Just a little data on old BuNo 59905 at Memorial... it's really a "tail" of reincarnation, of sorts...
Prior to the mishap, N6816D - or "Moby Dick" as her crews called her - was operated by Wenatchee Air Service out of Washington. Nickname came from her predominantly white paint job and overall chunky appearance as a tanker, which some said was decidedly "whale like."
The website posting hints of a "crash and burn" at Wenatchee, which is only partially true. Airplane had been modified to wet wing configuration as a firebomber, meaning that all original rubber fuel cells in center section and wings had been removed, and center section was sealed and used as one big fuel cell. This was what caused her demise. Airplane caught fire on the runway - generally attributed a a spark caused by an inverter or pump sparking fumes in former bomb bay/spray tank area. Fire consumed center section and cockpit area of a/c before being extingusihed by airport fire crews. Crew was able to exit a/c without harm.
Remains of burned a/c were dragged off of runway and stored until accident investigation was completed. Remains included outer wing panels, tail section and control surfaces, portions of center section, all landing gear, flaps, and damaged engines.
Following accident investigation and subsequent insurance settlement with the owners, remains were given to T & G Aviation of Arizona, which originally operated two PB4Y-2 tankers. The tail section, wing panels, landing gear and oddball other parts deemed useful by T & G mechanics were put on a trailer and hauled back to PHX. The wreckage was originally stored at Buckeye Municipal Airport prior to being transported to Chandler Memorial when the firm relocated in the early 1980s.
Over the years small bits and pieces were used on T & G's remaining -4Y, Charlie 30 (now under restoration at Lone Star Air Museum in Galveston) as needed. Fortunately, there was never a need to change outer wing panels or perform major repairs on their airplane for which the remains of 59905 were procured.
In 1991, Charlie 30 left Memorial Airfield for Galveston, and the pieces of '905 had not been acquired by Lone Star. They remained at the airfield for a few years and were eventually slated for scrapping until purchased by a Mesa businessman.
Over the next decade, various bits and pieces of 59905 found their way into a variety of B-24 Liberator and PB4Y-2 restorations. Landing gear componentry ended up on the Collings Foundation's B-24 J - then known as "All American" as did a few pieces for the CAF's "Diamond Lil." The outer wing panels and ailerons were sent to Australia for Werribee's B-24 M project (they're now hanging on the airplane). Some pieces from the tail section - the tail skid and bumper - were sent to Lone Star and installed on Charlie 30. Finally, the flaps, nose gear assembly and various crew doors and panels were used for the static restoration of the B-24 D on display at Hill AFB by KalAero's staff.
Additional pieces still in storage from this airplane may be used on a PB4Y-2 purchased from the Hawkins and Powers auction a year ago by a Phoenix businessman. In the end, "Moby Dick" has become something akin to an "organ donor" for other airframes and has escaped the fate of the scrapper several times over.
The tail section was moved from Mesa's Falcon Field Airport (FFZ) back to Memorial earlier this year where it had been stored inside a T-hangar for several years, much to the huge dislike of the airport authority. But that's another story...
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