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Re: Where is P-38L 44-26969??

Posted by Richard Allnutt on Wed Dec 04, 2002 01:25:40 AM

In reply top Where is P-38L 44-26969?? posted by Dennis Bergstrom on Wed Dec 04, 2002 12:57:47 AM

It did survive the crash pretty well intact, with the exception of the cockpit area. According to my information, relayed to me by a friend of Jack Erickson, Bruce Pruett arranged for the aircraft to be immediately removed from the crash site, ie. cut up. I have seen pictures of it in a yard, shortly afterwards, and it was cut into pretty small pieces indeed, nothing appearing to be more than three or four feet long from what I can tell. From what I understand the wreck is, or was, supposed to be rebuilt into a static airframe for the P-38 pilot's association. This information is several years old now though, and I have heard nothing since. Hope this helps.

Cheers,
Richard

: Bruce Pruett's P-38 NL7973 that Jeff Ethell died in back i
: n 1997. I saw a number of aerial photos of the aircraft r
: ight after the accident happened and it looked fairly inta
: ct from the air. The official accident report says that t
: he cockpit was heavily damaged by fire and small fires had
: occurred by each engine's fuel system. I "heard" that it
: was dismantled and taken to a salvage yard in Salem Orego
: n not long after the crash. Does anyone out there know wha
: t happened to the aircraft after that? Does it still exis
: t or was it scrapped? Dennis

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