Warbird Information Exchange

Great work! I'd love to get a chance to visit sites like that in paradise. Keep up the outstanding work.

Great detective work!

It still is disheartening to see that stuff just lying around like empty beer cans.

Thanks for your help John. The information you were able to provide was incredibly useful. Interesting point about the nose turrets. Even little details like this go along way to help strengthen my findings.


Here are a few interesting points and questions I've got regarding these reports.


It appears that both of these aircraft were evacuated into Truk from Saipan in order to avoid the Typhoon, unfortunately to no avail. I wonder how many other PBM's were flown in or alt Truk during this storm. I still have yet to contact one person who claims two have seen two PBM wrecks off Moen many years ago.


Both aircraft are from the same Squadron. This could help me further confirm my theory if I can find more information on or an expert on VP-32.


Neither report confirms that the aircraft remains were subsequently abandoned. Is this common? Due to the extent of the damage described in the report on the first aircraft I wouldn't doubt the aircraft would be considered a write off. The second aircraft however didn't sound nearly as bad. Is this information possibly contained in one of the unreadable areas of both reports?


If an aircraft was unmanned (i.e moored) at the time of an incident, would a report be filed?

At this point I'm relying on you all to help me test these findings. The last thing I want to do is write a false history.

I'm sure I'll have more later but I have to go to work right now.

Thanks for your help in this.

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Curtis Block

I've seen too many airplanes destroyed by the term "Static Restoration."

It seems I have been a bit premature with my previous posts. It looks as though the report I associated with the wreck photographed by Mr. Voss, is incorrect. Stand by to stand by on this one .

On the other hand, I am now more certain, that the wreck I photographed is PBM-5E BuNo 84654

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Curtis Block

I've seen too many airplanes destroyed by the term "Static Restoration."

My Dad was on Saipan in 46 & 47, and once told me about lashing Quonset huts down to 6x6s to prevent them blowing awat during a typhoon during the time.

Not sure if it was the same one tho, but of interest...

Robbie

Great stuff Curtis.

Yes, it's frustrating to do a load of work, publish it and listen to the deafening silence...

But actually there's usually quite a few who read it and give a handclap; you just don't get to hear it!

Keep us posted.

Would the guy who runs the VP Navy website be able to help?

http://www.vpnavy.org/

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James K

"Switch on the underwater landing lights"
Emilio Largo, Thunderball.

www.VintageAeroWriter.com

Actually VPNAVY is how I originally got in contact with John Voss.

http://www.vpnavy.org/mishaps_unknown.html

I sent off an update for this page but have yet to receive a reply.

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Curtis Block

I've seen too many airplanes destroyed by the term "Static Restoration."

Well, I was right, just late.

In Commonwealth use, and aircraft that was 'lost' for any reason would have the record card state what happened, and I'd expect there would be some kind of report unless the machine was just 'reduced to produce' or scrapped. Dunno about the USN though, but someone here must?

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James K

"Switch on the underwater landing lights"
Emilio Largo, Thunderball.

www.VintageAeroWriter.com

Well it looks as though the final verdict is in.

I've been working closely with Guy Robbins from Accident-Reports.com. Guy is the person who handles the Navy reports for the site. I would like to publicly thank Guy for all of the help he has provided for this project, his efforts have made all the difference. I would highly recommend their services to anyone seeking information on a a particular incident.

http://www.accident-report.com/


I have been informed by Mr. Robbins that no other reports are available concerning PBMs at Truk. He told me that a report would have been filed even if the aircraft was unmanned at the time of an incident. These are the only two reports.

Mr. Robbins also explained what I guess amounts to an aircraft condition grading system in each report.

The lowest possible "grade" (D) was given to PBM-5E BuNo 84654, suggesting that it was indeed written off as a result of the damage sustained in the landing accident.

The condition "grade" given to PBM-5E BuNo 84652 is not as bad (C). This backs up my earlier skepticism about whether the extent of the damage constituted the aircraft being written off and abandoned. At the bottom of the second page of the report however, there is a hand written paragraph; unfortunately, it is almost entirely unreadable. I've been looking at it for a while, as I feel it holds the conformation I have been seeking. Between Mr. Robbins and I, the best we can make out appears to be. "P.P.C. ....plane.....PBM....was unsafe and sinking....." Guy also had the thought that if Truk lacked adequate repair facilities, the aircraft may have ultimately been abandoned.

It is the opinion of Mr. Robbins and myself that these aircraft, PBM-5E BuNo 84654 and PBM-5E BuNo 84652, are the identities of the PBM wrecks at Truk.

Now if I could just get a good lead on the identity of the "Claude" in the Fujikawa. http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=143254&highlight=#143254
Hint, Hint.

Or how do you like a Mystery fast attack boat?

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Curtis Block

I've seen too many airplanes destroyed by the term "Static Restoration."