Navy Photo - Maybe a Plane Crash ?

[mojjax]

It looks like a plane crashed before it got to runway . And what are those weird bunker-lookings to the left ?
I hope these aren't ''Classified " or I could be in big trouble .

 

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[Bramblefind]

I don't think there is enough clear evidence to say it is the 1952 Brunswick crash but I think the thickness of the trees from an aerial to the crash photo is a tricky comparison.

I just put these cropped parts of the photo together.

I see possibly that the people are by the burning main part of the plane with the wing at the left - I marked the possibility with the blue star. The red star on the photo is by the spot that looks something like the Japanese symbol. I think possibly this is a dark spot showing where the tail section broke from the rest of the plane. That fits the description of the Brunswick crash - the tail section broke and that is where most of the deaths occurred. Then the rest of the plane exploded into fire - that may be why the tail section is still more clear in Mojjax's photo.

 

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[vpnavy]

OK - 1st - it is absolutely a P2V Neptune ASW Aicraft assigned to the VP (Fixed Wing) Navy.

2nd - the TailCode (Identifies aircraft to assigned squadron).

​

3rd - if we can ID the TailCode (and if possible - any part of the BUNO numbers at the bottom of the tail) - I can get you the information (Squadron, Mishap, Crew, etc.)...

The P2 (two turning and two burning) was assigned to a bunch of squadrons over the years. All squadrons flew across the United States landing at all Naval Air Stations on both coasts. That is why having the actual code will help isolate the squadron and mishap.

VP-8 LC
VP-ML-8 LB
VP-MS-8 LB
VP-10 LD
VP-11 LE
VP-16 LF
VP-741 LF
VP-18 LG
VP-HL-2 LH
VP-HL-11 LH
VP-21 LH
VP-93 LH
VP-23 LJ
VP-26 LK
VP-30 LL
VP-MS-4 LM
VP-44 LM
VP-45 LN
VQ-11 LP
VP-49 LP
VP-661 LQ
VP-24 LR
VP-60 LS
VP-832 LS
VP-62 LT
VP-933 LT
VP-64 LU
VP-66 LV
VP-661 LV
VP-68 LW
VP-90 LX
VP-92 LY
VP-94 LZ

 

[Bramblefind]

Thanks VP That's a great help!

Well my first guess is LJ and that is the VP-23 which is out of Brunswick, ME - but I don't know for sure that the J is a match:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VP-23

 

[DCMatt]

You guys are a step ahead of me.... as usual.

 

[vpnavy]

T...first guess is LJ and that is the VP-23 which is out of Brunswick, ME...

If mojjax could just take a magnify glass to it (tailcode and BUNO) and let us know for sure...VP-26 (LK) also had two mishaps (April 14th, 1952, April 12th, 1957) off of NAS Brunswick...

 

[DCMatt]

Now the question is when and where...

 

[vpnavy]

mojjax get out a magnify glass!

 

[DCMatt]

OK... If it is a P2V, and I think it is... And it has a tail code of LJ (VP-23 NAS Brunswick), which I think it does, that style of tail code, numbering, and paint (or no paint) was used beginning in 1964. Previously the tails were Navy blue with white letters.

VP-23 stopped flying P2V's in 1970. That should narrow it down quite a bit but I can't find a P2V mishap that fits the dates and the pic.

There is a long list of P2V's (and other military aircraft) with their life history here:

US Navy and US Marine Corps Military Aircraft Serial Numbers and Bureau Numbers--1911 to Present

 

[Anduril]

Maybe the tail code is "5050".

Fifty percent chance it'll make it to the runway, fifty percent chance it won't!

FWIW: A pilot friend of mine told me that twin props were much harder to fly than you might initially think.
My ignorance told me that if one engine failed, you would still have to the other one.
While that is technically true, apparently if you don't watch what you're doing, the rotation of the engine will flip the whole plane upside over and crash.
I wonder if that might be what happened here?

 

[vpnavy]

OK... If it is a P2V, and I think it is... And it has a tail code of LJ (VP-23 NAS Brunswick), which I think it does, that style of tail code, numbering, and paint (or no paint) was used beginning in 1964. Previously the tails were Navy blue with white letters.

VP-23 stopped flying P2V's in 1970. That should narrow it down quite a bit but I can't find a P2V mishap that fits the dates and the pic.

There is a long list of P2V's (and other military aircraft) with their life history here:

US Navy and US Marine Corps Military Aircraft Serial Numbers and Bureau Numbers--1911 to Present

Until we know the actual TailCode OR at least part of the BUNO (Bureau Number) on the tail - we really won't know which mishap. Unless I missed something - the photograph doesn't have a date on it to help zero in on the mishap as well. Not to mention that based on the photograph's - we really can't say (for sure) it was even in the US. The squadron could have been deployed overseas.

 

[cw0909]

found this link not sure it will help
VPNAVY - VP-26 Mishap Summary Page - VP Patrol Squadron

 

[DCMatt]

Until we know the actual TailCode OR at least part of the BUNO (Bureau Number) on the tail - we really won't know which mishap. Unless I missed something - the photograph doesn't have a date on it to help zero in on the mishap as well. Not to mention that based on the photograph's - we really can't say (for sure) it was even in the US. The squadron could have been deployed overseas.

See what you can find on BuNo 141246

A P2V assigned to VP-23 mid to late 60's and reported to have crashed. Maybe at Keflavik? I can't find much.

BTW - Pretty sure my younger brother was VP-23 in the 1980's. Flew P-3's out of Brunswick and Keflavik.

 

[vpnavy]

See what you can find on BuNo 141246

A P2V assigned to VP-23 mid to late 60's and reported to have crashed. Maybe at Keflavik? I can't find much.

BTW - Pretty sure my younger brother was VP-23 in the 1980's. Flew P-3's out of Brunswick and Keflavik.

VP-23
Circa August 1966!
​

It was last assigned to VP-23 with a tailcode of LJ. No record after this mishap. At that time frame they were rolling out the Orion P-3A's. If maintenance uncovered structural damage - the bird may have simply been written off (and used as parts) since many other P2's were becoming available to both active duty and reserve squadrons. Or, maybe it wasn't written off and it is the P2 we are trying to ID - sure hope we can figure out the BUNO number.

 

[Anduril]

VP-23
Circa August 1966!
View attachment 1348431​

It was last assigned to VP-23 with a tailcode of LJ. No record after this mishap. At that time frame they were rolling out the Orion P-3A's. If maintenance uncovered structural damage - the bird may have simply been written off (and used as parts) since many other P2's were becoming available to both active duty and reserve squadrons. Or, maybe it wasn't written off and it is the P2 we are trying to ID - sure hope we can figure out the BUNO number.

Can't help it!...
The first thing that pops into my mind when I see this photo is:

"Your tax dollars at work!"

 

[trikikiwi]

What are these features beside the road? They might help identify the location.

 

[DCMatt]

What are these features beside the road? They might help identify the location.
View attachment 1348536

I looked for those at each airfield I researched.

My first thought was 'tower footers'. My second thought was 'not a very good place to put a tower'.

 

[DCMatt]

Maybe...

On December 3, 1967, a U.S. Navy P2V-Neptune with twelve crewmen aboard departed the Brunswick, Maine, Naval Air Station for a routine patrol flight. At some point the aircraft developed mechanical problems and received clearance to land at Otis Air Force Base in Falmouth, Massachusetts. As the aircraft was making its final approach it crashed a half-mile short of the runway. All twelve men aboard escaped; four of them suffered minor injuries.
Source: Nashua Telegraph, “Plane Crash At Otis base”, December 4, 1967

 

[Riggleman]

I'm thinking the bunkers are rifle or grenade pits. It looks to be a range road and the different cleared out areas are different ranges for weapon systems. More than likely a training accident. When I was in ft leonard wood a10 warthogs would fly over all day shooting up ground targets

 

[DCMatt]

What are these features beside the road? They might help identify the location.
View attachment 1348536

Confirmed! Otis AFB

 

[DCMatt]

I may get flamed for posting copyright material but I wanted full confirmation. Here is a photo of the crash site in 1971. The path through the scrub brush is still visible.