Air National Guard T-Bolt's & Mustangs...

[p51]

Great shots!
I was wondering if anyone might know where I could find photos of a specific P-47 in Maryland Air National Guard use. The serial # was 44-90408, and it crashed into Baltimore harbor on 22 April, 1950. The pilot was Peter Delo. I knew Mr. Delo later in life before he passed away and I’d love to know what this plane looked like. He had a copy of the newspaper article but it didn’t show much (I remember the tail was sticking out of the water). I don’t think he had any photos of it before the ditching. He had the distinction of being one of the few people who’d ever ditched a Jug as well as a B-17, into the North Sea in 1944.
I'd love to either build a model or do a good drawing of his bird someday...

[WIX_Archive]

P-47 in Maryland Air National Guard

P-47 Thunderbolts (including 44-90001) of the 104th FS from the Maryland ANG, circa 1947


P-47 Thunderbolts (including 44-90001) of the 104th FS from the Maryland ANG, circa 1947


P-47 Thunderbolts of the 104th FS from the Maryland ANG, circa 1947


P-47 Thunderbolt of the 104th FS from the Maryland ANG, circa 1947


P-47 Thunderbolt pilots of the 104th FS from the Maryland ANG, circa 1947


Maryland Air National Guard F-47 Pilots of 104th FS, Baltimore, April 10th 1948


The Boo Boo Boys' Virginia ANG F-47 Pilots and Ground Crew, October 10, 1950.


The Maryland Air National Guard's 104th Fighter Squadron holds a retreat ceremony at Baltimore Municipal Airport July 26, 1947. The 104th was reestablished there as part of the Maryland Guard following World War II and was based at the facility (later renamed Harbor Field) until 1957.


An aerial view of the Baltimore Municipal Airport (later renamed Harbor Field) under construction on Sept. 6, 1940. The location of the future National Guard hangar is visible near the center of the photo. Also visible, in the top half of the image, is Logan Field, the Maryland Air National Guard's first home base.

More here,
http://www.175wg.ang.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123188756

[WIX_Archive]

More ANG-Bolt madness ...


F-47D Thunderbolt/44-32669 of the 136th FS from the New York ANG. Source Peter Bowers via Menard Collection.


P-47D Thunderbolt/44-32927 of the Rhode Island ANG. Source: Menard Collection


P-47D Thunderbolt/45-49398, Late 1947


F-47D Thunderbolt/45-49350 of the 131st FS from the Massachusetts ANG. Source: Roger Besecker via Menard collection


P-47D Thunderbolt/44-89028 of the Virginia ANG, Wilmington, NC, 1947


P-47D Thunderbolts of the 149th FS from the Virginia ANG, Byrd Field, VA, 1948


P-47D Thunderbolt/44-32894, either 141st FS/New Jersey ANG or 149th FS/Virginia ANG, federalized for Korea, Menard Collection


P-47D Thunderbolt/44-32894, either 141st FS/New Jersey ANG or 149th FS/Virginia ANG, federalized for Korea, Menard Collection


P-47D Thunderbolt/44-89485 PR ANG, circa 1960 (PB)

[The Inspector]

More ANG-Bolt madness ...

Speaking of the P.R. ANG, where is the P-47 bubbletop they restored a few decades ago now?

[Chris Brame]

P-47D, either 141st FS NJ ANG or 149th FS VA ANG, federalized for Korea, Menard Collection

What does "federalized for Korea" mean? We didn't use P-47s over there (although many say we should have!).

On the PR ANG one above, is that actually P-47N 44-89425, possibly when it was at the Shortsville, NY American Legion post? (The Registry lists it as 44-89428 - typo?) There was no 44-89485; Baugher lists it as a cancelled contract.
Speaking of Baugher:

(44-)89360 (Puerto Rico ANG) ditched in Guajataca Lake, Puerto Rico Aug 6, 1948. Pilot OK.

Guajataca is actually a dammed-river reservoir, maximum depth 65 feet - wonder if it's still down there?

[K5DH]

Since I grew up about 3-1/2 miles from their base, I'd love to see more pics of Delaware ANG aircraft!

[SaxMan]

Great shots!
I was wondering if anyone might know where I could find photos of a specific P-47 in Maryland Air National Guard use. The serial # was 44-90408, and it crashed into Baltimore harbor on 22 April, 1950. The pilot was Peter Delo. I knew Mr. Delo later in life before he passed away and I’d love to know what this plane looked like. He had a copy of the newspaper article but it didn’t show much (I remember the tail was sticking out of the water). I don’t think he had any photos of it before the ditching. He had the distinction of being one of the few people who’d ever ditched a Jug as well as a B-17, into the North Sea in 1944.
I'd love to either build a model or do a good drawing of his bird someday...

There were actually two P-47s that went into the water on April 22, 1950. One was the one you described above, the second one was 44-33577. It sounds like 90408 went in shallow water...wonder what the status was of the second P-47 and if it is still at the bottom of the Patapsco? It doesn't appear to be a mid-air collision.

There are two more P-47s (C models) that went down in the Chesapeake Bay, one about a mile out from the Bay Ridge section of Annapolis, the other one near the mouth of the Middle River.

[oriole]

Greetings p51,

This might be a little late for a reply but I just joined, I hope it helps you. I am working on a history of the MDANG and this area is pretty well covered, this is from my first draft,



The 1950s started with a sour turn of affairs when a series of engine failures caused several forced landings. Luckily, these forced landings brought no fatalities and little damage to the aircraft. A summation of these crashes is as follows:

On February 25, First Lieutenant Paul Shelton crash landed his F-47 into a plowed field then a haystack near Parsonsburg., Maryland. Lieutenant Shelton escaped unharmed. He and five other 104th pilots were flying to Ocean City for simulated gunnery practice. Lieutenant Shelton said his plane “conked out” at 4,000 feet, about 3 miles from Salisbury Airport. He did not know the reason for the power failure. Lieutenant Malcolm Henry, Shelton’s wing mate, circled the spot until Shelton was picked up.

In March the unit continued its realistic training when it participated in a mock air raid on an oil refining plant in Sugar Grove, Ohio.

On April 3, Captain Stanley Souders, was on a training flight, when he made a forced landing in a Worchester County field 8 miles from Berlin, Maryland. The engine of his F-47 had cut out at 7,000 feet. The undercarriage of the plane was damaged extensively, but Captain Souders was uninjured.

On April 23, two F-47s plunged into the water within an hour and a half of each other during routine missions. Both pilots were rescued and neither pilot was seriously injured. One of the planes dove into the middle of the Chesapeake Bay at noon as passengers of a crowded ferry boat, the Herbert O’Conner, a short distance away watched. Within five minutes of the crash the ferry stopped on it’s trip to Annapolis and Matapeake to rescue the pilot, Captain Kenneth Kessler of Dundalk,. Captain Kessler was uninjured. The cause of the crash was described as a power failure of unknown origin.

Ninety minutes earlier, First Lieutenant Peter Delo, had developed engine trouble seconds after take off, his aircraft plummeted into the Patapsco River 500 yards off the Harbor Field bulkhead. Lieutenant Delo was in the water less than three minutes before he was rescued by a crash boat. He was treated at Fort Holibird for hand and knee cuts. The cause of the engine failure was found to be a crack in the #2 cylinder and a blown head. Both planes were participating in practice gunnery flights. Twelve other planes were able to take part in the air to air target practice over Chincoteague Naval Air Station off shore range without incident.

A Board of Inquiry was set up to investigate the crashes and to determine whether attempts should be made to salvage Lieutenant Delo’s plane which lay in 25 to 35 feet of water. The squadron was grounded following the two accidents for over a month until new engines arrived to replace the old, long in service engines which were in most of the aircraft.

The following pictures are of Lt. Delo's aircraft being brought up (Lt. Delo is the officer standing on the right), the description on the back of the photo and the same aircraft as received and with early unit markings (pre Oriole).

[p51]

Just saw this...

Greetings p51,
This might be a little late for a reply but I just joined, I hope it helps you.

OH MY GOD, thank you very much!

Mr Delo had a copy of the first photo you posted, it didn't occur to me at the time to copy that as I'd been focused on his time with the 91st BG in WW2 (his final mission is outlined in the book, "Dinghy Drop" by Tom Doecherty: http://www.amazon.com/Dinghy-Drop-279-Squadron-1941-ebook/dp/B00DN5U0RW).
That's for sure him in the photo to the right, he was always a short and thin man, even to the end.
I'm really tempted to try to make a model of this P-47 now that I know for sure what it looked like.
Thanks again, you made my week with this, just wish I'd noticed it earlier!

[Scott Rose]

100 Images restored

[BennoT6]

Hi,

Thanks for sharing these great pictures. Any pictures available of T-6Gs that served with the ANG? Have seen only one this far; 52-8231 NMEX-ANG

Regards,

Benno

[civilized_warbirds]

This seems to be the most populous Air Guard topic I could find searching.

I am fascinated by the early Guard units and the lack of roundels or unique unit/state roundels that were allowed through about 1948.

Attachments

NC NG P47

NC NG

109th Fighter_Squadron F-51s

Texas ANG

41-34293 of the 110th FS/71st FG

[civilized_warbirds]

Some more I had saved

Attachments

MO NG

WVA NG

OK NG

HI P-47s

HI ANG

10269517_711508792223859_7572756609861348274_n.jpg (89.36 KiB) Viewed 2242 times

[civilized_warbirds]

And the last of the cool stuff I could find.

Attachments

Portland Air Base circa 1947

A-26

NM ANG

OR NG

Michigan and Wisconsin ANG

[civilized_warbirds]

Two more I missed!

Attachments

OK NG

More OK NG