NAS Pax River - Arado 234 / Bell XFL-1 w/ new pics

[Quest Master]

There are bunch of discussions here on the WIX and throughout the internet about the aircraft disposed of at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland.
I am going to stir the pot today with my own findings that I personally conducted with what I found on location.

First, for the average reader, let me give you a quick briefing on aircraft production and archaeology.

How aircraft are built during and before WWII (this is REALLY important for me to explain my findings below to the average reader):
The Army (and later the Air Force) plus the Navy (including the Marine Corps), when they want to obtain an aircraft, they go the the aircraft store and place an order for 25 or so. Correct? No.
First, an engineer or the government (or a combination of both) comes up with an idea for an aircraft (or tank or jeep or ship on and on). Then, a company puts in a bid to build said aircraft. They draw up ever part on a blue print, hand the blue print over to a factory worker, then they bang together an example. That example is given a "X" or "experimental" designation. If the government likes it, they order a a few more and they give the aircraft a "Y" or "prototype" designation. After they try out a few of them and they like them, they order a bunch more...this is know as the production variant.
Now, this is IMPORTANT, and most forget this detail - aircraft (tanks, ships, jeeps etc) is all about $. Period. This was business.

THE PARTS: Every aircraft maker marked their parts in conjunction with a blue print drawing. This was done to assemble the aircraft and so it could be fixed and kept airworthy. All makers marked their parts slightly differently, but using a similar method. This is where the archaeology part comes in...you can tell what an aircraft is - just by it's parts!!!
So the average reader can follow along, this is an aircraft part that I personally recovered this year from Kingman Airfield, April 2015.
This part is marked GK32W1581R. This code means: GK (Ford built) 32 (Model 32 Aircraft - The B-24 "Liberator" bomber) W (wing) 1581R (right hand wing part). This is part of a Willow Run, Michigan produced B-24 Liberator bomber:


Now that the average reader understands how to follow along, back to the NAS Pax River aircraft.
This aircraft section was found years ago, which I visited today:

It was believed to be from either the Bell XFL-1 "Airabonita" or one of the Arado 234's: USN BuAer.121445 "Jane I" or USN BuAer.121446 "Snafu I".

Here is where I'm going to throw a wrench in all of this.
Here is a section of the above shown aircraft section with a little archaeology work thrown in:
On the wreckage are some numbers discussed above:

Each aircraft inspector had his or her own stamp. This one is HT 9 (inside a circle):

The part number for this part is 142-14215-5 (stamped and then written in black pencil):

And lastly the aircraft manufacturer stamp which is often marked on every piece of the aircraft. This part is marked N over A A over 14. NAA is for North American Aviation:


I'm not going to ruin the fun, I want everyone to do some research too...but this IS NOT from the Bell XFL-1 "Airabonita", the Arado 234's or any other Axis aircraft.

So...fire away and have fun with this.

Last edited by Quest Master on Mon Oct 12, 2015 8:17 am, edited 1 time in total.

[TAdan]

Looking forward to hearing more about your search Van. I've been dying to know what is left out there since I first heard the story of the Arado and the Airabonita.

As far as the NAA remains I'd probably guess something typical like an SNJ, a Fury, or Trojan.

[Quest Master]

Thanks Dan!
I'm not gonna take or spoil all of the fun. I want other folks to Quest and do research as well.
But...I will say, the North American AT-6 (Navy SNJ) primarily used the part number prefix number 55 (as well as 52, 54 and 59). So, that's not it.

[Chris Brame]

OK, went over to AAIR's part number prefix list and went through North American's section, which covers everything from O-47A (25-) to B-70 (259, 278-) - no listing for 142- under there; in fact the only listing for parts under that number prefix is for the Cessna O-2!

http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/partmanu.htm

Over to you...

P.S.

But...I will say, the North American AT-6 (Navy SNJ) primarily used the part number prefix number 55

So did the Northrop YC-125, apparently - Forgotten Field has a control yoke/rudder pedal setup from one and "Parts are numbered 55 everywhere."

[quemerford]

XSN2J-1?

[Quest Master]

OK, went over to AAIR's part number prefix list and went through North American's section, which covers everything from O-47A (25-) to B-70 (259, 278-) - no listing for 142- under there; in fact the only listing for parts under that number prefix is for the Cessna O-2!
Over to you...
P.S.
So did the Northrop YC-125, apparently - Forgotten Field has a control yoke/rudder pedal setup from one and "Parts are numbered 55 everywhere."

Yes...I also show that the Cessna O-2 used the part number 142, but it was not made by North American.
And I can't validate what FF is talking about, but I have an SNJ-5B, and it has part number 55 prefix's all over the aircraft.

My findings are going to be posted below.

[Quest Master]

XSN2J-1?

Yes!
I believe this wreckage is part of the North American Aviation NA-142, Navy designation XSN2J-1
North American serial number 142-38427 or 142-38428.

[sandiego89]

Fantastic work Van! I have been to that exact before a few years ago. I managed to get this photo with a serial number of what I believe is the same debris.

I really enjoyed my time down on the rocks- wish I had an excavator. Was really hoping for an Arado!

Shows the NAA stamp, with NAA 151, and the part number 144 1 6096 1 5. The 1's are horizontal.

[Quest Master]

Fantastic work Van! I have been to that exact before a few years ago. I managed to get this photo with a serial number of what I believe is the same debris.
I really enjoyed my time down on the rocks- wish I had an excavator. Was really hoping for an Arado!
Shows the NAA stamp, with NAA 151, and the part number 144 1 6096 1 5. The 1's are horizontal.

Cool! Thanks!
Actually, if you look close at the part number in your photo it say 142-16096-5 not 144.

[quemerford]

Good find: any accident report?

[Mark Allen M]

A little bit on the XSN2J-1 at NAS Pax River.

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Being sold here if interested (not by me):
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NORTH-AMERICAN- ... 4614ce405a

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-NORTH-AMER ... 461797b1f1

[quemerford]

Nice find both! Get bidding!!

Funny how these things come along at just the right time: hadn't seen these aircraft in later markings before either.

[Quest Master]

I don't normally mess with anything post 1945. But, in the case of this aircraft piece, I wanted to document my findings for accurate identification for future historians and identify the remains of the aircraft correctly.
It is not the Bell XFL-1 "Airabonita" or the Arado 234. I believe it to be one of two produced North American XSN2J-1's.

[RyanShort1]

Does anyone have access to a three-view drawing of that plane?

[Mark Allen M]

Here's the only 3D view I have ... yes I know it's not what you had in mind.
... but there is some additional photos in the SDASM archives here:
https://www.flickr.com/search/?text=XSN2J-1