Wrightwood T-34A Mentor 5/9/08

On 12/31/64 the T-34A Mentor N5506V owned by the Edwards AFB Flying Club was rented by two Air Force enlisted men. They were on a flight from Edwards AFB to San Diego, Califorina. The aircra ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 11 May 2008 21:02:14 -0700

Joe Idoni
On 12/31/64 the T-34A Mentor N5506V owned by the Edwards AFB Flying Club was rented by two Air Force enlisted men. They were on a flight from Edwards AFB to San Diego, Califorina. The aircra ...

This is the forth time in two years that I'm searching for the T-34 site. The main clues I had to go by was that the crash site is a few hundred feet from the Angels Crest Hwy and close to a ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 11 May 2008 21:21:15 -0700

Joe Idoni
This is the forth time in two years that I'm searching for the T-34 site. The main clues I had to go by was that the crash site is a few hundred feet from the Angels Crest Hwy and close to a ...

On this attempt, I'm looking in the only area I haven't searched yet.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 11 May 2008 21:21:16 -0700

Joe Idoni
On this attempt, I'm looking in the only area I haven't searched yet.

It didn't take long till I spotted something.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 11 May 2008 21:21:18 -0700

Joe Idoni
It didn't take long till I spotted something.

Zoomed in on the object. Can't tell what it is, but it looks like aluminum.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 11 May 2008 21:21:19 -0700

Joe Idoni
Zoomed in on the object. Can't tell what it is, but it looks like aluminum.

You can't tell by this photo, but this is the T-34's crash site. It's a lot further than a hundred yards from the highway. That's what kept me from searching this area on past attempts.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 11 May 2008 21:21:20 -0700

Joe Idoni
You can't tell by this photo, but this is the T-34's crash site. It's a lot further than a hundred yards from the highway. That's what kept me from searching this area on past attempts.

The first thing I came upon was this steel tubing and piece of aluminum.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 11 May 2008 21:21:21 -0700

Joe Idoni
The first thing I came upon was this steel tubing and piece of aluminum.

The tubing had a couple 90 degree AN fittings.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 11 May 2008 21:21:22 -0700

Joe Idoni
The tubing had a couple 90 degree AN fittings.

The piece of aluminum had a part number with a 45 prefix which confirms that this is a Beechcraft T-34.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 11 May 2008 21:21:23 -0700

Joe Idoni
The piece of aluminum had a part number with a 45 prefix which confirms that this is a Beechcraft T-34.

More wreckage in the brush.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 11 May 2008 21:21:24 -0700

Joe Idoni
More wreckage in the brush.

Small fairing on this piece.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 11 May 2008 21:21:26 -0700

Joe Idoni
Small fairing on this piece.

Another piece in the brush.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 11 May 2008 21:21:27 -0700

Joe Idoni
Another piece in the brush.

No idea what part of the plane this piece is from. There was only a few pieces that I recognized at the site.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 11 May 2008 21:21:28 -0700

Joe Idoni
No idea what part of the plane this piece is from. There was only a few pieces that I recognized at the site.

Read that the Mentor was painted yellow and black. Color still shows on this piece.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 11 May 2008 21:21:29 -0700

Joe Idoni
Read that the Mentor was painted yellow and black. Color still shows on this piece.

This looks like this could be the impact area.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 11 May 2008 21:21:30 -0700

Joe Idoni
This looks like this could be the impact area.

The highway from the crash site.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 11 May 2008 21:21:31 -0700

Joe Idoni
The highway from the crash site.

Lot of small pieces.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 11 May 2008 21:21:32 -0700

Joe Idoni
Lot of small pieces.

A piece of the canopy frame.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 11 May 2008 21:21:34 -0700

Joe Idoni
A piece of the canopy frame.

Maybe a piece of one of the control surfaces.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 11 May 2008 21:21:35 -0700

Joe Idoni
Maybe a piece of one of the control surfaces.

This is the first piece I spotted. It's in the middle of the brush.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 11 May 2008 21:21:36 -0700

Joe Idoni
This is the first piece I spotted. It's in the middle of the brush.

Turning it around, I could tell it's one of the seats.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 11 May 2008 21:21:38 -0700

Joe Idoni
Turning it around, I could tell it's one of the seats.

The base of the seat was crushed towards the back.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 11 May 2008 21:21:39 -0700

Joe Idoni
The base of the seat was crushed towards the back.

Next to it was what looks like the other seat. It was crushed flat. Only could tell it was a seat by the mounting rails that match the other seat.

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 11 May 2008 21:21:40 -0700

Joe Idoni
Next to it was what looks like the other seat. It was crushed flat. Only could tell it was a seat by the mounting rails that match the other seat.

Last look at the site as I head out. The seats are up front and the impact area top center, with the other wreckage in the brush in between. THE END

nobody@smugmug.com (Joe Idoni) — Sun, 11 May 2008 21:21:41 -0700

Joe Idoni
Last look at the site as I head out. The seats are up front and the impact area top center, with the other wreckage in the brush in between. THE END