WIX Archives

Crashed Connie 131644 -- then & now photos

Posted by Matt Poole on Sun May 11, 2003 12:34:05 PM

131644
Lockheed Model 1049B-55-75
Lockheed C/N 4145.
Side Number 7
"Pegasus "

This C-121J Constellation crashed with 80 aboard (5 minor injuries) on October 8, 1970 while attempting a landing at Murdo, Antarctica. The hulk remains on site. My brother Mike lives at Murdo for nine months of the year and has visited the wreck three times. The first three links below show photos from his website:

http://groups.msn.com/Antarcticmemories/historicpegasus.msnw

http://groups.msn.com/Antarcticmemories/pegasus.msnw

http://groups.msn.com/Antarcticmemories/thewreckofthepegusus.msnw

An excellent website on the history of this aircraft, with photos:

http://www.vaq34.com/vxe6/c121.htm

The Pegasus nose art has a link to our family history. Our mother's first husband was an RAF airman killed over Rangoon, Burma on 29 Feb 1944 when his 159 Squadron B-24, named "Daring Diana" (BZ962), was shot down by a team of Ki-43 Oscars flown by 204th Sentai aces Hiroshi Takiguchi and Bunichi Yamaguchi. They also destroyed a second 159 Sqn B-24 moments later: "Pegasus" (BZ926).

The nose art on the "Pegasus" Liberator was the same design as the winged flying horse carried on the Connie. It was not an uncommon nose art theme. The winged horse was, of course, based on the Socony-Vacuum/Mobil Oil logo still in use (although flipped 180 degrees and stylized a bit in more recent years).

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