Watson Lake Recoveries - Canada

[TimAPNY]

How was the airframe dissembled for recovery? Was it hacked apart or was care taken?

It will be interesting to see how this turns out.

Tim

[daveymac82c]

Hey Tim,

from the pictures it looks like the nose section had somehow come apart from the rest of the airframe without too much damage. It almost looks like it was surgically removed.

But, from the sounds of the story, these people found the nose section seperate from the rest of the airframe.

This certainly is an amazing story. I look forward to learning more.

Cheers,

David

[TonyM]

Maybe B-26


15 Jan 1942 USAAF 40-1459 Martin B-26 Marauder Watson Lake, BC, Canada
15 Jan 1942 USAAF 40-1464 Martin B-26 Marauder Watson Lake, BC, Canada
15 Jan 1942 USAAF 40-1501 Martin B-26 Marauder Watson Lake, BC, Canada


http://www.orpheusweb.co.uk/vicsmith/Ac ... Jan42.html

Though it looked like all Million Dollar Valley airframes recovered?

Though 40-1453 is also listed as lost that date and location but with no info

http://www.accident-report.com/world/na ... ndorf.html

The correct date for these events is 16 January 1942; the information concerning these aircraft is in my post that is included in the other thread concerning these aircraft:

http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/p ... hp?t=30304


TonyM.

[gary1954]

was the lake frozen when this B-26 made its untimely arrival, if so, was the Air Corps involved in disassembling the medium bomber when it may have fell through the ice? Based on the photo alone, it looks like the forward section was seperated from the center section.

[daveymac82c]

I think that if the B-26 crash landed on the lake when it was frozen, they would have most definitely recovered it immediately since the airport and military facilities (at the time) were right at the edge of the lake. I presume she went in during a time that the lake was not frozen. That's just my thoughts though. I really don't know for sure.

Cheers,

David

[Mark_Pilkington]

was the lake frozen when this B-26 made its untimely arrival, if so, was the Air Corps involved in disassembling the medium bomber when it may have fell through the ice? Based on the photo alone, it looks like the forward section was seperated from the center section.

I understand the whole aircraft may have been present and relatively intact, with minor nose glass damage and prop strike damage, however it is understood the recovery process was undertaken by de-rivetting?/cutting the cockpit from the main fuselage?

regards

Mark Pilkington

[gary1954]

I understand the whole aircraft may have been present and relatively intact, with minor nose glass damage and prop strike damage, however it is understood the recovery process was undertaken by de-rivetting?/cutting the cockpit from the main fuselage?

regards

Mark Pilkington[ *Hangs Head* - what dumbasses

[TonyM]

Maybe B-26


15 Jan 1942 USAAF 40-1459 Martin B-26 Marauder Watson Lake, BC, Canada
15 Jan 1942 USAAF 40-1464 Martin B-26 Marauder Watson Lake, BC, Canada
15 Jan 1942 USAAF 40-1501 Martin B-26 Marauder Watson Lake, BC, Canada


http://www.orpheusweb.co.uk/vicsmith/Ac ... Jan42.html

Though it looked like all Million Dollar Valley airframes recovered?

Though 40-1453 is also listed as lost that date and location but with no info

http://www.accident-report.com/world/na ... ndorf.html

From the USAAF Form No. 14 Aircraft Accident Report:

B-26 # 40-1453
Crashed upon landing at Watson Lake, Canada, at 1700 PST, 16 January 1942;

"Pilot, attempting to make an emergency landing in poor light, skidded down the runway about 100 yards and ran into a snow bank. The plane was damaged beyond repair."

Pilot: 2Lt. Gordon S. Stephens, minor injury;
Co-pilot: 2Lt. Richard P. Waltrath, serious injury;
Crewmember: SSgt. Neilburn W. Rayner, serious injury;
Plus five other un-named passengers (degree of injuries not stated).

B-26 # 40-1461
Crashed on take-off from White Horse, Canada, at 1500 PST, 16 January 1942;

On take-off, the nose wheel began to shimmy and right propeller ran away. "Plane nosed into a snow bank. Right propeller hit snow bank and ground and pierced cabin. The plane was damaged beyond repair."

Pilot: 1Lt. John G. Pickard, minor injury;
Co-pilot: 2Lt. Hodges Taylor, serious injury;
Crewmember: SSgt. Robert Rassmussen, serious injury;
Plus five other un-named passengers (degree of injuries not stated).

I thought that these accidents were summarized on the other post, they were not; they were merely listed in the post and contained no detail.

As stated previously, the circumstances surrounding these two accidents and the details of the three B-26 airplanes that crash landed due to fuel exhaustion near Watson Lake, Canada (40-1459; 40-1464; 40-1503) can be found on page 41-44 in Blake W. Smith's excellent book WARPLANES TO ALASKA.

Tony M

[Mark_Pilkington]

I understand the whole aircraft may have been present and relatively intact, with minor nose glass damage and prop strike damage, however it is understood the recovery process was undertaken by de-rivetting?/cutting the cockpit from the main fuselage?

regards

Mark Pilkington

It has been pointed out to me off-line that the Maraulder does have a bolted break point in the fuselage behind the cockpit at this location, and therefore my information above would seem in-correct that it has been derivetted or cut!

MAPS B-26 Cockpit prior to restoration


Yukon B-26 cockpit on recovery trailer



I do however understand the cockpit was freshly removed from the rest of the aircraft which remains largely intact in the lake.



Regards

Mark Pilkington

[TimAPNY]

I understand the whole aircraft may have been present and relatively intact, with minor nose glass damage and prop strike damage, however it is understood the recovery process was undertaken by de-rivetting?/cutting the cockpit from the main fuselage?

regards

Mark Pilkington

It has been pointed out to me off-line that the Maraulder does have a bolted break point in the fuselage behind the cockpit at this location, and therefore my information above would seem in-correct that it has been derivetted or cut!

MAPS B-26 Cockpit prior to restoration


Yukon B-26 cockpit on recovery trailer



I do however understand the cockpit was freshly removed from the rest of the aircraft which remains largely intact in the lake.



Regards

Mark Pilkington

That sounds like good news for the aircraft. I hope the legal mess gets cleared up soon and the rest of it is recovered before it gets stripped to nothing now that the world knows about it.

Tim

[Steve Nelson]

I got the impression that the AAF stripped the aircraft of usable equipment while it was sitting on the ice. I would assume the nose was separated at that time.

SN

[TonyM]

I got the impression that the AAF stripped the aircraft of usable equipment while it was sitting on the ice.

SN

Steve, that's right.

According to Blake W. Smith's excellent book WARPLANES TO ALASKA :

"...army crews salvaged some [vital equipment] before abandoning the three B-26s to the wilderness."

TonyM.

Last edited by TonyM on Sun Jun 07, 2009 7:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[groundpounder]

i think that if it wasnt so sad it would be amusing how every time someone shows the gumption to go and do a recovery like this, some controlling body steps in and declares said recovery as a national treasure. that aircraft would have disintegrated into obscurity if it wasnt for these two fellows going and getting it. the yukon government found the plane so valuable that they allowed it to sit there for 67 years. if anything, i think these two should be handing the govt. a bill for the salvage job if this aircraft is so valuable to them. the govt. wants that plane left down there so that they dont have to do anything with it. (read : spend money on it ). now the cat is out of the bag, and they are forced to deal with it. what better way to come out smelling like a rose than to blame someone else ??? now..... i would love to hear some more about that lancaster that is supposed to be there !!

[peter]

There is no Lancaster anywhere in that area end of..

Speaking of recoveries I hardly think that the two individuals should be praised for recovery..? Did they follow all the correct channels to obtain salvage rights??

[Mark_Pilkington]

I got the impression that the AAF stripped the aircraft of usable equipment while it was sitting on the ice. I would assume the nose was separated at that time.

SN

Steve, that's right.

According to Blake W. Smith's excellent book WARPLANES TO ALASKA :

"...army crews salvaged some [vital equipment] before abandoning the three B-26s to the wilderness."

TonyM.

No, the information I am getting from site suggests that it was recently removed, and that there may be photos of the aircraft relatively intact in the lake prior to removal of the cockpit?

Regards

Mark Pilkington