Looking for Info on Crash

[BellCobraIV]

Re: Looking for Info on Crash

Well it's been a long time since the last post but I am back to trying to re-relocate the P-51D, N332 that crashed in the mud hills near Salton City, Ca. The picture from the previous post is not the site. Too many rocks.The renewed interest in finding the plane comes from the fact that I have a new friend who is in the process of restoring a P-51D and wants to get all the parts he can to have them refabricated for his plane. He took me on a helicpter ride last Thursday and we located the Iron Cross which was placed in memorial for James Barkley who was flying the plane at the time of the crash. The plane is approximately a mile from the cross and is probably covered with dirt from the mud hills by this time as it was in a deep raven barely big enough to hold it. We plan to go out in the jeep in a week or so, with metal detecters and steel probes to search once again. Will let you know what we find.

You may find some small pieces but the Data plate and anything really usable has been "retrieved" by persons "not to be named" in the mid eighties. but good luck you may find something that was missed, but I doubt it, "not to be named" were good at finding stuff.

[Mike_R]

Re: Looking for Info on Crash

You may find some small pieces but the Data plate and anything really usable has been "retrieved" by persons "not to be named" in the mid eighties. but good luck you may find something that was missed, but I doubt it, "not to be named" were good at finding stuff.

Yea, after doing more research years later I realize there were quite a few parts missing off the engine, like the gear box, starter, pumps and the super charger to mention a few. Anyway it will be fun just trying to relocate the wreck site even if there is not much there . Thanks for the update. Plan to go out and search some time in march. Nothing like a good treasure hunt even if you don,t find anything.

[Mike_R]

Re: Looking for Info on Crash

I can't vouch for the autencity of the story, but there was some speculation that the pilot/owner (James Barkley) was a prominent rancher involved in a feud with laborers who planted explosives in his plane, which blew up in mid-air. True or not, it is yet another chapter in the colorful history of civilian Mustangs!

T J

I know I should probably let go of this but every time I run accross my
my P 51 parts it gets my curiousity going again. I know the NTSB said the crash was caused by possible rudder fludder. I don't think they ever found or saw the plane. It's pretty obvious there was an explosion. One of the locals said they heard an explosion and saw the plane go down. The pilots body and bubble canopy was found a mile back from the plane crash site. The firewall, dash and insturments were all blown into the cockpit. I don't think it was a bomb but I do believe the engine it self may have exploded which explains why the heads were blown off the block. (head bolts were all snapped off) Did these racing P 51's have nitrous injection? And was he playing with it?
Had some things come up after my last post and wasn't able to do any more searching. Will probably make it this desert season. A few parts attached.

[Leo]

Re: Looking for Info on Crash

I had been under the impression that this was another VFR into IMC situation, or thunderstorm encounter. There were several Mustangs lost to these back in the "early days".
Don Plumbs aircraft and "Doos Doll" come to mind along with others in various articles I've seen over the years.

[Sparrow]

Re: Looking for Info on Crash

Aeroproducts prop blade
-7 boat race style modified pistons
3 fork and 1 blade rod bolts.....

[Mike_R]

Re: Looking for Info on Crash

Aeroproducts prop blade
-7 boat race style modified pistons
3 fork and 1 blade rod bolts.....

Sparrow, Thanks for the info. What were boat race pistons doing in N332's engine? Is that a common thing to do to an engine that is used in a plane that is raced?

Numbers on the pistons: D29970 SP4
155 P 164 8755
155 P 133 8753
3-1-10
6-1
10 H 1

[Sparrow]

Re: Looking for Info on Crash

The "D" prefix on the piston part # means it's a Rolls piston. It was modified by the removal of the bottom ring groove which was for the oil control ring. All of the rings were placed above the pin which is modern ring configuration. This piston also has installed a Dykes ring which is a gas pressure ring. It was common for boat racers to remove the lower groove as it served no purpose when the rings were moved up. It provided no stability for the piston at any point below the very bottom of the piston skirt as the bottom land of that ring groove is smaller than the diameter of the skirt above it. It hurt nothing to remove it. The Dykes ring, being gas pressure ring, provided a better seal in the cylinder and an increase in HP of between 10/15% by their use. Most pistons these days have all the rings above the pin and reproduced pistons do not incorporate that lower oil ring groove, it's deleted. The supply of original RR oil control rings is virtually nil. By the use of a modern oil control ring above the wrist pin, greater oil control is achieved and the oil consumption of the modern rebuilt Merlin is alomost none. When the original oil control rings were used at the bottom of the piston, the engine's did have a given amount of hourly oil consumption.

Sparrow