Warbird Information Exchange

There is F-51 wreckage at... wait for it...

Fort Knox.

I was watching America's Book of Secrets on the history channel (yes i'm that bored) and they said that they believe that Thomas Mantell's F-51 (the one that was "shot down" by a UFO) wreckage was trucked into the Fort because, appearently, the UFO he was chasing was first over Fort Knox.

The F-51 Build number was 44-65869

That wreckage would be this plane:












Edited for pictures and plane build number

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I know what you mean about watching the History Channel. (obnoxious programming).
Anyway, I 'd like to contribute some information. I know it's sort of vague but,...

I was reading an article in a magazine many years ago. Fairly, certain that the author was aviation columnist Len Morgan. He said that he and some other guys flew some F-51's down to Florida or Alabama, (down South). They flew at high altitude and used most of the onboard oxygen. When they got to the base, there was no oxygen service available. They returned home in another aircraft ( I think it was just a ferry flight for the Mustangs). Anyway, Len said that the plane crashed on it's next flight, killing the pilot. The pilot: Thomas Mantell. Presumably, he had spotted a Skyhook balloon and tried to investigate.

Maybe you folks already knew that, just thought I'd throw that in.

I didn't know it, plus, I love a Len Morgan mention every now and then!

TXCOMT

This I understand.

But, the myth that the wreckage is in Fort Knox, where would that come from? What's the point of the U.S. Government keeping a P-51 wreck?

_________________
My racing will fund my warbirding. Hopefully...

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/ChristopherDeshongRacing
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChrisDRacing

I didn't see it during the 10 fun filled weeks I spent there. It certainly was not visible while taking a nice long walk up and down agony, misery, or heartbreak....

It could have actually been moved to Fort Knox, for a routine accident investigation, because that was the closest military facility. Who knows how these myths get started. There was a rumor/myth circulating that Mantell's aircraft was riddled with .50 cal. bullet holes. (The alien spaceship shot him down). Why a spaceship apparently capable of interplanetary travel would use American .50 caliber weapons has yet to be explained.