Dean, thanks for your efforts in tracking this down!

-Paul



On Fri, 28 May 2004 15:59:43 -0400, Dean Petters
wrote:

Look at

http://fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/f-...705736_JPG.jpg

while this F-8 doesn't have that bulbous thingy, it does have protruding
hinge. if you put that with the previous link (assume that the bulb was
added without changing the hinge), then it still fits.

oh, and due to lineage, if the F-8 is a possibility, we can't rule out
an A-7. see:

http://fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/a-7-dvic153.jpg

it has the hinge and the bulb (not to mention, really sharp teeth!)

I also thought of the harrier, but when i looked at it, there were too
many dissimilarities.

Some other thoughts...

- it seems small for a wing. if the diameter of the ring is 4-5 feet,
the wing is no more than 3 times that long. very few fighters have that
short a wing.

-it's not an elevator, because how many elevators of that size have
actuators? Most of thsi size fully rotate around a hingepoint. that
leaves rudders. so look for rudders with bulbous thingys and hinges
showing

- if the bulkhead is the shroud around the engine, then it's either a
single-engine fighter or a twin-tail, twin engine fighter.

-the mid-mounted wing is distinctive. I could find a mid-mounted wing
only on the F-104, but the bulbous thing doesn't fit. if it's a rudder,
then there are several possibilities that fit the 'mid-mount' criteria.

just some thoughts....

Dean

Pat Flannery wrote:


But it doesn't have the protruding hinge visible on the crash debris
photo- those are generally only used on flaps, and are mounted on the
bottom of the wing- the only way something like that would end up on a
rudder is if it was designed to open like a speed brake, as it does on
the Shuttle.
First thing I thought of on seeing the bulge was the wing stabilizer
wheels on a Harrier; but the bump isn't open at the back end for the
gear leg to retract into; the wing doesn't seem to use any composites in
its construction, so that would mean that it could well be an older
aircraft.



it was also found east of San Diego, which would most likely mean a
Navy or Marine A/C.



I didn't look up the latitude/longitude coordinates, but that would be a
point in favor of my A-5 Vigilante hypothesis as well.

Pat