On 10/30/53 two Lockheed F-80C Shooting Stars #48-870 and #48-882 collided at 25,000 feet while on a air to air combat training mission. The pilots Captain Houston N. Tuel, USAF Reserve and Pilot Officer John H. Wilson, a British pilot with the Royal Air Force being trained under the mutual defense assistance program were able to eject safely before their fighters impacted the desert floor 38 miles north of Las Vegas, Nevada.

All the vehicles lined up waiting for Craig to lead us to the place where we'll search for the crash sites of the two F-80C Shooting Stars.

The group heading out in search of the two crash sites. Craig had printed a bunch of copies of the crash site photos from the report for everyone. He set it up so all of us could help in the search by matching the terrain in the photos.

It didn't take long for us to come upon this group of wreckage. Looks like these pieces were gathered up and placed here.

The first things that got my attention were a couple of 50 cal ammunition cans.

The other ammunition can.

A roller on the ammo can.

This piece from the fuselage has a part of the ammo feed system attached to it.

Close up of the ammo chute on the same piece.

This looks like a part from one of the 50 cal guns.

This piece has a bolt. Guessing that it's a joint from the fuselage.

The group moving on after checking out the wreckage in this area.

Craig in the green shirt is checking the crash site photos trying to line up some of the features in the area. The mid-air happened at a high altitude scattering pieces over a large area. We were finding pieces as we hiked along. The small piece in the foreground is from a canopy.

This piece got our attention.

View of the same piece.

Lettering reads GUN FIRING SOLENOID.

Turning the piece over, could see six circuit breakers and electrical connectors.

Closer view of circuit breakers and connectors. They were marked GUN HEATERS. The F-80C had six 50 cal guns mounted in the nose.

While searching for more aircraft wreckage, Evelyn found an arrowhead.

This is a great looking arrowhead, wonder how long it has been laying out here. It was a very interesting find, even if it wasn't from an airplane. Never know what you will find in the desert.

Another piece. I was with a few folks that were following a wreckage trail while most of the group was farther to the west.

Inspection stamp on the same piece. I think the LAS stands for Lockheed Aircraft Service Company.

Pieces of one of the canopies. The larger one is about two feet across. I got a call on the radio from Craig that they had found the crash site of #48-870 about half a mile northwest of here, starting heading towards that area.

While heading towards the found crash site, we were still finding scattered pieces.

Another piece, this one has a small fairing on it. Guessing that it might be for a control surface linkage.

Close up of the fairing.

This other piece has a hinge on it.

The group at the #48-870 site.

Some of the larger pieces in this area.

There was a large amount of wreckage remaining, most of it was badly damaged by the post impact fire.

Closer view

The tag on this part indemnifies it as a fuel booster pump.

The tag on this part said that it was a product of Scintilla Magneto Division, Bendix Aviation Corp.

These look like fuses.

This looks like it could be a door from one of the main landing gears.

This four foot long piece was one of the largest at the site. Not sure which section of the F-80 this piece is from.

One of the two speed brakes that would have been located on the bottom side of the fuselage.

Data plate on the speed brake. The F-80C can barely be made out at the top.

Small round cover with a latch on it.

Group shot at the #48-870 crash site just before moving on to search for the site of #48-882.

While searching for the second site, someone found this light. I think that it's the extension light from the cockpit.

It didn't take long until someone in the group found the site of #48-882. This is about one mile from the site of #48-870.

Not much remained at this site compared to the first one.

Pulley for a control cable.

No idea what this part might be from.

Looks like the face of a flight instrument.

The other side of the same part.

At the time, I had no idea what this piece was from.