P47 Wreckage

JIMSJEEP · 02-21-2009, 10:09 PM

Some pieces of a P47, found in the Ardennes Belgium, the site is well known with locals and has been well dug over the years, so I was pleased to find what I did it is said the wreak impacted on the surface, there is a depression in the ground, but it is mainly from people gigging and disturbing the soil ( a few discarded water bottles) One of the best finds was the Oil Filler hatch I found that by searching in the leaves some distance from the main site, I thought I'd have to search the less obvious areas and it worked. You can quite clearly make out the masked off olive drab and natrual aluminum demarcation line, suggesting a natrual aluminum ship, the panel is located on the left side of the fuselage 8/10 feet in front of the pilot. Some nice pieces of perspex, a curved piece (bubble top) and a corner piece with the correct angle for the forward side canopy .

**packin9** · 02-25-2009, 04:10 PM

Nice finds JIM. Do any of the locals know where the bigger pieces are? Some ID# would be great to find out where it came from and about the pilot. (lived or went down with it)Does anyone around know the story?

JIMSJEEP · 02-25-2009, 09:27 PM

Unfortunately, I don't think there are locals around in that area who were around at that time. I was lucky enough to get the info were it was from a friend of mine who knows a local postman who is intrested in the War. He told us where it was. My guess is most of the wreckage was carted off for scrap, the Belgium's didn't mess around in clearing up the country side. So no big pieces with aircraft with ID numbers particular to that ship. Would be great to get some history on what happened, did he bail, which FG it came from, may be the location is on a crash report somewhere.

**packin9** · 02-25-2009, 11:36 PM

Oh well....still,nice finds!

**ironcross1** · 02-26-2009, 04:48 AM

Awesome stuff , some realy nice bits of history , cheers Raymond

**Gary J** · 02-26-2009, 08:32 AM

Might be worth contacting these people ...
from the few item you have, the serial numbers might be enough to ID the aircraft ....

20th. Fighter Group Home Page

Gary J.

**Steve T** · 02-26-2009, 09:41 AM

From the ID number on that one piece shown above clearly identifies it as part of a P47........

Aviation Archaeology- Part Number Prefix By Aircraft Type

......do what Polski says and see if there is a website dedicated to P47 fighter groups....they often carry lists of which aircraft was shot down, when and where.

Steve T

**Steve T** · 02-26-2009, 09:44 AM

Hang on.....this site may prove useful.....you will have to trawl through the info but it'll be worth it.

8th Air Force Fighter Group - Littlefriends.co.uk

Steve T

**packin9** · 02-26-2009, 04:12 PM

by Polski44

Might be worth contacting these people ...
from the few item you have, the serial numbers might be enough to ID the aircraft ....

20th. Fighter Group Home Page

Gary J.

I agree also!!

**ssg keay** · 02-26-2009, 07:48 PM

check on ArmyAirForces.com but don't have to much hope. Without eye-witnesses who can narrow down a date, it will be almost impossible to ID the plane. I have been doing this since 1979! The part number tells you were it came from on the plane, but not which particular plane. 89 stands for P-47, like 102 stands for P-51. Danny