Harper Lake YF-104A 10/5/07

On May 1, 1957 while on a routine test flight from Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, Ca, the Lockheed YF-104A # 55-2962 crashed in the Mojave Desert near Harper Lake after one of the tip tanks ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 20:15:49 -0800

Joe Idoni
On May 1, 1957 while on a routine test flight from Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, Ca, the Lockheed YF-104A # 55-2962 crashed in the Mojave Desert near Harper Lake after one of the tip tanks ...

This photo is of #55-2961, one number off from the aircraft at the crash site.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 20:15:47 -0800

Joe Idoni
This photo is of #55-2961, one number off from the aircraft at the crash site.

Photo of the sheared off tail section copied from the crash report.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 18:34:29 -0700

Joe Idoni
Photo of the sheared off tail section copied from the crash report.

The F-104's impact crater.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 20:45:25 -0700

Joe Idoni
The F-104's impact crater.

About a year ago Tom G. gave me the general location of where I could find the YF-104A crash site. I has going to meet a group of friends to do a hike in the Lava Mountains and decided to tr ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 20:21:52 -0700

Joe Idoni
About a year ago Tom G. gave me the general location of where I could find the YF-104A crash site. I has going to meet a group of friends to do a hike in the Lava Mountains and decided to tr ...

I started walking and after looking around for a couple of minutes found another piece.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:18:06 -0700

Joe Idoni
I started walking and after looking around for a couple of minutes found another piece.

Started finding a lot of tiny pieces all over the area.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:18:13 -0700

Joe Idoni
Started finding a lot of tiny pieces all over the area.

Looking up I notice a mound of dirt that stood out from the flat terrain.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 20:21:52 -0700

Joe Idoni
Looking up I notice a mound of dirt that stood out from the flat terrain.

It was the impact crater made by #55-2962.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:18:15 -0700

Joe Idoni
It was the impact crater made by #55-2962.

Me inside the crater.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 20:21:53 -0700

Joe Idoni
Me inside the crater.

There were thousands of tiny pieces near the impact spot.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:18:19 -0700

Joe Idoni
There were thousands of tiny pieces near the impact spot.

Found a lot of pieces from the canopy. There was more around, the largest being about six inches long.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:18:23 -0700

Joe Idoni
Found a lot of pieces from the canopy. There was more around, the largest being about six inches long.

Piece from an actuator.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:18:27 -0700

Joe Idoni
Piece from an actuator.

A couple of pieces from the tires.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:18:07 -0700

Joe Idoni
A couple of pieces from the tires.

Looks like the F-104 went in hard. Almost all the parts I found were mangled.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:18:28 -0700

Joe Idoni
Looks like the F-104 went in hard. Almost all the parts I found were mangled.

Braided hoses.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:18:30 -0700

Joe Idoni
Braided hoses.

Think that this may be a part from the variable nozzle.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:18:34 -0700

Joe Idoni
Think that this may be a part from the variable nozzle.

This stink bug was doing what stink bugs do.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:18:35 -0700

Joe Idoni
This stink bug was doing what stink bugs do.

Turbine blade from the engine.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:18:35 -0700

Joe Idoni
Turbine blade from the engine.

Another blade.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:18:37 -0700

Joe Idoni
Another blade.

Close up of a turbine blade. Found blades scattered over a large area of the site.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:18:44 -0700

Joe Idoni
Close up of a turbine blade. Found blades scattered over a large area of the site.

This two foot long piece of fiberglass was the largest piece of wreckage at the site.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:18:22 -0700

Joe Idoni
This two foot long piece of fiberglass was the largest piece of wreckage at the site.

Hinge

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:18:45 -0700

Joe Idoni
Hinge

Fitting and tubing.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:18:46 -0700

Joe Idoni
Fitting and tubing.

Think that this might be a piece of skin from the wing.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:18:47 -0700

Joe Idoni
Think that this might be a piece of skin from the wing.

More engine blades and pieces from the tires.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:18:48 -0700

Joe Idoni
More engine blades and pieces from the tires.

This piece from one of the tires had lettering on it.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:18:49 -0700

Joe Idoni
This piece from one of the tires had lettering on it.

Fitting with the remains of a braided hose.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:18:50 -0700

Joe Idoni
Fitting with the remains of a braided hose.

Numbers on fitting.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:18:51 -0700

Joe Idoni
Numbers on fitting.

This was an interesting looking part. Had a bellows and number "FL956" on it.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:18:54 -0700

Joe Idoni
This was an interesting looking part. Had a bellows and number "FL956" on it.

This piece is about four inchs long and has a bushing in it.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:18:58 -0700

Joe Idoni
This piece is about four inchs long and has a bushing in it.

Looks like this might be some type of valve.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:18:59 -0700

Joe Idoni
Looks like this might be some type of valve.

Other side of the same part.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:19:00 -0700

Joe Idoni
Other side of the same part.

Another piece from the engine.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:19:01 -0700

Joe Idoni
Another piece from the engine.

Guessing that this is a piece of the liner from one of the fuel tanks.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:19:03 -0700

Joe Idoni
Guessing that this is a piece of the liner from one of the fuel tanks.

Looking back at my truck, after two hours of searching the area. For a micro site, there is still a lot of interesting stuff out here. THE END Pilot’s Story From "The Ejection Site" ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 20:21:51 -0700

Joe Idoni
Looking back at my truck, after two hours of searching the area. For a micro site, there is still a lot of interesting stuff out here. THE END Pilot’s Story From "The Ejection Site" ...