So, just to recap, assuming I'm reading the numbers "212" correctly
from this pic that my friend Dave took:

http://home.earthlink.net/~jpa_2/pages/item2b.htm

-- as being the last 3 digits of the Bureau Number, and that
(according to my research) the only match from lists of possible
Bureau Number's is "149212"
Then it seems very likely that the following pic is the actual
aircraft.

http://members.aol.com/scottyv2/149212.jpg

I can't explain why only those three numerals are still visible but
presumably there is a logical reason as to why they stayed visible
while the first three faded.

What really got my attention was the small round item in the last "2"
which matches the wreckage pic very closely. Question is, why is
there a fuel type lable visible on the tail wreckage ("NATO CODE
NO.__", Max pressure, etc) that is not visible on any of the F-8 pics?

Dave seemed to think there was a fitting of some type in the circle,
but I'm not seeing this detail on any of the other F-8 pics. Is it
possible there was fueling point on the tail? It doesn't seem big
enough.

It looks like 149212 was photographed while on airshow display at
Edwards AFB, judging by the crowd under the nose.
The air group marked on the plane VF-124 was at NAS Miramar (less than
50 miles from the crash site) and apparently had the F-8's until 1972,
after which the remaining units were passed on to VF-63. Not sure
that this particular F-8 made it that far, however. Can't find much
info on VF-63 as far as F-8's are concerned.

Despite hours of internet searching there seems to be no records on
the status of 149212 except that it was changed from a F-8E to an F-8J
about 1968-69.

It does appear in the photo of 149212 that the upper tail fin "bump"
doesn't quite match the wreackage photo. As a few of you have
mentioned, there was some variation of radar antenna, etc. Dave said
the area was torn up as though someone had forcibly removed the
components after the crash.

Another question is the other item found about 1/2 mile away
("item1"):

http://home.earthlink.net/~jpa_2/index.htm

Is this possibly the afterburner? The cylinders seem to match in
terms of orientation and angular spacing. Presumably if it is from
the same event, the aircraft must have come apart in the air.

I might do some research at the San Diego Aerospace Museum this week.
Apparently they have extensive archives available.

Thanks again everyone for all your help and comments...

-Paul Axford




On Sun, 30 May 2004 22:41:29 -0400, (Peter
Stickney) wrote:



Thankfully Pat was better at finding more examples to look at. Wouldn't
it be cool if 149212 was the actual wreckage?

It could be. There are a couple of places you can look for clues:
First, theere should be a large pair of letters on the fin:
"N Something" or "A Something". That will identify which Air Group
the airplane belonged to. The Bureau Number (The airplane's Serial
Number, basically) will, on an F-8, be in 12" numerals at teh root
(felege attachment side) of the fin. If you end up going back out,
those are the places to look. It's possible that teh Sun has washed
out the paint on the exposed side.