U.S. Army/U.S.M.C. Curtiss A-25A (SB2C-1A "Helldiver"), above four photos.
This rare aircraft was produced for the United States Navy as the SB2C "Helldiver" and under this contract, the U.S. Army
ordered 900 "Helldiver's", and designated them A-25A. The U.S. Army later transferred the A-25A aircraft to the U.S.M.C. and
redesignated them SB2C-1A. The wartime history of this aircraft is unknown. The aircraft, shown above, was recovered from
Barbers Point Naval Air Station, Hawaii. The aircraft is painted olive green with grey undersides. The U.S. National Insignia has
been applied twice to the side of the aircraft. Sun exposure and weather has exposed both sets of insignia. A second
A-25/SB2C center wing section is seen in front of the olive green painted aircraft.
QuestMasters Museum did not recover either of these aircraft.
U.S. Army B-17E 41-2644 "Flying Fortress", named "LOS LOBOS" and "ROVER BOY", above two photos.
In 1995, QuestMasters Museum found and recovered this starboard side of the nose section of the B-17 "LOS LOBOS". The
nose section was found by QuestMasters while conducting aircraft archeology work in Hawaii. This B-17E was delivered March
7th 1942. It would serve with the 394th Bombardment Squadron at Bellows Field on Oahu, until deployment to the 5th Air Force
in the South Pacific island campaign. The co-pilot of B-17E 41-2644 "Los Lobos" was Second Lieutenant Eugene Wesley
Roddenberry, who would later be the creator of the original "Star Trek" television series.
When this B-17E was retired from combat, "LOS LOBOS" was used as a personal transport by 13th Air Depot commander
General George McCoy. It is believed that is when "The Rover Boys" name was added to the plane under "LOS LOBOS". B-17E
41-2644 would be scrapped at Wheeler Field, Oahu Hawaii at the end off WWII. The nose section would remain buried until
found and recovered by QuestMasters Museum in 1995.
QuestMasters Museum transferred this B-17E nose section to the Wings Remembered Museum, Nashville Tennessee, in the
early 2000's.
For more information:
https://www.historynet.com/roddenberrys-war.htm
http://www.wingsremembered.com/displaysandstories/91-gene-roddenberry-co-pilot-b-17-41-2644-los-lobos-of-the-394th-bs
U.S. Army B-24J 42-109938 "Liberator" Bomber, above three photos.
The top photo shows B-24J-115-CO 42-109938 at the end of WWII, while assigned to the 7th Air Force in Hawaii. The number
938 is painted below the nose turret. The starboard fuselage nose section, above left photo, was found and recovered by
QuestMasters Museum, while conducting aircraft archeology work in Hawaii in 1995. The number 938 is painted just below the
starboard nose window in yellow. The starboard fuselage section, above right photo, was found in proximity to the B-24J
42-109938 nose section. This is the waist-gun position with air deflector mounted on the side. The top blue circle of the U.S.
National Insignia is present. This specific U.S. National Insignia has a red outline, which was only used from June 1943 to
August 1943. The red outline, shown here, has been over-painted in a darker blue paint. B-24J 42-109938 would serve with the
11th Bomb Group, 5th Air Force in the South Pacific island campaign, before being scrapped in Hawaii at the end of WWII.  
These fuselage sections, of this B-24, were recovered by QuestMasters Museum for preservation.
U.S. Army B-24J-80-CO 42-100218, above five photos.
B-24J-80-CO 42-100218 carried two names during WWII: "Consolidated Mess" (left side of fuselage) and "Tropical Dream"
(right side of fuselage). This aircraft served with the 98th Bombardment Squadron, 11th Bomb Group, 7th Air Force in combat
during WWII in the South Pacific.
B-24J-80-CO 42-100218 was accepted December 7th 1943 and assigned to the 7th Air Force, Hawaiian Air Depot on January
11th 1944, for assignment with the 98th Bomb Squadron, 11th Bomb Group.

HISTORY OF THE 11TH BOMB GROUP
The 11th Bomb Group moved to the New Hebrides on July 22nd 1942 and temporarily being part of 13th Air Force by the end
of 1942. The 11th BG bombed airfields, supply dumps, ships, docks, troop positions, and other objectives in the South Pacific
from July to November 1942, and received a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for these operations. Continued operations
during the Battle of Guadalcanal and the Northern Solomons Islands the 11th Bomb group attacked Japanese airfields,
installations, and shipping until late March 1943. The group returned to Hawaii on 8 April 1943 and was reassigned to Seventh
Air Force. Following this, the group received the Consolidated B-24 "Liberator" bomber, which it flew until the end of the war.  
While in Hawaii, the group refitted and trained with the B-24, even flying combat missions against Wake Island and other
central Pacific bases held by the Japanese. The 11th Bomb Group deployed to Ellice Island on November 9th 1943 and
resumed combat with the 26th, 42nd, 98th and 431st squadrons participating in the Allied offensive through the Gilbert,
Marshall and Mariana Islands, while operating from Funafuti, Tarawa, and Kwajalein. The 11th Bomb Group moved to Guam on
October 25th 1944 and attacked shipping and airfields in the Volcano and Bonin Islands. On July 2nd 1945, the Group moved
to Okinawa to participate in the final phases of the air offensive against Japan, bombing railways, airfields, and harbor
facilities on Kyushu and striking airfields in China. After the war ceased the group flew reconnaissance and surveillance
missions to China and ferried liberated prisoners of war from Okinawa to Luzon, Philippines.
B-24J-80-CO 42-100218 would ultimately be scrapped in Hawaii at the end of WWII, having completed at least 55 combat
bombing missions in the Pacific bombing campaigns.
QuestMasters Museum found and recovered the painted serial number section of the starboard vertical stabilizer of
B-24J-80-CO 42-100218 near Wheeler Army Air Force Base, January 1996, Oahu Hawaii.
As seen in the photo above, the starboard vertical stabilizer section has patched sections near the number "1" from Japanese
battle damage in combat. These over-painted patches can be seen in the original black and white photo above.
This B-24 tail section is in the QuestMasters Museum collection.
U.S. Army B-24D-10-CO 41-23901, above three photos.
Consolidated B-24D-10-CO 41-23901 was accepted September 8th 1942 and transferred to St. Paul, Minnesota Modification
Center on September 23rd 1942. She was then transferred to New Castle on October 3rd 1942 and then Sioux City, Iowa for
assignment with the 371st Bomb Squadron, 307th Bomb Group. The entire cadre and 35 bombers would transfer to Hamilton
Field, California on October 26th 1942. Three days later, on October 31st 1942, B-24D-10-CO 41-23901 with the other B-24's of
the 307th Bomb Group, would deploy to Oahu, Hawaii. The 371st Bomb Squadron of the 307th Bomb Group would be assigned
to Wheeler Field to conduct search and patrol missions.
On December 12th 1942, B-24D-10-CO 41-23901 with her Pilot 1st Lt. James H. McClendon, would crash on the Wailua Sugar
Cane Plantation near Waimea Falls, Oahu Hawaii, causing the aircraft to explode and burn. The official Army Investigation cites
the cause of the accident as unknown. The pilot and four crew members were killed in the crash with two of the crew surviving
with minor injuries.

On December 27th 1942, fifteen days after B-24D-10-CO 41-23901 crashed and was destroyed, twenty-seven 307th Bomb
Group B-24's few from Oahu to Midway Island and attacked the Japanese on Wake Island. This extended range mission gave
the 307th Bomb Group their name the "Long Rangers". The 307th Bomb Group would then set-up on Espirtu Santo, New
Hebrides on January 13th 1943.

This Consolidated B-24D-10-CO 41-23901 "Liberator" was found on the Wailua Sugar Cane Plantation near Waimea Falls by
QuestMasters in 1994, Oahu, Hawaii. Much of aircraft remains were hauled away for aluminum scrap in late 1980's.
Several small pieces were recovered for the QuestMasters Museum including the port wing star, above left photo; an E-6B
Dead Reckoning Computer, a MARBLES match container (marked Made by Gladstone, Mich U.S.A., Pat'd 1900), multiple .50
caliber unfired rounds - marked DM 42 and LC 42 and a gun oiler container top, above right photo; two pieces of the main
landing gear tires - note that each tire had a different tread pattern and the bottom half of a U.S. Army Mess Kit, from one of
the crew members, above photo.
U.S. Army Curtiss P-36A 38-15 "Hawk" Fighter Aircraft and P-36A 38-70 "Hawk" Fighter Aircraft, above four photos.
On July 12th 1941, 09:15 Hawaii Time, a mid-air collision occurred between Lt. Ulysses S. O'Hern flying P-36A 38-15 and
Lt. Richard A. Toole flying P-36A 38-70. Both pilots were able to bail-out of their aircraft successfully. Both aircraft were from
the 45th Pursuit Squadron, 15th Pursuit Group, 7th Air Force.
In 1994, QuestMasters conducted a search of the P-36A crash site, located on the Wailua Sugarcane Plantation, Oahu Hawaii
U.S.A., between Haleiwa and Wahiawa, Oahu, Hawaii. A left and right main landing gear leg was found, top two photos; several
pieces of heavily burned aircraft skin; a Signal Corps C-217 Coil Set data plate, with Serial Number 372, Order Number
14748-NY-38, produced by Aircraft Radio Corp. Boonton, N.J.; and a Signal Corps Radio Receiver BC-AH-229 data plate, Serial
Number 372, Order Number 14748-NY-38, produced by Aircraft Radio Corp.
The landing gear legs were recovered and forwarded to a museum for restoration. The P-36A aluminum frame section and
plexiglass, above right photo, are in the QuestMasters Museum collection.

Squadron Historical information via "Army Aviation in Hawaii, 1913-1941" by Ted Darcy, published 1991.  
U.S. Navy TBM-1C "Avenger" Torpedo Bomber, above three photos.
This Navy TBM-1C "Avenger" was also found on Barbers Point Naval Air Station, Hawaii in the 1990's. The aircraft was
recovered by QuestMasters and is seen prior to disassembly for shipment. This aircraft served with a training squadron on
Barbers Point Naval Air Station, Territory Hawaii U.S.A., during WWII. A a young U.S. Navy Ensign ground-looped the aircraft
during WWII. The Ensign was unhurt but the aircraft was struck from inventory due to extreme fire damage. This TBM-1C sat
for 50 years in the runway bushes of Barbers Point NAS until recovered in the mid-1990's.
QuestMasters Museum
Aircraft Archeology Page
North American Aviation NA-142, Navy designation XSN2J-1, Serial Number 142-38427 and 142-38428, above three photos.
On the coast of Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, are the remains of a military aircraft. In October 2015,
QuestMasters Museum conducted an investigation and identification of these aircraft remains. For many years, these parts
were believed to be from U.S. Navy Bell XFL-1 "Airabonita" or one of the two WWII German Arado 234 jet powered bomber that
were evaluated at NAS PAX River after WWII and designated with USN BuAer. No. 121445 "Jane I" and USN BuAer. No. 121446
"Snafu I". All of these aircraft were scrapped at NAS PAX River and used as land fill near the coast. The aircraft remains that
protrude from the landfill area are not from the XFL-1 or German Arado 234. The parts shown here are from one of two North
American Aviation NA-142, Navy designation XSN2J-1 aircraft, Serial Number 142-38427 and 142-38428. XSN2J-1 first flew on
February 15th 1947, with two aircraft being evaluated by the Navy. Neither aircraft were considered satisfactory during
evaluations. The program was cancelled in 1948, and both aircraft scrapped at NAS PAX River. The part, shown above, has the
part number 142-14215-5 (stamped and then written in black pencil) for the XSN2J-1.
The following WWII and post-WWII aircraft crash sites were located, researched and identified by
QuestMasters Museum and are presented here for future historians and further research.
Any use of the following information or photos from this page should be credited to QuestMasters Museum.
U.S. Navy TBM-1C "Avenger" Torpedo Bomber
Barbers Point, Hawaii
U.S. Army A-25A
U.S. Navy SB2C "Helldiver" Dive Bomber
Barbers Point, Hawaii
U.S. Army Boeing B-17E 41-2644 "LOS LOBOS"
"Flying Fortress" Bomber
Wheeler Field, Hawaii
U.S. Army Consolidated B-24J-115-CO 42-109938
"Liberator" Bomber
Wheeler Field, Hawaii
U.S. Army Consolidated B-24J-80-CO 42-100218
"Liberator" Bomber - "Consolidated Mess" and
"Tropical Dream"
Wheeler Field, Hawaii
U.S. Army North American T-6G "Texan" / P-40 "Warhawk", Magnum P.I. Television Show, above five photos.
In 1996, QuestMasters purchased the remains of a T-6G "Texan" that was used as a prop in the television program "Magnum
P.I.". The T-6G was modified to look like a P-40 "Warhawk" that had been shot down during WWII. In 1987, Episode 15, Season
7, "Solo Flight" aired, which featured this aircraft for this episode. The storyline was that Magnum goes on a soul-searching
trek after a being terminated from a case he couldn't solve. His trip leads him to the top of a mountain where he spotted an
old plane crash from WWII, only to be pinned under the fuselage, leg bleeding, and trying to keep from going delirious when
he can't free himself.
The T-6G "Texan" / P-40 "Warhawk" hybrid, named "Sleepy Time Gal" would then be sold from the T.V. filming set, and the
fuselage section of the T-6G obtained by QuestMasters in 1996.
The original data plate, top left photo, is marked: AIRPLANE MOD. T-6G, DWG OR PART NO. 168-31105, CONTR. NO. F-20914,
SER. NO. 037-F. The T-6G "Texan" series aircraft was built after WWII from rebuilt wartime produced AT-6's, with upgraded
features.
This T-6 cockpit was used to rebuild the cockpit section of the 1944 U.S. Navy SNJ-5B BuNo. 84947 in the QuestMasters
Museum collection.
P-40E-CU 41-5709 “Warhawk”, dorsal wing star, above left photo.
Shown here is a U.S. Army WWII P-40E “Warhawk” starboard underside wing star. This early style U.S. National Insignia Star
has the red center, which was discontinued in production in May 1942. The red center was then painted-over in white per AAF
regulations, so not to be confused with a Japanese aircraft.
This star is from P-40E-CU 41-5709 “Warhawk”, 18th Fighter Squadron, 343rd Fighter Group, 11th Air Force built January 13th
1942 and crashed by 1st Lt. Dennis Crisp on September 26th 1942, Fort Randall Army Airfield, Alaska. This P-40 was salvaged
from Cold Bay Airfield in 1987. The actual P-40 has now been restored and is flying with the Texas Flying Legends Museum in
Texas. Later in WWII, promoted to Colonel, Dennis Crisp would transfer to the European Theater and would serve as the  
Commanding Officer of the 396th Fighter Squadron, 368th Fighter Group.
The 18th Fighter Squadron was active during the in the Aleutian Campaign for the recapturing of Attu and Kiska Island, Alaska.
The above right photo shows two Curtiss P-40E's of the 11th Fighter Squadron, 343rd Fighter Group in Alaska. The 11th
Fighter Squadron was known as the "Aleutian Tigers".
This P-40E wing star is in the QuestMasters Museum collection.
U.S. Army Curtiss P-40E-CU 41-5709 “Warhawk”
Fighter Aircraft
Cold Bay, Alaska
U.S. Navy Bell XFL-1 "Airabonita", German Arado
234, and U.S. Navy XSN2J-1
NAS Patuxent River, Maryland
U.S. Army North American T-6G "Texan" -
P-40 "Warhawk", Magnum P.I. Television Show
Oahu, Hawaii
B-17E 41-2443 "Flying Fortress" fuselage skin, above photo.
This ventral, or underside, fuselage skin shown here, was recovered by QuestMasters in 1994. The fuselage skin section, with
gray underside paint, is from a U.S. Army Air Force B-17E ”Flying Fortress” Serial Number 41-2443, assigned to the 42nd
Bomb Squadron, 11th Bomb Group, Hickam Field, Hawaii. This B-17E, as well as several others, were the first B-17's to
arrived at Hickam Field, Territory Hawaii, December 15th 1941, eight days after the December 7th 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor
and other military bases on Oahu, Hawaii. In April 1942, the aircraft took off on night patrol looking for the Japanese
submarine that was reportedly refueling the “Emily” flying boats that dropped bombs on Mt. Tantalus Hawaii, March 4th 1942.
Returning from the mission with bombs aboard, this B-17 crashed into the cliffs of Mount Keahiakahoe near the Nu'uanu Pali,
Hawaii April 5th 1942. All eleven Army Air Force crewmembers were killed in the crash: Pilot 1st Lt. Ward Cox Jr. ASN O-
392806; Co-Pilot 1st Lt. Charles O. Allan Jr. ASN O-367225; Bombardier 2nd Lt. James W. Bushee ASN O-430910; SSgt Luther
L. Perry Jr. ASN 6292999; MSgt Jesse L. Schneider ASN 12025843; SSgt Mathias E. Donart ASN 6568848; SSgt Edward L.
Hakes ASN 6667164; SSgt Wilbur L. Gravitt ASN 6296816; Cpl. John F. Morris ASN 6999571; and Cpl John E. Muckey ASN
6981906.

The Second Attack on Pearl Harbor, March 4th 1942:
After the highly effective attack on the military facilities on the island of Oahu, Hawaii December 7th 1941 a second attack was
conducted on March 4th 1942. During the night of March 4th, two Kawanishi H8K “Emily” flying boats from the 24th Air
Flotilla, based at Jaluit and Wotje took off on a bombing mission against Pearl Harbor. The target was obscured by clouds,
and one aircraft dropped its bombs harmlessly onto Mount Tantalus, Oahu. The other released its bombs into the sea.
"Operation K" was conceived as a retaliation for the U.S. raid against the Marshalls in early February 1942. Japanese
seaplanes used the French Frigate Shoals, as a rendezvous point. To avoid detection, the planes headed south between Kauai
and Niihau before heading to the western tip of Oahu. The "Emily" flying boats closed formation and approached Kaena Point
at 15,000 feet. Some clouds were observed over the Koolau mountain range and in the direction of Pearl Harbor. The two
flying boats continued on an eastward course to bring them north of Pearl Harbor, where they intended to turn south for their
bomb run. Over the target, clouds obscured Oahu and lights on the ground were blacked out.

The B-17E crash, detailed above, would happen two weeks before the famous "Doolittle Raid" on Tokyo, Japan, April 18th
1942 and two months before the Japanese attack on Midway Island, just north of the Hawaiian Islands, June 4th through 7th
1942.
U.S. Army Boeing B-17E 41-2443 ”Flying Fortress”
Bomber Aircraft
Oahu, Hawaii
P-47 "Thunderbolt" fuselage section, White "8", above left photo.
This P-47 "Thunderbolt" fuselage section was found by QuestMasters Museum on Oahu, Hawaii, in 1995. The olive green
painted aluminum skin, with partial number white stenciled "8", was found from aircraft scrapping operations that were done
on Oahu after WWII. The Republic Aircraft Company, part number 89F11711-1L, is stamped on the rear of this fuselage
section. QuestMasters Museum believes this is from P-47D-11-RE 42-75304, which was assigned to the 333rd Fighter
Squadron, 318th Fighter Group, 7th Air Force.
P-47D-11-RE 42-75304, above right photo, Army Air Force photo 63944A.C., War Theater #22 A40618, via National Archives,
College Park, Maryland, shows this aircraft flying above Kahuhu Airfield, Oahu, September 18th 1944.

The 333rd Fighter Squadron was activated August 23rd 1942, becoming the third squadron of the 318th Fighter Group, 7th
Fighter Command, 7th Air Force. The 318th FG then consisted of the 19th, the 73rd, and the 333rd Squadrons. Components of
the 333rd FS, including many of the enlisted personal, were survivors of the December 7th 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor.
In early 1944, the 333rd Fighter Squadron was stabilized with its compliment of pilots and equipped with P-47D fighter aircraft,
and tasked with a heavy training schedule. On July 4th 1944, they flew to Ford Island where the aircraft were hoisted aboard
the aircraft carrier Sargent Bay, CVE-83. In July, 3,800 miles west of Hawaii, the Squadron launched from the carrier and
landed on Aslito Saipan and joined the rest of the 318th Fighter Group in support of the Mariana Island Campaign.
In mid-March 1945, the 333rd Fighter Squadron pilots returned to Hawaii via Military Air Transport, and ferried new P-47N
aircraft back to Siapan via Johnson, Majuro, and Eniwetok. On May 13th 1945, the squadron flew 1,425 miles from Siapan to Ie
Shima, to join the Okinawa Campaign and to fly escort and fighter sweep missions over Japan. The Squadron remained on Ie
Shima until war's end and saw the Japanese surrender team land on Ie Shima on August 19th 1945.

It is not currently known how P-47D-11-RE 42-75304 was photographed on September 18th 1944 on Oahu, when the 333rd
Fighter Squadron departed Oahu on July 4th 1944 or if the aircraft had left Oahu. If the aircraft did depart Oahu in combat
with the 333rd Fighter Squadron it is not known if or when returned to the Island of Hawaii to be scrapped.
U.S. Army Republic P-47D-11-RE 42-75304
"Thunderbolt" Fighter Aircraft
Oahu, Hawaii
PBY-5A BuNo 2487 "Catalina" aircraft fuselage star, above left photo.
PBY-5A BuNo 2487 was the 390th PBY-5 produced and was assigned to Navy Patrol Squadron VP-11, Kaneohe NAS, Oahu,
Hawaii. The U.S. National Insignia star, above left photo was recovered by QuestMasters Museum on Oahu, Hawaii in 1995.
This fuselage skin is painted blue and has part of the white star present.
On April 5th 1942, PBY-5A BuNo 2487 was returning from a routine patrol duty out of Kaneohe NAS, Oahu Hawaii. The pilot
descended down to the Southeast of Oahu, in darkness and squally weather under instrument conditions, he turned
northwest and approached the Makapu'u Light in the belief that it was Barber's Point Light. He then apparently attempted to
circle what he erroneously thought was the Barber's Point Light at low altitude, and crashed into the hillside in normal flight
about 200 yards south of the Makapu'u Light.
At the time of the accident the pilot and crew were on their second flight for the day and had been in the air a total of 12.3
hours. The nine crew aboard the aircraft were killed in the crash: Ensign William H. Howe, Ensign George L. Doll, AMM1 Orren
A. Roberts, AMM3 Joseph H. Hayman, ARM2 Jack Parish, AMM2 Billy B. Herrin, AM3 Delbert G. Berchot, RM3 Charles L.
Andrews and SEA1 William F. Allen.

This PBY-5A BuNo 2487 crashed on the same day as the B-17E 41-2443, shown above.
U.S. Navy Consolidated PBY-5A BuNo 2487 "Catalina"
Flying Boat / Patrol Bomber
Oahu, Hawaii
U.S. Navy F-4U "Corsair" Fighter, aircraft propeller assembly, above photo.
This WWII U.S. Navy F-4U "Corsair" fighter aircraft propeller assembly was previously removed from an aircraft that had a
ground strike, as evident from the broken propeller tips and bent blades. The assembly was found, as shown, from a dump
site on Kaneohe Bay NAS, Oahu Hawaii, in 1994, and recovered and later sold.
U.S. Navy WWII Aircraft Dump Site
Oahu, Hawaii
U.S. Navy TBM/TBF "Avenger" Torpedo Bomber and PBM "Mariner" Flying Boat, gun turrets, above four photos.
These U.S. Navy TBM/TBF "Avenger" Torpedo Bomber gun turrets, left and right top photos and above left photo, and the
U.S. Navy PBM "Mariner" Flying Boat, gun turret, above right photo were recovered from a dump site on Kaneohe Bay NAS,
Oahu Hawaii, in 1994, and recovered and later sold. All have very extreme oxidation from 50 years of Pacific salt-air exposure.
U.S. Army Curtiss P-36A 38-15 and P-36A 38-70  
"Hawk" Fighter
Wailua, Hawaii
P-47D-11-RE 42-75329 "Thunderbolt" starboard aileron section with trim tab, above left and right photo.
On February 7th 1944, P-47D-11-RE 42-75329 crashed 1 mile west of Dillingham Airport, against the northward face of the
Kaʻena Point mountain range, Oahu Hawaii. The pilot's name was S.B. Mohn, assigned to the 7th Air Force. He was killed in
the crash. No other information is currently available.
In 1995, QuestMasters recovered this olive drab painted starboard aileron section, above left photo, and gray painted
underside starboard aileron section, above right photo, from the crash site. This aileron section is in the QuestMasters
Museum collection.
The black and white photo, Air Corps Photo 59363A.C., via National Archives College Park Maryland, shown above, shows 71
Republic P-47's with their pilots and crew chiefs lined up for inspection at Bellows Field, Oahu, Hawaii, May 16th 1944. This
photo was taken three months after this P-47 crash history above. Bellows Field is located on the eastern side of Oahu, 25
miles from Ka'ena Point, which is on the northwest side of Oahu. This wartime photo is shown here to show the elevation of
the mountain range that runs across the center of Oahu, Hawaii, that P-47D-11-RE 42-75329 crashed into.
U.S. Army Republic P-47D-11-RE 42-75329
"Thunderbolt" Fighter Aircraft
Oahu, Hawaii
P-47D-15-RE 42-75775 "Thunderbolt", above photo
This photo, Army Air Force photo 58815A.C., War Theater #22 A40873, via National Archives, College Park, Maryland, shows
"pilot leaving his Republic P-47 after a check flight", Oahu, Hawaii, print received April 20th 1944.
This photo is included in this history section for the similar "8" painted on the P-47 fuselage section, recovered by
QuestMasters, shown above. The aircraft shown above, P-47D-15-RE 42-75775, was also part of the 19th Fighter Squadron,
318th Fighter Group, 7th Air Force, referenced above. This aircraft was also launched from an escort carrier to Saipan in June
1944. It crashed on June 27th 1944 during a rocket strafing mission on Gurguan Point, Mariana Islands.

The P-47 fuselage section with white painted stenciled "8", appears to be specific to the 333rd Fighter Group Aircraft that
were marked on Oahu, Hawaii prior to deploying to the South Pacific and some of these aircraft may have returned to Oahu to
be scrapped at the end of WWII.
U.S. Army B-24J-155-CO 44-40332, above five photos.
This aircraft, B-24J-155-CO 44-40332 "Liberator" bomber, was found by QuestMasters Museum in February 1993 above Aiea,
Hawaii. This is the first aircraft crash site that, what would later be known as QuestMasters, surveyed for historical
identification. This aircraft was accepted March 22nd 1944, from the Consolidated San Diego Factory, and departed the
Continental United States on May 3rd 1944. After arrival at Hickam Field, Oahu, Hawaii, the aircraft crashed shortly after
take-off on May 5th 1944, 05:22 Hawaii Time, prior to her final assignment to the 5th Army Air Force in Australia. All ten crew
members were killed on impact. The aircraft burst into flames, nearly destroying the entire aircraft and part of the rain forest
of the Puu Uau Ridge, above Aiea, Oahu, Hawaii. This area is known today as the "Aiea Loop Trail". The official Army Report of
Accident, dated May 14th 1944, lists the exact cause as to why the pilot failed to turn away from the mountains as "unknown".
At the crash site, top left photo, a large section of the wing section remains near the trail. Further down the hill, one landing
gear with tire is present as well as the Motor Products A-6B Tail Turret, above two center photos. The Consolidated San Diego
produced B-24J used the Motor Products A-6B Hydraulic Turret in the nose and tail of the aircraft, replacing the Emerson A-15
Electric Turret. The Motor Products A-6B Hydraulic Nose Turret had an aluminum fairing around the two AN-M2 .50 caliber
guns, to reduce wind drag. The Motor Products A-6B Tail Turret, shown above, dose not have these fairings. The pilot seat
bottom, above photo, is from either the Pilot Wayne R. Kimble, 2nd Lt., ASN O-758579 or the Co-Pilot William E. Somsel Jr.,
2nd Lt., ASN O-764815.

The crew of B-24J-155-CO 44-40332 that were killed on May 5th 1944 were: Wayne R. Kimble, 2nd Lt., ASN O-758579, Pilot;
William E. Somsel Jr., 2nd Lt., ASN O-764815, Co-Pilot; Charles E. Mueller, 2nd Lt., ASN O-707308, Navigator; Morris
Righthand, 2nd Lt., ASN O-704314, Bombardier; Jack J. Dowd, Staff Sgt., ASN 36439290, Flight Engineer/Top Turret Gunner;
Marion F. Norman, Staff Sgt., ASN 16167603, Radio Operator; James H. Means, Sgt., ASN 34473881, Gunner; Manuel F.
Campos, Cpl., ASN 39294831, Gunner; Gerald L. Weiss, Cpl., ASN 16115551, Gunner; and Joseph J. Carlucci, Cpl., ASN
32726269, Gunner.

QuestMasters recovered the remains of the Martin 250 Top Turret, Norden Bombsight C-1 Stabilizer, and aircraft nose section
just behind the front turret with Consolidated Craft Number 1198, painted on the right side. This items are now at the Yankee
Air Museum, Michigan.
The Sperry A-6 Ball Turret was recovered from the crash site many years before 1993.
A section of fuselage skin and the bottom seat pan section from one of two Pilot Seats, remain in the QuestMasters Museum
collection. The black and white photo, shown above, was made by QuestMasters from an original 1944 Consolidated photo.
This is not an actual photo of B-24J-155-CO 44-40332.
U.S. Army Consolidated B-24J-155-CO 44-40332
"Liberator" Bomber
Oahu, Hawaii
U.S. Army Consolidated B-24D-10-CO 41-23901
"Liberator" Bomber
Oahu, Hawaii
U.S. Army WWII Aircraft Dump Site,
Scrapping Operations
Oahu, Hawaii
WWII B-24 "Liberator" Bomber fuselage star, above left photo.
This fuselage star may have come from the remains of B-24J-115-CO 42-109938 or B-24J-80-CO 42-100218, shown above, or it
may have come from another B-24 scrapped in the vicinity, as all of the recovered parts were intermixed when they were
buried. The horizontal stringers on the rear of this fuselage section are specific to the B-24 "Liberator" bomber.
WWII U.S. replacement aircraft parts, above right photo.
These recovered parts were factory produced replacement parts for the repair of damaged fuselage stringers or frames on
the aircraft airframe, by the Hawaiian Air Depot during WWII. None of these parts were used during the war and were disposed
of at the conclusion of WWII.
The following WWII aircraft items were recovered by QuestMasters Museum between 1995 and 1996, from WWII aircraft
scrapping operations done on Oahu, Hawaii, at the conclusion of the war. All of these items, shown below, remain in the
QuestMasters Museum collection. Some artifacts, not pictured, have been transferred to other museums for presentation or
to be used in WWII aircraft restoration projects. Identified WWII U.S. aircraft parts that were found and recovered, were
removed from the following aircraft Pacific Campaign WWII aircraft: B-17, B-24, B-25, B-26, P-61, P-51, P-40, P-38 and T-6.
Many of these parts are a mix of removed parts and unused parts. Not all of the parts have markings to identify the type of
aircraft that they were removed from or what aircraft they were intended to be installed on.
Recovered WWII aircraft parts, above left photo.
Parts shown here have the following markings: 44B429LH (unidentified); 224321-R P-TES- (unidentified); EA71462
(unidentified); SIMMONS 180 RADIAN (unidentified); 230092-2L 5010-LOB (unidentified). The remaining parts have no visible
markings.
WWII U.S. aircraft parts, above right photo.
These recovered parts were factory produced replacement parts for the repair of damaged fuselage stringers or frames on
the aircraft airframe, by the Hawaiian Air Depot during WWII. None of these parts were used during the war and were disposed
of at the conclusion of WWII. Also shown is a .50 caliber AN-M2 ammunition flexible gun chute, used in various WWII U.S.
aircraft.
Recovered WWII aircraft parts, above left photo.
Parts shown here have the following markings: SEQUENCE VALVE ASSEMBLY 403196 SER X2536, Bendix Aviation
(unidentified); 4093118-10 (unidentified); North American Aviation 55-54025-5 (T-6 Texan); LS 740-12 ASSEMBLY 197614-500
(unidentified); 121-54372-5 (T-6F Texan);
Recovered WWII aircraft part, above right photo.
This part appears to be an armored glass frame for the pilot instrument panel of a U.S. Army produced A-24 Dive Bomber (the
Navy designation was the SBD "Dauntless"). The frame is marked with the part number 219-27864-1 and Douglas inspection
stamp 388.
Recovered WWII aircraft parts, above left photo.
Parts shown here have the following markings: 82-24013-4 (82: B-25 "Mitchell"); 82-61495 (82: B-25 "Mitchell"); 62-310158 and
62-310138 (62: B-25 "Mitchell"); 82-63113 (82: B-25 "Mitchell").
Recovered WWII aircraft part, above right photo.
These are various WWII aircraft parts that may have been installed on an aircraft or disposed of as unused spare parts.
U.S. Army Mess Kit Fork, above photo.
This U.S. Army Mess Kit Fork was found under very unusual circumstances. While exploring the Puu Uau Ridge, Oahu, Hawaii,
several miles past the crash site of B-24J-155-CO 44-40332, a food and water break was taken on the ridge while looking for
other WWII aircraft crashes. During this break, this fork was noticed sticking out of the ground - with no other items or
wreckage in sight. The fork is owner stamped F5463. These markings are known as a laundry number, the initial of the owners
last name: F and the last four digits of their Army Serial Number: 5463.
This fork may have been dropped by one of the WWII U.S. Army wreck searchers, or military training done there during WWII,
high-up in the mountains of Oahu, Hawaii.
QuestMasters Museum recovered the fork in 1995.
U.S. Army Mess Kit Fork
Puu Uau Ridge, Oahu, Hawaii
U.S. Army Culver PQ-14 "Cadet" Target Drone Aircraft, engine oil pan, above top photo.
This U.S. Army Culver PQ-14 "Cadet" Target Drone Aircraft engine oil pan was recovered by QuestMasters in 1995 on Oahu,
Hawaii. The nomenclature plate is marked: AIRCRAFT FRANKLIN ENGINE, AAF; MANUFACTURER NUMBER O-300-11; AAF OR
BUREAU NO. (blank); CONTRACT NO. W33-038AC1078; MFR NO 5-5202?3. The PQ-14 Target Drone that this engine oil pan
came from as assigned to the 17th Tow Target Squadron, Wheeler Field 1944-1945.
U.S. Army PQ-8 Target Drones, above photo.
This Army Air Force photo, 63309A.C., War Theatre #22, Oahu, Hawaii, via National Archives College Park, Maryland, shows
several PQ-8's being maintained at Wheeler Field, Oahu, Hawaii, April 1944.
U.S. Army Culver PQ-14 "Cadet" Target Drone Aircraft
Oahu, Hawaii
U.S. Army Kingman Army Airfield, Depot 41
Scrapping Operations
Kingman, Arizona
In 2015 and 2017, QuestMasters Museum surveyed and conducted archeology work at the former Aerial Gunnery training site
of Kingman Army Air Field and later known as Depot 41, where over 5,000 WWII aircraft were stored and destroyed for
aluminum scrap between 1946 and 1948. For extensive photos of this Quest, go here:
KINGMAN ARMY AIR FIELD
QuestMasters started doing aircraft archeology work in 1993. Since then, many resources have become available online and
can now be accessed remotely.
The following five typed pages are the original reference material, compiled by QuestMasters between 1993 and 1996, and are
shown here as historical reference.
These pages are shown for reference only, errors may be present.

Aircraft prefix number history: during and prior to WWII, aircraft manufacturers marked each part of an aircraft for assembly
and part replacement. This coding system can be used to help identify aircraft parts when they are not installed in a larger
assembly.
How does this work? For example, the B-24 "Liberator" bomber was produced by the Consolidated Aircraft Company as the
Model 32 aircraft and then designated the B-24 by the United States Army. Most parts on the B-24 have the aircraft part prefix
number 32. This applies to many military aircraft manufacturers and the following pages may assist researchers on aircraft
part or crash site identification.
Aircraft Parts Prefix Numbers
QuestMasters Museum: "How to identify aircraft by
part numbers"
For additional aircraft part number prefix number reference, go here:
https://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/partmanu.htm
U.S. Army / Russian Bell P-39Q "Airacobra" fuselage star, above two photos.
The Bell Aircraft Company, New York, produced the P-39Q for the United States Army Air Force during WWII. The Bell P-39Q
was also produced for lend-lease to the Royal Air Force and the Russian Air Force during WWII. This Bell P-39Q was
recovered from Murmansk, Russia, above left photo, and obtained by QuestMasters Museum in 2018, above right photo. The
Russian Air Force red star with white outline is painted on the outside of the aircraft skin over the U.S.A.A.F. white star and
blue circle. The darker green paint over the blue circle is clearly visible in the above photo, and was applied with a brush.
The P-39Q "Airacobra" was lend-lease shipped to Russia through Alaska and used with great success by the Russian Air
Force against Germany. The P-39Q aircraft star, shown above, was shot down not far from Murmansk, Russia. The Russian
fighter pilot parachuted from the aircraft prior to the aircraft crashing. The aircraft serial number is not known.
A total of 4,719 P-39s were sent to the Soviet Union, accounting for more than one-third of all U.S. and United Kingdom
supplied fighter aircraft in the Russian Air Force during WWII, and nearly half of the total P-39 production.
Soviet P-39 "Airacobra" losses totalled 1,030 aircraft during WWII: 49 in 1942, 305 in 1943, 486 in 1944 and 190 in 1945.
U.S. Army / Russian Bell P-39Q "Airacobra"
Fighter Aircraft
Murmansk, Russia
WWII Russian IL-2 "Shturmovik" fighter aircraft instrument panel, above two photos.
This WWII Russian IL-2 "Shturmovik" fighter aircraft instrument panel, was recovered from Afrikanda II Airfield, Murmansk
Oblast, Russia, and was obtained by QuestMasters Museum in 2020. From April to June 1944, the Russian 668th Assault
Aviation Regiment flew IL-2's from this airfield.
Russian IL-2 "Shturmovik" Fighter Aircraft
Murmansk, Russia