without something like a Skycrane I would imagine ($$$$). That and the fact you would have trouble getting permission to recover them, although I don't know that anyone has tried.

Not too much left intact either except for small parts.

[Mike]

Not too much left intact either except for small parts.

....and data plates!

A useful commodity these days, if anone felt the urge to 're-construct' Hellcats. I'd guess that there aren't many sources of F6F identities around nowadays, as relatively few found their way into civilian ownership, and most of those are known survivors to the present day.

[bdk]

I can't register an airplane in the US with just a data plate. I need a clear ownership history.

[Mike]

I can't register an airplane in the US with just a data plate. I need a clear ownership history.

Slightly different from the process of registering an ex-military aircraft under a 'Permit to Fly' with the CAA in the UK, then.

What's the ownership situation on ex-USMC wrecks? Does this fall into the same category as the whole 'USN wreck recovery' can of worms?

[bdk]

Slightly different from the process of registering an ex-military aircraft under a 'Permit to Fly' with the CAA in the UK, then.

What's the ownership situation on ex-USMC wrecks? Does this fall into the same category as the whole 'USN wreck recovery' can of worms?

I'm no expert but I believe so.

Typically wrecks like this without a clear provenence were registered as "built from parts" with the builder's name or company in the title, i.e. "Mike's F6F-5 Ser. No. 001"

I think that there was a move afoot to stop that, but I'm not sure if it ever came to fruition.

[airnutz]

What's the ownership situation on ex-USMC wrecks? Does this fall into the same category as the whole 'USN wreck recovery' can of worms?

It's the National Parks Service which are currently preventing recovery, Mike,
tho at least one of their people believe that in future this will change.
I don't know how previous Navy ownership would affect eventual recovery.
Maybe the USN won't be a problem...I'm thinking of the USS Arizona's
remains being dispensed to family and worthy historical organizations by NPS.
As to the data plates, they may not be with the aircraft but Macha may
have collected them?

A little article on Mt. Baldy aircraft with some content about some of the
bits going to Mr. Hinton..
www.aircraftwrecks.com/articles/pe/peart1.htm

[Mike]

A little article on Mt. Baldy aircraft with some content about some of the bits going to Mr. Hinton..
www.aircraftwrecks.com/articles/pe/peart1.htm

Interesting stuff, thanks for that link.

I wonder which Hellcat the fin ended up on, Pond's or TFC's?

[airnutz]

I wonder which Hellcat the fin ended up on, Pond's or TFC's?

Dunno..I was wondering the same thing. Maybe we oughta' ask the cat
with the canary in 'is mouth? BDK???...

[Warbirdnerd]

Here are some more pictures from July 06
http://joeidoni.smugmug.com/gallery/1858559