Panamint Valley F9F-6K Cougar 2/1/08

I was told about this site from a friend who found it while searching for old mines in the area. Have no info on when it crashed or it's serial number. Only know that it's a F9F-6K Drone tha ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 09:38:42 -0800

Joe Idoni
I was told about this site from a friend who found it while searching for old mines in the area. Have no info on when it crashed or it's serial number. Only know that it's a F9F-6K Drone tha ...

Driving down the road towards Ballarat off the Trona-Wildrose Road. The building on the left is a radar station.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:18:23 -0800

Joe Idoni
Driving down the road towards Ballarat off the Trona-Wildrose Road. The building on the left is a radar station.

Picked this spot to start hiking from, wasn't sure I had the right place.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 07:01:11 -0700

Joe Idoni
Picked this spot to start hiking from, wasn't sure I had the right place.

After hiking for awile, I came upon a lot of old cans.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:18:24 -0800

Joe Idoni
After hiking for awile, I came upon a lot of old cans.

Close by was a pile of aircraft pieces that someone gathered up.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:18:26 -0800

Joe Idoni
Close by was a pile of aircraft pieces that someone gathered up.

Looking around started finding a lot of pieces in the area mixed in with the rusty cans.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:18:27 -0800

Joe Idoni
Looking around started finding a lot of pieces in the area mixed in with the rusty cans.

This looks like it may be a piece of the canopy frame.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:18:28 -0800

Joe Idoni
This looks like it may be a piece of the canopy frame.

Piece from the instrument panel.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:18:29 -0800

Joe Idoni
Piece from the instrument panel.

Finding more stuff as I head for the canyon.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:18:31 -0800

Joe Idoni
Finding more stuff as I head for the canyon.

I got up on a ridge beside the canyon. Found some pieces from the plane up here.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:18:34 -0800

Joe Idoni
I got up on a ridge beside the canyon. Found some pieces from the plane up here.

The pieces were small but there was a lot of them.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:18:35 -0800

Joe Idoni
The pieces were small but there was a lot of them.

This was a largest piece that was on the ridge.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:18:36 -0800

Joe Idoni
This was a largest piece that was on the ridge.

Was finding a lot of pieces from the canopy.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:18:37 -0800

Joe Idoni
Was finding a lot of pieces from the canopy.

From the ridge I could see some wreckage in the canyon.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:18:38 -0800

Joe Idoni
From the ridge I could see some wreckage in the canyon.

The red paint that was used on drones was still visible.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:18:39 -0800

Joe Idoni
The red paint that was used on drones was still visible.

Looks like a piece of the fuselage and wing fairing.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:18:40 -0800

Joe Idoni
Looks like a piece of the fuselage and wing fairing.

Side view of the wing fairing.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:18:41 -0800

Joe Idoni
Side view of the wing fairing.

There was a lot of lettering, but it was to faded to read any of it.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:18:42 -0800

Joe Idoni
There was a lot of lettering, but it was to faded to read any of it.

Some type of vent on the fuselage

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:18:43 -0800

Joe Idoni
Some type of vent on the fuselage

This is the same vent on the inside.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:18:44 -0800

Joe Idoni
This is the same vent on the inside.

Same piece turned over to show it's structure.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:18:45 -0800

Joe Idoni
Same piece turned over to show it's structure.

Control pulleys and cable.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:18:46 -0800

Joe Idoni
Control pulleys and cable.

Armature

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:18:47 -0800

Joe Idoni
Armature

Fitting with a butterfly valve.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:18:48 -0800

Joe Idoni
Fitting with a butterfly valve.

Piece of the canopy frame with a little bit of the canopy still attached.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:18:49 -0800

Joe Idoni
Piece of the canopy frame with a little bit of the canopy still attached.

This fiberglass piece must be from the nose.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:18:50 -0800

Joe Idoni
This fiberglass piece must be from the nose.

Found this piece with the number 38L writen on it. Maybe the last 2 numbers of the serial number? If so, this plane may be either #130838. 130938 or 131038. Think that it's #130838, found a ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:18:51 -0800

Joe Idoni
Found this piece with the number 38L writen on it. Maybe the last 2 numbers of the serial number? If so, this plane may be either #130838. 130938 or 131038. Think that it's #130838, found a ...

More wreckage.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:18:52 -0800

Joe Idoni
More wreckage.

This is the same piece in the photo before turned over. Can see where 2 tags were removed, maybe they would have had the aircraft's serial number on them.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:18:53 -0800

Joe Idoni
This is the same piece in the photo before turned over. Can see where 2 tags were removed, maybe they would have had the aircraft's serial number on them.

Stamp on one of the parts.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:18:55 -0800

Joe Idoni
Stamp on one of the parts.

Connectors and wires.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:18:56 -0800

Joe Idoni
Connectors and wires.

Smashed electronic gear.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:18:58 -0800

Joe Idoni
Smashed electronic gear.

Had this tag on it, reads "Amplifier, Servo No. 2". Maybe part of the remote control system.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:18:59 -0800

Joe Idoni
Had this tag on it, reads "Amplifier, Servo No. 2". Maybe part of the remote control system.

Looking back at the site as I hike on looking for the wing that I was told was further up in another canyon.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 07:01:11 -0700

Joe Idoni
Looking back at the site as I hike on looking for the wing that I was told was further up in another canyon.

Near the center of the photo is a section of wing. Took me awhile to find it even thought I had directions to it. This area has a lot of small narrow canyons.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:19:01 -0800

Joe Idoni
Near the center of the photo is a section of wing. Took me awhile to find it even thought I had directions to it. This area has a lot of small narrow canyons.

Zoomed in on the wing section. This is about 300 hundred yards from the site of the other wreckage.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:19:02 -0800

Joe Idoni
Zoomed in on the wing section. This is about 300 hundred yards from the site of the other wreckage.

Its most of the left wing.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:19:04 -0800

Joe Idoni
Its most of the left wing.

Looking down on it from the side of the tight canyon that it came to rest in.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:19:05 -0800

Joe Idoni
Looking down on it from the side of the tight canyon that it came to rest in.

Some of the skin has peeled away showing the structure.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:19:06 -0800

Joe Idoni
Some of the skin has peeled away showing the structure.

Looks like these covers were remored.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:19:07 -0800

Joe Idoni
Looks like these covers were remored.

The underside still had the red paint and the NAVY lettering.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:19:08 -0800

Joe Idoni
The underside still had the red paint and the NAVY lettering.

Looking out to the Panamint Valley. I could hear the F-18s flying out there most of the day, but only got a quick view of one as it flew past the canyon opening.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 07:01:12 -0700

Joe Idoni
Looking out to the Panamint Valley. I could hear the F-18s flying out there most of the day, but only got a quick view of one as it flew past the canyon opening.

The wing was the only piece of wreckage here, not even one other tiny piece was around.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:19:10 -0800

Joe Idoni
The wing was the only piece of wreckage here, not even one other tiny piece was around.

Me with the wing.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:19:11 -0800

Joe Idoni
Me with the wing.

Damage on the wingtip.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:19:13 -0800

Joe Idoni
Damage on the wingtip.

The US insignia.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:19:14 -0800

Joe Idoni
The US insignia.

Last look at the wing as I start heading down.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:19:15 -0800

Joe Idoni
Last look at the wing as I start heading down.

Hiking out of the mountains and back down to the valley.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 07:01:10 -0700

Joe Idoni
Hiking out of the mountains and back down to the valley.

Back on the Ballarat Road heading to the highway.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:19:18 -0800

Joe Idoni
Back on the Ballarat Road heading to the highway.

Shot of the radar station by the road. The F9F-6K site turned out to be better than I was expecting. Heading to the north end of the Panamint Valley now to check out the crash site of a F-10 ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:19:19 -0800

Joe Idoni
Shot of the radar station by the road. The F9F-6K site turned out to be better than I was expecting. Heading to the north end of the Panamint Valley now to check out the crash site of a F-10 ...