Lagrange, Me. – August 3, 1951

December 10, 2020

Lagrange, Maine – August 3, 1951

 

F4U Corsair
US Navy Photo

     On August 3, 1951, a pilot took off from the Quonset Point Naval Air Station in Rhode Island in a F4U-4 Corsair, (Bu. No. 82020), bound for the Squantum Naval Air Station in Massachusetts, and then on to Dow Air Force Base in Bangor, Maine.  While over Mane he radioed the control tower at Dow and advised he was having difficulty orienting himself.  Twenty-three minutes later his aircraft developed engine trouble and clipped some tree tops on a large hill which tore away section of the left wing.  The pilot managed gain altitude and bailed out at an altitude of only 400 feet and survived.  The aircraft went down and exploded in a thickly wooded are in the town of Lagrange, about one mile east of the town of Bradford.   

     Source: U. S. Navy accident report dated August 3, 1951.

Filed Under: Maine - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Brunswick, ME. – March 24, 1945

June 11, 2019

Brunswick, Maine – March 24, 1945

 

Lockheed PV-1 Ventura
U.S. Navy Photo

     On March 24, 1945, a navy PV-1 Ventura, (Bu. No. 48884), was returning to the Brunswick Naval Air Station after a 4.5 hour operational flight.  As the aircraft was coming in to land it ran out of fuel and crashed on approach.   Two of the six men aboard were injured, and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.   

     Source:

     U. S. Navy accident report dated March 24, 1945.

 

Filed Under: Maine - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Brunswick, ME. – March 10, 1943

April 16, 2019

Brunswick, Maine – March 10, 1943 

 

U.S. Navy PV-1 Ventura
U. S. Navy Photo

     On March 10, 1943, a U. S. Navy PV-3 Ventura aircraft, (Bu. No. 33949), ground-looped upon landing at the Brunswick Naval Air Station.  The aircraft required a major overhaul but the crew was not injured. 

     Source:

     U. S. Navy accident report #43-6197, dated March 10, 1943.    

Filed Under: Maine - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Brunswick, ME. – July 7, 1943

March 16, 2019

Brunswick, Maine – July 7, 1943

 

North American Texan Military Trainer
Author Photo

     On July 7, 1943, a U. S. Navy SNJ-4 Texan trainer aircraft , (Bu. No. 27614), was landing at the Brunswick Naval Air Station in a strong 90-degree cross-wind.  As the pilot attempted to use alternate brakes to prevent a ground loop the aircraft nosed over.  The pilot and instructor aboard suffered non-life-threatening injuries.  The aircraft required a major overhaul.        

     Source:

     U. S. Navy accident report #44-7567, dated July 7, 1943.

Filed Under: Maine - Military Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Brunswick, ME. – April 2, 1944

March 10, 2019

Brunswick, Maine – April 2, 1944

 

U.S. Navy SBD Dauntless
U.S. Navy Photo.

     On April 2, 1944, an SBD-5 Dauntless, (Bu. No. 28262), was returning to the Brunswick Naval Air Station after a training flight.  The pilot was making a normal landing approach, but was unable to establish radio contact with the control tower, and unknown to the pilot was the fact that one of the landing gear wheels had failed to come down.  When the aircraft touched down it went off the runway and nosed over.  The aircraft was heavily damaged, but the two-man crew was not injured.  

     The aircraft was assigned to VS-44.

     Source:

     U. S. Navy accident report #44-12844, dated April 2, 1944.

Filed Under: Maine - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Brunswick, ME. – January 28, 1944

March 3, 2019

Brunswick, ME. – January 28, 1944

 

U.S. Navy SBD Dauntless
U.S. Navy Photo.

     On January 28, 1944, a flight of three Douglas SBD Dauntless aircraft were returning to the Brunswick Naval Air Station after a formation training flight.  As the aircraft approached the field at an altitude of 1,800 feet in a “V” formation, one of the aircraft, (Bu. No. 28727), left the formation and went into a spin from which it did not recover.  The aircraft crashed and burned killing the pilot, Ensign James A. Andrew, Jr., and the gunner, Seaman 1/c Harry Hoerr. 

     The men were assigned to VS-31.

     Source:

     U. S. Navy accident report #44-11278, dated January 28, 1944.  

Filed Under: Maine - Military Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Rockland, ME – April 28, 1944

July 7, 2017

Rockland, Maine – April 28, 1944

 

U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat
U.S. Navy photo

     On April 28, 1944, Ensign Kenneth C. McKay, age 22, was killed while piloting an F6F-3 Hellcat, (Bu. No. 42238), on a gunnery training flight over Rockland, Maine.  The crash occurred about 300 yards north of the Naval Auxiliary Air Field. 

     Source: U.S. navy Accident Report

Filed Under: Maine - Military Tagged With: , , , , ,
Return to Top ▲Return to Top ▲