Warbird Information Exchange

Appears to have crashed short of the runway, possibly a large body of water on the horizon. Appears to be a medium sized aircraft. Doesn't look like there are any signs of scorching or explosion.

Bunker like complexes in the vicinity might suggest a military installation.

A Japanese Neptune, perhaps?

KiwiZac wrote:A Japanese Neptune, perhaps?

I'd agree.

Captured ?
Trees sure do not look native to south pacific, is a US Navy photo though

Strange: looks like an LJ tail code (VP-23) and I'd stick by P2V, so maybe USN rather than JASDF/JMSDF?

If you can pick up a tail code, your eyeballs are a whole lot better than mine ... Does appear to be a possible meatball on the fuselage though, hard to tell.

Judging by the trees which appear to be pine/evergreens, almost certainly a stateside location, though the possibility exists that it was a captured IJ aircraft being test flown.

Xray wrote:If you can pick up a tail code, your eyeballs are a whole lot better than mine ... Does appear to be a possible meatball on the fuselage though, hard to tell.

Judging by the trees which appear to be pine/evergreens, almost certainly a stateside location, though the possibility exists that it was a captured IJ aircraft being test flown.

Captured P2V?

Ok, blown up further it looks almost for sure a meatball and a tail code possibly L1, serial is too garbled to make out

I think all Japanese Neptunes were dark sea grey, so I'd stick with a USN P-2/P2V rather than anything else.

I think you guys are right P2V, you can see where the tail cone sheered off.

Can't see what else that would be but a meatball though, right in the position it should be. On the other hand, looks like a possible US emblem on one of the wings.

Was posting this from another non aviation forum [metal detecting of all things], at that time there were few replies.

Looks like they have it solved now.


On December 3rd, 1967 a VP-23 P2V Aircraft (BUNO: 148350 - LG-4 - Crew-11) crashed in adverse weather off the end of the Otis AFB, Falmouth, Mass., runway. The crew egressed safely, but the aircraft was totally consumed by fire. SOURCE: 142 DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN NAVAL AVIATION SQUADRONS–Volume 2 (Third VP-23)



http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/what/ ... crash.html

[may need account to view, not sure]

What I thought was the fuselage "meatball" may be damage.

As soon as I saw it I thought Marauder or Neptune, then Neptune simply based on the tail. Great work, guys!

True, meatball probably damage, does not look perfectly round.