Warbird Information Exchange

WOW!

The new issue of Classic Wings includes a remarkable photograph of the very substantial remains of a French Thunderbolt displayed at a history museum in Biskra, Algeria. It is said to have been shot down by AA fire in 1958. I don't remember ever hearing a word about this one before, yet suddenly here it is.

Can anyone provide any information on its identity and history, or how it managed to survive under the radar for so long?

How substantial (what's intact)? Wings, tail, engine? I tried Googling the museum but I don't see it (although under Images I keep finding a Matisse painting that would have made good nose art! )

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All right, Mister Dorfmann, start pullin'!
Pilot: "Flap switch works hard in down position."
Mechanic: "Flap switch checked OK. Pilot needs more P.T." - Flight report, TB-17G 42-102875 (Hobbs AAF)

A short description is that this is a rough fuselage.

The photo shows a very substantial fuselage, minus a large amount of skin but unmistakably a P-47. It includes an engine and engine mounts, but is minus the prop, cowlings, canopy and tail feathers. The inner 1/3 of the starboard wing structure is attached - Very substantial spars but no skins, leading edge, trailing edge, etc. The port side isn't visible in the photo.

I think just the fact that it's in Algeria might be part of it. I'm constantly surprised/annoyed by the number of preserved aircraft even in the US that have gone "undiscovered" by the likes of nutters like me.

Biskra doesn't look like it's a very large place, so I would imagine it doesn't get a lot of tourism traffic, much less from aviation enthusiasts who would know to report something like this.

I'm guessing this is probably the Musée Régional de La Sixième Wilaya Historique Colonel Mohamed Chaâbani? 34.847653, 5.708290. That's the only result Google Maps gives for "museum" in the area.

I'm sure a lot more of you have seen the current Classic Wings since my original post.

Has anyone on the board ever heard a word about this one before?

I can understand how the Martin Maryland remained under the radar for so long. The hulk doesn't look very glamorous and the type wouldn't have been identifyable to most people, but I'd thought that SOMEONE would have spotted and commented upon the Thunderbolt at one point or another over the last five decades or so.