Broken Wings

[Scott Rose]

Anybody seen this show on the history channel? Its about aviation archeology and they are investogating a WWII era B-17 crash. Pretty interesting stuff.

[Warhawk]

I have not. When is it on?

[mjanovec]

Anybody seen this show on the history channel? Its about aviation archeology and they are investogating a WWII era B-17 crash. Pretty interesting stuff.

I've seen it several months ago. They also investigate a missing P-51 that a WASP was flying and a crash of a P-61. I believe there is also a jet crash (I want to say F-86, but I think I'm wrong) circa late 40s/early 50s.

Interesting show...the B-17 was probably the most interesting segment, followed by the P-61.

[JBoyle]

The other segment was the crash of a T-33 over the Sierra's in the mid-late 50s. The pilot walked out of snowy mountains weeks later in remarkably good shape.
That led the USAF to suspect he "staged" the disappearance of the plane.
Somehow, someone got the idea he flew the T-33 to Mexico and sold it to someone. (The TV show said the Russians...but why would they want a T-bird? Even back then it was old technology).
Why they thought this I have no idea...I'd hope the USAF wouldn't make these assumptions just because the guy looked well fed when he reappeared.
If I were a USAF investigator looking at the incident and was somehow suspicious, (which I'm not) I'd have guessed there really was a crash but the pilot was lucky enough to find a stocked hunting cabin somewhere, got comfortable and took his time in showing up, with a great tale of survival. (Even back then there were book deals and movie rights to think about). I would have surmised that he waited awhile before trying to walk out of the mountains...maybe waiting for any ejection related injuries to heal or perhaps for better weather...
I never would have thought someone would "steal" a T-33.
I'm guessing there might be more to this story than we know and it's still classified in OSI files somewhere...
The USAF could never prove anything but the pilots reputation was ruined and he left the service and died in a GA crash.
Years later, someone found a part of the T-Bird....I believe the canopy...in the mountains proving the guy was telling the truth.

I first read about the incident when the found the plane part...and never heard another thing until the TV show.