Palm View Peak BT-13 Valiant 4/14/07

The BT-13 crashed southeast of the town of Idyllwild, California sometime in the 1950s.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 19:21:18 -0700

Joe Idoni
The BT-13 crashed southeast of the town of Idyllwild, California sometime in the 1950s.

The hike started in Fobes Canyon. The sign at the trailhead was laying on the ground. Stood it up to get a photo of it.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:16:09 -0700

Joe Idoni
The hike started in Fobes Canyon. The sign at the trailhead was laying on the ground. Stood it up to get a photo of it.

On Fobes Saddle. It was about a mile and a half hike to this point.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:16:10 -0700

Joe Idoni
On Fobes Saddle. It was about a mile and a half hike to this point.

Still on the trail.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:16:12 -0700

Joe Idoni
Still on the trail.

This is my first view of the wreakage. From here I can see a section of wing and the framework of the fuselage.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:16:13 -0700

Joe Idoni
This is my first view of the wreakage. From here I can see a section of wing and the framework of the fuselage.

It's the right inboard section of wing.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:16:14 -0700

Joe Idoni
It's the right inboard section of wing.

Closer view showing the mounts for wood spars.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:16:16 -0700

Joe Idoni
Closer view showing the mounts for wood spars.

View of the root section.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:16:17 -0700

Joe Idoni
View of the root section.

This shot of the wing shows one of the fuselage mounts.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:16:19 -0700

Joe Idoni
This shot of the wing shows one of the fuselage mounts.

Just below the wing was what remained of the framework of the fuselage.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:16:21 -0700

Joe Idoni
Just below the wing was what remained of the framework of the fuselage.

What remains of the frame. From the firewall to just behind the rear seat.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:16:22 -0700

Joe Idoni
What remains of the frame. From the firewall to just behind the rear seat.

View of the roll bar. The wing section can be seen up the slope.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:16:24 -0700

Joe Idoni
View of the roll bar. The wing section can be seen up the slope.

Left side view. The rear section of the frame was cut off.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:16:27 -0700

Joe Idoni
Left side view. The rear section of the frame was cut off.

View of the back side of the firewall. The frame was in great shape, hardly any crash damage.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:16:28 -0700

Joe Idoni
View of the back side of the firewall. The frame was in great shape, hardly any crash damage.

Close up of the frame joints at the firewall. This is the second crash site that I visited with a tube frame. Spent a long time checking out the way it was constructed.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:16:37 -0700

Joe Idoni
Close up of the frame joints at the firewall. This is the second crash site that I visited with a tube frame. Spent a long time checking out the way it was constructed.

Another view of the roll bar.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:16:38 -0700

Joe Idoni
Another view of the roll bar.

Some of the cut tubing towards the tail end.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:16:39 -0700

Joe Idoni
Some of the cut tubing towards the tail end.

Me with the frame.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:16:40 -0700

Joe Idoni
Me with the frame.

Looking down from the frame, I could see more wreckage below.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:16:43 -0700

Joe Idoni
Looking down from the frame, I could see more wreckage below.

To the left, I could see the other inboard wing section, control suface and part of the engine cowling.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:16:44 -0700

Joe Idoni
To the left, I could see the other inboard wing section, control suface and part of the engine cowling.

To the right was a pile of mixed stuff. Looks like someone gathered up the wreckage.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:16:45 -0700

Joe Idoni
To the right was a pile of mixed stuff. Looks like someone gathered up the wreckage.

Section of the engine cowling.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:16:47 -0700

Joe Idoni
Section of the engine cowling.

The left wing section was upside down with its landing gear sticking up.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:16:48 -0700

Joe Idoni
The left wing section was upside down with its landing gear sticking up.

Closer look at the landing gear.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:16:50 -0700

Joe Idoni
Closer look at the landing gear.

The root section.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:16:51 -0700

Joe Idoni
The root section.

The mount for the main spar of the tip section still had a little wood remaining.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:16:53 -0700

Joe Idoni
The mount for the main spar of the tip section still had a little wood remaining.

Close by was a piece of the rear spar.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:16:55 -0700

Joe Idoni
Close by was a piece of the rear spar.

Same wing section from another view.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:16:54 -0700

Joe Idoni
Same wing section from another view.

Heading over to see what is in the pile of wreakage.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:16:56 -0700

Joe Idoni
Heading over to see what is in the pile of wreakage.

Looking up at the gathered wreakage.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:16:57 -0700

Joe Idoni
Looking up at the gathered wreakage.

Here there was a aileron that looks like it was cut in half, the front section of the fuselage, wingtip, prop hub and a lot small pieces.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:16:58 -0700

Joe Idoni
Here there was a aileron that looks like it was cut in half, the front section of the fuselage, wingtip, prop hub and a lot small pieces.

Front section of the fuselage with some of the exhaust pipes and the forward part of the engine mount.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:17:00 -0700

Joe Idoni
Front section of the fuselage with some of the exhaust pipes and the forward part of the engine mount.

Closer view of the exhaust and engine mount.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:17:01 -0700

Joe Idoni
Closer view of the exhaust and engine mount.

Prop hub.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:17:02 -0700

Joe Idoni
Prop hub.

Inner section of the right aileron.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:17:04 -0700

Joe Idoni
Inner section of the right aileron.

Part number with the 63 prefix confrims that this is the wreakage of a BT-13 or BT-15. The BT-15 was fitted with a different engine.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:17:08 -0700

Joe Idoni
Part number with the 63 prefix confrims that this is the wreakage of a BT-13 or BT-15. The BT-15 was fitted with a different engine.

The outer section of the right aileron.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:17:09 -0700

Joe Idoni
The outer section of the right aileron.

Inner section of the Left aileron.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:17:12 -0700

Joe Idoni
Inner section of the Left aileron.

Nearby was another piece of the engine cowling.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:17:13 -0700

Joe Idoni
Nearby was another piece of the engine cowling.

Think that this is a piece of the fuselage.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:17:14 -0700

Joe Idoni
Think that this is a piece of the fuselage.

Me again. This shot shows most of the wreckage at the site other than the wing sections.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:17:15 -0700

Joe Idoni
Me again. This shot shows most of the wreckage at the site other than the wing sections.

Looking down the canyon as I start the hike out.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:17:18 -0700

Joe Idoni
Looking down the canyon as I start the hike out.

Passing the right wing section as I start up the slope to get on the trail for the hike back to the truck. THE END

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:17:21 -0700

Joe Idoni
Passing the right wing section as I start up the slope to get on the trail for the hike back to the truck. THE END