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Got to Branson last Thursday to evaluate the wreckage...sorry to say it was a very sad site to see. My appologies for not having pictures at this time, even though I bought a new camera for the occasion...new camera works great...operator, not too well.
The owners were able to remove the port wing and engine from the fake rock pile Wednesday, despite the strong winds that threatened to put a halt to the operation. It is now cordoned off in the driveway/parking lot in front. The remainder has been removed to a back-lot area, and kinda piled upon it'self.
Most folks I have spoken with, were want to know how bad the main spar was corroded, the way that the airframe was ripped apart, you'd surely think so...But, I am still truely amazed at the shear force and power of the storm that clamed this Poon...I could find no corrosion whatsoever....no pitting, no powder, just shear force....the type you see when an unfortunate aircraft runs into the silver lining of the cloud...I was told that the tornado had just started to develope at the Mini-golf course when it struck the Harpoon..it didn't fully develope for a little distance, where it was later classified as a F-2 twister. Main thing is that there were no fatalities...
This aircraft is as yet unidentified......
I crawled under the pile of wreckage, as only a fat man can slither, to find the cockpit section. The control pedistal, which is between the pilot and co-pilot position, has two data plates...one from the Lockheed Vega plant that has it's company I.D. stamped into it, the other is the Navy data plate with it's Naval serial number stamped on it...
As with the majority of Harpoons, they were missing.
My next move was to try to see if the last four digits of the factory number were visible on the outter rib of the center section...no dice on either one...the wing that had ripped off, it was the center section that gave way... It will take further dissection to get to this part. (I didn't have the time Thursday)
Taigh mentioned that their D model has the four numbers stenceled under the pilots side window on their Harpoon....didn't see it from the photo's I have..
I called Carl Scholl of Aero Trader to see if this might have been one of the Harpoon's from around Imperial, Ca.....but he told me that he knew nothing about this Harpoon.
The manager at the mini golf could only tell me that it has/had been mounted there about 12 years ago, and that it came from a bone-yard in Wichita, Ks.....shoot, may it really is a Hudson, like I was told a few moons back?????
Anyway, until we can get the wings removed, she is still a Jane Doe...Anyone have any clue as to where she came from, or what her identity is?
Yes, the nose is another mystery....
G.
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to this in 3 months: 
Help us get her all the way back 
so let me be the first to ask. 
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