WIX Archives
Don Brooks P-40 41-5709
Posted by Paul McMillan on Sat Sep 06, 2003 08:49:13 AM
In reply top null posted by null on null
While searching P-40 mysterys (there are more in this type than any other aircraft ;-() ) I found an inconsitency in the Warbird Directory Vol 4 on this aircraft.
It started when I found these old Flying Tigers newsletters about Tom Riley restoring Don Brooks P-40 in Georgia and Florida
http://www.warbirdmuseum.com/society/oldnewsletters/fall2002/fall_2002.htm
http://www.warbirdmuseum.com/society/oldnewsletters/winter_2002/winter_2002.htm
I then found an entry in WW Directory 4 that this was infact 41-5709 as being to Soviet AF as ???, and recovered from Russia circa 1992.
However, a recipical search revealed this web site that a P-40 was recovered by Dick Odgers from Cold Bay, Alaska and sold to Don Brooks. This being quoted as a "41-9705" this is an obvious typo as this was a Vultee BT-13A Valiant
serial. So this was actually 41-5709.. Which crashed at Cold Bay in Alaska.
Other aircraft in this constuction batch did go to the USSR (as well as USAAF, RAAF and AVG) and many to Alaska. But was this aircraft on a delivery flight to Russia or was in USAAF service? However, one definitive point is that it was not recovered from the Soviet Union. (though it is possible wreckage from this source is in the rebuild)
The Don Odgers page is at:
http://www.pacificwrecks.com/photos/current/odgers/
Now, to track down the P-38's wreckage in the same newsletters to (maybe) the ones mentioned and pictured in the latest Air Enthusiast as crashing at Point McKenzie Alaska