Monday 27 September 2010

Grumman Avenger FN821 coded 4-K

Grumman Avenger FN821 coded 4-K

A visit yesterday to this little known site confirmed by its obvious signs of recent interference what we have known for a good while now: left to their own devices, sad anoraks will ignore the law and strip crash sites illegally, including sites like this one where all crew involved died.

Compare the dug out crater and piled wreckage you see here with the description of the site in August 2006:

"The crash site has, basically, been left untouched all this time, being protected by the heavy vegetation. Wreckage is still embedded in the crater that used to be water filled but now mostly drained by the surrounding trees. Showing all the signs of a vertical high speed descent, the wreckage lies crumpled around. The crater clearly shows the outline of the frontal aspect of the Avenger being lopsided as if missing a wing. The remaining wing area still contained remains of undercarriage, tyre and fuel tank structures. Cockpit framing lay embedded into one side of the crater only" Source : Ezraysnet

The tiresomely repeated claim of the grave-robbers that "curious walkers" are responsible for taking bits away from these sites simply will not wash here. Being very well hidden in extensive forestry, this is not a site which any casual walker would stumble upon, and before now, there were no accurate published coordinates-the High Ground Wrecks coordinates are well out at this site.

The diggers clearly knew where it was though-bits have apparently already found their way to Fort Perch Rock, a wreckologists "museum" which we are told makes the Millom scrapyard look like Duxford.

We are led to understand that the thorough work-over shown in the photos has happened in the last year. Anyone know anything else?

Location: SJ 01382 25611

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Monday 13 September 2010

Republic P-47 C Thunderbolt 41-6246 / HL-F

Republic P-47 C Thunderbolt 41-6246 / HL-F

Had a day out on Aran Fawddwy yesterday, getting the last two sites on there cleared up.

This is one of the larger wreckage piles from the crash of this Thunderbolt, whose trail we only touched on previously. Skinning and assorted bits are scattered all around this location, which lies more or less directly below the impact point.

Location: SH 86389 21890

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North American P 51-D Mustang 44-72340 / WD-K

North American P 51-D Mustang 44-72340 / WD-K
Rainforest 0 wreck-hunters 1

We located one of the wreckage piles from this crash site, whose close-packed spiky vegetation and deep ground cover defeated us (as it has many others) previously. Result!

Note that the coordinates below are plus or minus around 25m, (rather than our normal 5m) due to interference with our GPSr signal from the dense tree cover, so here's some additional assistance: there is a stream too small to appear on the 1:25K OS map in the vicinity of these coordinates. Close to the side of the stream is a really big boulder, the largest we saw in the wood. You should more or less be able to see the wreckage from this boulder.

Location: SH 84043 23682

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