MIA Ferry Flight P-40's

[PinecastleAAF]

Any P-40's or P-39's go missing on ferry flights to Alaska that have never been found?

[Fishing]

Good question,lets get some answers on the subject.

[PinecastleAAF]

How close was Great Bear Lake to the main ferry route? There is supposedly an intact P-40 southeast of GBL so would that guy have been really lost i'm thinking.

[daveymac82c]

Blake Smith could tell you all about that subject, and from what I recall, pretty much everything is accounted for along the Lend-Lease route to Alaska.

I think there's one P-39 that may be "unfound." Again, Blake can let you know for sure, if he wants to chime in on this one.

Then again, there's probably numerous non-lend-lease airplanes up in Alaska. I'm curious to know about the lost 111 Squadron that was lost on foggy day in 1943, I think.

Peace,

David M

[PinecastleAAF]

I've always wondered if the GBL P-40 story was bogus but it came from a good source. Supposedly the pilot made a shelter using parts from the engine cowling. If none are missing then its obviously not accurate. Be nice to know for sure.

If a C-54 with 44 people is still missing some place along that airway I can imagine something small like a fighter would be really hard to locate.

[John Dupre]

I remember reading in the 1970s about a P-39 found within yards of the Alcan highway with pilot remains still inside. Has anyone done a data search of known losses along the route. There has to be something out there.

[daveymac82c]

There's quite a bit of good information about the route and losses. Blake Smith's "Warplanes to Alaska" is a tremendous source of information all about the lend-lease program as well as the building of the supply lines along the route. He's done a follow up book, which I need to go out and buy, but I can't remember the name of it right now.

www.wreckchasing.com also has a database of practically every single US military aviation accident. It's amazing!

That's all I got for now.

Peace,

David

[TonyM]

Any P-40's or P-39's go missing on ferry flights to Alaska that have never been found?

Yes. There are some missing airplanes in Alaska. Whether they are ferry P-40s or not I don't know.

There are at least 79 missing AAF airplanes in the continental United States from WWII.

The stories are in my book.

TM

[TonyM]

daveymac,
Is this the data base?

http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/db.asp


Nick's wreckchasing site does not have one.

TM.