Missing BT-13's

SRS · **Joined:** Thu Oct 07, 2004 10:13 pm **Posts:** 21

I have a couple of missing plane stories for those interested.

During my youth in Michigan, I used to pass by a nursery school in Dearborn Heights called the "Real Life Nursey". Among the 'toys' for the kiddies on the playground were a Sherman tank, and a Vultee BT-13 (actually a BT-15). Bet those kids had fun! Before the land was cleared out in about 1980 to make way for a Target store, the plane disappeared. Somewhere I might have some pic's of it. Anyone familiar with this aircraft's fate?

On the web I found another BT story..
http://markcarson.com/Family/Genealogy/Carson/Molly_Alfred.htm

"He owned a surplus BT-13 Vultee "vibrator" while working on the seismograph crews. It threw a rod near Tucumcari, NM and he made a forced landing in a farmer's field. The farmer moved it to his barn, and it could be there yet. At that time, there were so many surplus airplanes that it wasn't worth fixing" Timeframe would have been the 1950's. Maybe a lead?

Thanks.

SRS · **Joined:** Thu Oct 07, 2004 10:13 pm **Posts:** 21

Here's how the nursery school BT looked to me, through the lens of my trusty Kodak 110, in 1974;

Taken from atop the Sherman's turret.

The underside of the wing was marked with N39806H, or NN9806H, I couldn't tell for sure.

Where did it go?

airtanker · **Posted:** Sat Jan 29, 2005 2:03 am

Hi all,
Actually BT-15 N9806H is still on the FAA aircraft register at;

http://162.58.35.241/acdatabase/NNumSQL ... rtxt=9806h

Don

Chris Brame · **Posted:** Sat Jan 29, 2005 3:11 am

All right children, today at recess we'll learn about how to survive a ditching! :rolleyes:

Seriously, I wish my childhood playground had a plane and tank to play on - now I live near a park with a cement-covered F-86D but I'm WAY too old to play on it...

SRS · **Joined:** Thu Oct 07, 2004 10:13 pm **Posts:** 21

I noticed it is still a valid, but revoked, registration. I'll swing by and see if that person lives there. Address and name searches come up with a blank for that name, so it may be way-old info.

bdk · **Joined:** Sun May 02, 2004 1:16 am **Posts:** 11330

In case anyone cares what happened to the Sherman:

Quote:

I bought that Sherman some years ago.

I played on it when I was a kid many, many years ago ( I'm 52 now..). One day I was driving by the school and saw the BT-15 was gone. I stopped by the place and talked to the owner. I asked him if the tank was for sale, it was, but more money than I had at the time. Several months later I stopped by again with the money.....but the owner did not want to sell it now. I gave him my card and asked him to put it with his car titles. Some time later he passed away and when his family went through the papers they found my card. They called me and offered it to me for somewhat more money then before. I went in with a friend on it and we bought it. When we pulled it out of the ground (with a BIG tow truck and a endloader!) it rolled right on the tarmac and the entire drive train was free and not bound up!

Sadly.......we sold it for a lot more money that we paid some time after to a friend of mine that had the facilities to restore it.

It later was purchased by Tom Gould in NY, then by Frank Buck in PA, and now it's out west somewhere........

I kick myself for selling it....but I had a dozen or more Military Vehicles at the time and did not have the means to make it right..........

Jim Gilmore
(formerly from Inkster, MI.)

SRS · **Joined:** Thu Oct 07, 2004 10:13 pm **Posts:** 21

BDK,

Can you tell me the website where you found that quote? Google comes up a blank. I'd also like to contact Jim Gilmore (in PA, I believe).

Thanks.

bdk · **Joined:** Sun May 02, 2004 1:16 am **Posts:** 11330

SRS, sent you a PM.

jhor9 · **Posted:** Tue Feb 01, 2005 5:52 pm

BT 13 Vultee Vibrator was a great plane. While I was an aviation cadet I got lost and landed in a very small field, no problem. The Commandant of cadets came for me, but my field was too small. He landed in a larger field close by and cracked up,

Dan Jones · **Posted:** Sat Feb 19, 2005 11:32 pm

Somewhere I have an old copy of Air Classics and this airplane was featured in "Warbird Report". Hard to believe, but thanks for the pictures!

Roger Cain · **Posted:** Sun Feb 20, 2005 4:09 pm

Our chapter did a tour last year at this time at Jacques Littlefield's Tank museum, maybe it ended up here? If it did, it's in mint shape today http://www.norcalaahs.org/tanktour.htm

SRS · **Joined:** Thu Oct 07, 2004 10:13 pm **Posts:** 21

Dan Jones wrote:

Somewhere I have an old copy of Air Classics and this airplane was featured in "Warbird Report". Hard to believe, but thanks for the pictures!

At the tender age of 13 I took these photos, along some of some AT-6 bits in the woods around Willowrun Airport, and of a A-26 and B-25 (then) at Detroit City Airport. These I mailed to Air Classics, asking for them to be reprinted in the 'Warbird Report' section. It would amaze me if they ever did!

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Missing BT-13's

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