San Diego F3H-2N Demon 5/10/09

On 5/16/61, a USN McDonnell F3H-2N Demon BuNo 136973 crashed while on approach to the Miramar Naval Air Station in San Diego, California. Killed in the accident was the 23 year old pilot Lt. ...

2009-08-22T09:51:03Z

Joe Idoni
On 5/16/61, a USN McDonnell F3H-2N Demon BuNo 136973 crashed while on approach to the Miramar Naval Air Station in San Diego, California. Killed in the accident was the 23 year old pilot Lt. ...

At the start of the hike, the area was covered in a light fog, it was nice to have the cooler weather, but it would be difficult locating the site with the limited visibility.

2009-05-13T11:20:07Z

Joe Idoni
At the start of the hike, the area was covered in a light fog, it was nice to have the cooler weather, but it would be difficult locating the site with the limited visibility.

After searching for nearly two hours, the weather cleared up and I was able to spot the engine on a slope about 100 yards away. I was really glad to find it. The weather was starting to get ...

2009-05-13T13:46:37Z

Joe Idoni
After searching for nearly two hours, the weather cleared up and I was able to spot the engine on a slope about 100 yards away. I was really glad to find it. The weather was starting to get ...

At the base of the slope I could see some more wreckage. At this point I have no idea of the model of the aircraft at this site, only that it's a jet.

2009-05-13T11:20:07Z

Joe Idoni
At the base of the slope I could see some more wreckage. At this point I have no idea of the model of the aircraft at this site, only that it's a jet.

First piece of wreckage I came upon as I headed for the engine.

2009-05-13T11:20:07Z

Joe Idoni
First piece of wreckage I came upon as I headed for the engine.

Other side of the same piece.

2009-05-13T11:20:07Z

Joe Idoni
Other side of the same piece.

Next I found this little motor.

2009-05-13T11:20:07Z

Joe Idoni
Next I found this little motor.

The wreckage I spotted at the bottom of the slope turned out to be the afterburner section of the engine. Looks like this is the crash site of fighter.

2009-05-13T13:48:30Z

Joe Idoni
The wreckage I spotted at the bottom of the slope turned out to be the afterburner section of the engine. Looks like this is the crash site of fighter.

Another view of the smashed afterburner section.

2009-05-13T11:20:07Z

Joe Idoni
Another view of the smashed afterburner section.

Sheet metal from the engine.

2009-05-13T11:20:07Z

Joe Idoni
Sheet metal from the engine.

Front section of the afterburner.

2009-05-13T11:20:07Z

Joe Idoni
Front section of the afterburner.

Could see the afterbuner fuel injectors on the front end.

2009-05-16T02:54:21Z

Joe Idoni
Could see the afterbuner fuel injectors on the front end.

Close up of the plumbing.

2009-05-13T11:20:07Z

Joe Idoni
Close up of the plumbing.

Rear section with the nozzle.

2009-05-13T13:49:53Z

Joe Idoni
Rear section with the nozzle.

Close up of the nozzle.

2009-05-13T11:20:07Z

Joe Idoni
Close up of the nozzle.

Another view of the nozzle.

2009-05-13T11:20:07Z

Joe Idoni
Another view of the nozzle.

Some turbine blades were nearby.

2009-05-13T11:20:07Z

Joe Idoni
Some turbine blades were nearby.

Close up of the blades.

2009-05-13T11:20:07Z

Joe Idoni
Close up of the blades.

Looks like a piece of armor plate.

2009-05-13T12:11:50Z

Joe Idoni
Looks like a piece of armor plate.

A large 90 degree AN fitting.

2009-05-13T11:20:07Z

Joe Idoni
A large 90 degree AN fitting.

Found this blade while hiking up to the engine on the slope.

2009-05-13T11:20:07Z

Joe Idoni
Found this blade while hiking up to the engine on the slope.

More wreckage.

2009-05-13T11:20:07Z

Joe Idoni
More wreckage.

Same piece, think that it might be from the fuel cell.

2009-05-13T12:28:30Z

Joe Idoni
Same piece, think that it might be from the fuel cell.

More blades.

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
More blades.

Almost to the main section of the engine.

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
Almost to the main section of the engine.

The main section of the engine.

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
The main section of the engine.

Front section.

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
Front section.

Rear section.

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
Rear section.

Close up of some of the compressor blades.

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
Close up of some of the compressor blades.

Insulated tubing. First thing I thought was it was asbestos.

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
Insulated tubing. First thing I thought was it was asbestos.

Large flex hose.

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
Large flex hose.

Rear view showing a turbine disc.

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
Rear view showing a turbine disc.

Close up of the turbine blades.

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
Close up of the turbine blades.

Looks like the engine components were removed. No sign of them being torn off in the crash.

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
Looks like the engine components were removed. No sign of them being torn off in the crash.

More missing engine components.

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
More missing engine components.

No idea what this is, but it looks like it's from the engine. So far I haven't seen anything that looks like the impact area. There is only a few small pieces in the area. From up on the slo ...

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
No idea what this is, but it looks like it's from the engine. So far I haven't seen anything that looks like the impact area. There is only a few small pieces in the area. From up on the slo ...

After seaching the area, I started finding small scattered pieces on the flat area at the bottom of the slope.

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
After seaching the area, I started finding small scattered pieces on the flat area at the bottom of the slope.

This piece had a small transformer on it.

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
This piece had a small transformer on it.

Part of a clamp.

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
Part of a clamp.

No idea what this was.

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
No idea what this was.

Close up of the same part showing a lot of electrical contacts.

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
Close up of the same part showing a lot of electrical contacts.

BNC connector.

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
BNC connector.

Another engine blade. This one has numbers on it.

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
Another engine blade. This one has numbers on it.

I found the debris field, but the small bushes in the area made it hard to see more than a small section of ground at a time.

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
I found the debris field, but the small bushes in the area made it hard to see more than a small section of ground at a time.

A piece of electrical equipment.

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
A piece of electrical equipment.

Same part turned over to show vacuum tubes and other components.

2009-05-13T12:33:13Z

Joe Idoni
Same part turned over to show vacuum tubes and other components.

The tag indemnified it as a "Interlock Amplifier Asse".

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
The tag indemnified it as a "Interlock Amplifier Asse".

Hose fitting with hose clamps and the remains of hoses on it.

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
Hose fitting with hose clamps and the remains of hoses on it.

Another piece of armor plate.

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
Another piece of armor plate.

Large fitting from a flex hose.

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
Large fitting from a flex hose.

Section of hinge.

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
Section of hinge.

Paint bucket. Figure that it must have been the yellow paint the wreckage was marked with before it was removed.

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
Paint bucket. Figure that it must have been the yellow paint the wreckage was marked with before it was removed.

Maybe sheet metal from the motor.

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
Maybe sheet metal from the motor.

These pieces got my attention. This is how I found them, the large one is about a foot in diameter.

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
These pieces got my attention. This is how I found them, the large one is about a foot in diameter.

Turning the one over, there was a control cable pulley on it. Figure that it may be a cable tensioner, just guessing.

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
Turning the one over, there was a control cable pulley on it. Figure that it may be a cable tensioner, just guessing.

This is the only piece I found from the landing gear. It's a piece of a chrome plated leg. Must have been a hard impact to brake it in pieces.

2009-05-13T12:38:29Z

Joe Idoni
This is the only piece I found from the landing gear. It's a piece of a chrome plated leg. Must have been a hard impact to brake it in pieces.

Piece of fiberglass.

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
Piece of fiberglass.

No idea what this is. The whole time I been looking at the parts, I been trying to find a part number so I could figure out what model aircraft this was. Never did find one.

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
No idea what this is. The whole time I been looking at the parts, I been trying to find a part number so I could figure out what model aircraft this was. Never did find one.

Was findind a lot of pieces, but never did find an impact crater.

2009-05-13T12:40:20Z

Joe Idoni
Was findind a lot of pieces, but never did find an impact crater.

Cable and a lot of small pieces.

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
Cable and a lot of small pieces.

A badly damaged piece of electrical equipment.

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
A badly damaged piece of electrical equipment.

Tag said that it was "US NAVY BU. OF ORD. CONTROL BOX". Looks like this was a Navy plane.

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
Tag said that it was "US NAVY BU. OF ORD. CONTROL BOX". Looks like this was a Navy plane.

Looks like a part from the engine.

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
Looks like a part from the engine.

Electrical connector

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
Electrical connector

Piece from the canopy.

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
Piece from the canopy.

Fiberglass in the bushes.

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
Fiberglass in the bushes.

When I found this tag, I was hoping that it would ID the aircraft. Turned out to be a tag from an AC generator.

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
When I found this tag, I was hoping that it would ID the aircraft. Turned out to be a tag from an AC generator.

Interesting looking piece. The two holes on it may be for a duplex headshet connector, perhaps located in the wheel well to allow for ground crew to commutate with the piolt.

2009-05-14T11:18:46Z

Joe Idoni
Interesting looking piece. The two holes on it may be for a duplex headshet connector, perhaps located in the wheel well to allow for ground crew to commutate with the piolt.

This piece was made out of fiberglass. Think that it might be the top of the rudder.

2009-05-13T13:22:20Z

Joe Idoni
This piece was made out of fiberglass. Think that it might be the top of the rudder.

Top view of the same piece showing the airfoil shape.

2009-05-13T13:23:23Z

Joe Idoni
Top view of the same piece showing the airfoil shape.

This pressure container was about 18 inches diameter and had a pillow shape.

2009-05-13T12:58:20Z

Joe Idoni
This pressure container was about 18 inches diameter and had a pillow shape.

Another piece from the canopy, this one showed signs of a fire.

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
Another piece from the canopy, this one showed signs of a fire.

This piece was buried with only a small section showing.

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
This piece was buried with only a small section showing.

It had a number. The "MBEU 7801" is a part number for a Martin Baker ejection seat . MBEU stands for Martin Baker Ejection Unit. The F3H-2 was equipped with a Martin Mk 4.

2009-05-14T11:08:30Z

Joe Idoni
It had a number. The "MBEU 7801" is a part number for a Martin Baker ejection seat . MBEU stands for Martin Baker Ejection Unit. The F3H-2 was equipped with a Martin Mk 4.

Sometimes I get really lucky. I spent about two hours checking out the site. As I started hiking out, I saw this piece under a bush.

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
Sometimes I get really lucky. I spent about two hours checking out the site. As I started hiking out, I saw this piece under a bush.

Pulling it out, I could tell it was a piece of an instrument panel. When I got home, I was able to match up the photo with a drawing I had of a F3H Demon panel. Thinking that it was a Demon ...

2009-05-13T12:28:41Z

Joe Idoni
Pulling it out, I could tell it was a piece of an instrument panel. When I got home, I was able to match up the photo with a drawing I had of a F3H Demon panel. Thinking that it was a Demon ...

Driving home on I-15. Thinking back I wish I spent more time at this site. Never did find the impact crater and I'm sure there was a lot of stuff that I missed. Next time I'm in that area I ...

2009-05-13T13:01:41Z

Joe Idoni
Driving home on I-15. Thinking back I wish I spent more time at this site. Never did find the impact crater and I'm sure there was a lot of stuff that I missed. Next time I'm in that area I ...