Douglas B-23 'Dragon' Bomber of Loon Lake Idaho, Payette NF

LINKS: UPDATED Sept 2019
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Here's the whole story.
A 30 minute program for Community Television
NCTV-Nevada County Community Television

[@blancolirio]

Here's a Great link to more on this story...www.adirondackalmanack.com/2016/02/adirondack-roots-saved-adgate-schermerhorns-life.html

[@knikwind8458]

Thanks so much for the reference. Read it all with great interest. A resident of North Idaho and former Mountain Rescue member.

[@richnewman6348]

Amazing history thanks for the link from the city of Bath uk 🇬🇧

[@46lfries]

Juan Camp Douglas Wisconsin there was a KC 97 tanker on display and I talked to the old guy that pickled engines there is a stand out front to be open in 50 years the left out board engine does not have lead in the cylinder the old guy told me I pickle that engine so good they could start it 😜

[@misterfats123]

blancolirio what are gps location for this wreck?

[@cfgosnell]

Thanks for the story. Here's the plane: goo.gl/maps/ZTHPwfiNj6EBDAZC6

[@newsdude1964]

The tail gun station of the Loon Lake wreck was removed by the USAF Museum to use on their B-23, which had been converted to executive transport configuration. I personally saw the tail gun station in the museum's restoration/storage hangar at Wright-Patterson AFB in mid 90s. The B-23 was in there as well, having the executive mods removed. Unfortunately, the project went into hibernation soon after that, and is still in long-term storage.

[@davehertle]

Thank You again Juan. You set the bar high as a citizen journalist. You have passion for the subjects you cover and you combine that with details that the novice can begin to appreciate.

[@77thTrombone]

Very nice tour, Juan. Thanks! I'm sure the grandparents & mama were smitten with the shots of their little aviator in the cockpit. 6 years later, and those times don't come back. Be grateful for getting them "on film!"

[@wagoneer81]

"A good landing is one you can walk away from. A great landing is when you can use the aircraft again..." Thanks for documenting this. I did not know about this site. Such a rare bird. Now, I'm going to have to plan a trip to Loon Lake. No worries though, I'm an old pro at taking only pictures and leaving only footprints. Stay safe, out there!

[@rayjones3212]

Very interesting and informative. I am an airplane nut in all forms of the word. Worked at KMQJ as a lineman, oh so many years ago. Was interesting to be able to get up close and personal with the aircraft.

[@mylesflaig148]

Hello from Canada 🇨🇦! I really enjoy you videos! This will be of interest to you. Our current Governor General , The Right Honourable Julie Payette has an ancestor: “François Payette, became a coureur des bois. I imagine he was a good paddler. He was a trusted employee of the Hudson’s Bay Company and translated Indigenous languages. François Payette left to explore the northwest of the American continent and today, in Idaho, there is a city, a county, a river and even a national park that bear the name Payette. Clearly, I am proud of my roots, but I long ago realized that all of our ancestors, mine included, had been guided and helped by extraordinary peoples. The First Nations, with their ingenuity, generosity and courage, through mountains, forests and waterways, opened the land for the rest of us. They were the first pioneers on this land, and they continue to be. “ - from her Installation Speech October 2017. She is also a former Astronaut! Has degrees in engineering. As our Governor General, she is our Commander in Chief of the Military as well. ✨😺💫

[@seabulls69]

I was about Pete's age when I flew with my dad in his late forties Stinson Voyager. Only, we didn't have noise cancelling mics and cool headsets like that. Another cool video, Juan. Tnx.

[@TimKirkmt]

Great Film. I noticed the Vulcan Bomber on display in the background in the opening clips. The last Airworthy Vulcan recently completed its last ever flight in the UK. A big part of british aviation history. Fascinating film about the bomber....well done again.

[@Miatacrosser]

When the Falklands War broke out and before the British organized the Vulcan bomber missions, they found that they needed a part from this plane that they no longer had. So they came to Atwater(60 miles north of Fresno)and got the part from this aircraft.

[@realMaverickBuckley]

@@Miatacrosser Wow ! That's such a cool story 👍

[@simonedwards5070]

When I was a kid in Lincolnshire Vulcan bombers would fly over my house and scare the crap out of me, big powerful plane

[@DennisGentry]

On my first checkride, the crusty old examiner gave me a bit of advice: If I ever had to make an emergency landing in trees (this was the Pacific NW, there are trees everywhere), try to aim between a pair of trees to rip the wings off -- it'll slow the plane down and you'll be more likely to survive. Looks like the B-23 pilot had the same idea and it worked.

[@peteranninos2516]

Hi Juan. Interesting to see a wreck that hasn't been completely stripped yet. Patrick Macha has a couple of books where he is "wreck chasing". Well done too. The B-23 wasn't that bad of an aircraft. The B-18 Bolo that it was developed from sure looked awful but was even more heavily based on the DC-3. In fact, Jimmy Doolittle originally preferred the B-23 over the B-25 for the raid but the B-23 (same engines) had too lage a wingspan to take off from the carriers. I got to spend a day with 4 of the surviving raiders who told me this. They also had harsh words for the crew that flew to Russia. Oh well, that's enough from me. Thanks again for an interesting series of videos and I now follow you.

[@MrGTO-ze7vb]

I love Castle AFB Museum. Their static display is awsome..!! Right in the front is a SR-71. Fantastic tour of the B-23 crash site. Your bike gets you deep into the back country...SOOO MUCH FUN..!

[@jmwarden1]

Juan, that was a very interesting tour of old B-23 bomber. I have had a fair amount of experience with the DC-3. I was in aircraft maintenance for 30 years and the DC-3 was one of the first aircraft that I worked on, and flew in at times. What good memories. Keep up the great videos, I love them.

[@ahgfl007]

Doolittle Raiders used Aux Field #4 at Eglin AFB, here in Nw Florida. Field #4 still had the markings on the tarmac of the aircraft carrier on it into the 1980's.

[@cinnion]

Wonderfully cute grandson you have there! And thanks for sharing this Juan! This era has always been of great interest to me, as my Dad was in the USAAF/USAF in WWII and Korea, and was in one of the two PBY's which was in the water trying to rescue the survivors of the Indy the first night after those sailors were spotted. Also loved the Thunderbirds connection, as a maternal uncle was a pilot with them ages ago.

[@fernandocastro78-NUSHS]

@Douglas Needham that kid - Pete - is Juan's son.

[@shellykennedy5427]

Got here from your later videos on Oroville Spillway. This is great stuff. I worked at Tinker AFB in the 90s on the B1-B and am a sucker for any of our military's bombers. :D

[@donnybutt100]

The word "town" on that tire probably referred to BF Goodrich "Silvertown" tires! Where I'm from there is the wreckage of a RB36 which crashed in 1953. When I found the various parts of the landing gear a couple of the tires were branded "Schenuit" and the rest "BF Goodrich Silvertown".

[@blancolirio]

Wow!

Thanks. Your knowledgeable insights are much appreciated in an era when most people have no clue as to what they're talking about. Your kids are lucky to have you for their dad.

[@nancybrown3669]

Funny, you should mention the B23. People never believe me when I mention this aircraft, but I, remember spending a day in a B23 belonging to Paul Mantz. It was at Santa Monica airport on the Douglas side of the strip. My Dad had his A&E and spent the day working on this aircraft. He and Mantz were mgood friends. I'd say that was around 1950.

[@cratecruncher4974]

Great video! Thanks for taking us along on your most excellent adventure. Being a pilot I can appreciate your morbid curiosity in crash sites. It might save our lives one day.

[@rogerturner5504]

Great video. Loved the Vulcan, A26 Invader, B45 Tornado and of course, Ry Cooder - Long Riders - 'Leaving Missouri' at 8.00. Thanks.

[@longlakeshore]

The B-23 at Castle should be hangared. It and the B-18 were dogs because Douglas used high lift, high drag wings from the DC-3 and DC-2 respectively. The B-25 used the same R-2600 engines as the B-23 but was a hotrod by comparison because of it's shorter, more efficient wing. Great video, thanks!

[@virginiatolles1664]

Donald Douglas built his planes to withstand the impossible. DC-3s are known to have flown with ice on their wings, with part of a wing missing after a collision with a mountain, etc. During WWII, a DC-3 lost a wing while flying over the CBI Hump, yet managed to land successfully. No replacement DC-3 wing was available, but there was a DC-2 wing, so they put it on the DC-3, and it flew. It was nicknamed the DC-2-1/2. So broad is the wingspan that it seems likely that the DC-3s used something like glider ability to come down safely after sustaining damage. So admirable was the plane that its parts were applied to newer Douglas planes all the way up to and including the MD-80. The side window of the MD-80 opened by the same mechanism that it opened on the DC-3. One of its levers was, in fact, the same that was used on the throttles of the DC-3. Pilots who loved flying the later Douglas planes call it quirky and say they hope they will be able to fly it again one day. Lots of old technology, but it was reliable technology. You tell 'em, Mad Dog!

[@4skinner666]

I really dig your videos. Both my brothers and father are from Berry Creek. I’m from North Idaho. I stole a prop spinner from a modern wreck I found in Alaska, but you are right. Even that wreck has the possibility of becoming a piece of history if we leave nothing but memory’s and take nothing but photos. Thank you for taking the time to film and upload such good aviation and history videos.

[@chrisshake23]

I'm from McCall ID. Been there years and year ago before it all burned. My dad has pictures of the original crew that rescued the crew.

[@leesherman100]

I believe the US Air Force Museum recovered many parts and components years ago for the museums B-23 project. Great vid.

[@maxcorder2211]

Appreciate your detailed knowledge of the aircraft systems, Juan.

[@dougdobbs]

Nicely done, sir. Thank you for documenting this fascinating piece of history. :)

[@blancolirio]

Thanks Doug!

[@winstonsmith3685]

I didn’t know Juan was an adventure bike rider too!! He is living my dream life.

[@brandyf4088]

Gives new meaning to field trip Mr. Brown. How that aluminum hardly loses its shine if at all.

[@johnleake708]

Thanks for the video documenting the crash for those who have never seen it. Your narration is first class sir and reflects your background. Thanks again.

[@flamebroiledsquirrel]

Thanks for posting this. What an amazing relic! I couldn't believe how good that main gear assembly looked, the tire especially, almost still looks totally serviceable.

[@AdamShaiken]

LC Pete displayed excellent co-piloting skills even back then and stuff...

[@markbowles2382]

Thank God for a man donning a pair of sandals to go hiking in anybodys forest - it makes sense though because you can't carry enough water to keep cool so you have to lose the body heat somehow - or follow a stream. Juan, thank you so much for sharing this, I've always wanted to visit the great spaces out west that the Oregon Trail opened up into, it's incredible what this great continent of ours has to offer, Thank you again so much, and for remembering the crew of the B-23.

[@tobystallings7271]

I have been to the crash site at loon lake multiple times. my dad used to camp and fish up there in the mid to late 19 70's him and his friend swam out into the lake and recovered a tail flap that broke off when the plane hit the ice. he also has a tire and a whole silinder from the left side with the piston in it. his name is carved in the left side with 1976 right next to it. not ideal for a historic site but it was also in the 70's when not much was still known about it

[@Miatacrosser]

It stayed together cause Douglas knew how to build great aircraft.

[@brianmuhlingBUM]

I am so impressed with this documentary Juan. All crew survived this crash landing, how good is that? It is great that this aircraft has survived the ravages of time and scavengers for later generations to view.

[@roblowery9076]

Brings back my earliest moments growing up in the cockpit of a aircraft... I miss flying so much... you have a lucky kid

[@harrisonmantooth3647]

I found your channel a few days ago and have thoroughly enjoyed each and every video I've watched so far. This episode was extremely interesting for me since I'm less than an hour away from Castle Air Museum and, our daughter lives up in Idaho. I'm going to have to get down to Atwater to the museum to see the complete B 23. On our next visit to Idaho, I'd love to visit the crash site. I love WW 11 history. Oh, by the way, I like your hat. That's one of my favorite places to visit.

[@bobbypaluga4346]

Unfortunately the Norden bombsight didn’t remain a secret for long- assembly attached. Enola Gay bombardier Thomas Ferebee with the Norden Bombsight on Tinian after the dropping of Little Boy The Norden Mk. XV, known as the Norden M series in U.S. Army service, was a bombsight used by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) and the United States Navy during World War II, and the United States Air Force in the Korean and the Vietnam Wars. It was an early tachometric design, a system that allowed it to directly measure the aircraft's ground speed and direction, which older bombsights could only estimate with lengthy in-flight procedures. The Norden further improved on older designs by using an analog computer that constantly calculated the bomb's impact point based on current flight conditions, and an autopilot that let it react quickly and accurately to changes in the wind or other effects. Together, these features seemed to promise unprecedented accuracy in day bombing from high altitudes; in peacetime testing the Norden demonstrated a circular error probable (CEP)[a] of 75 feet (23 m), an astonishing performance for the era. This accuracy would allow direct attacks on ships, factories, and other point targets. Both the Navy and the USAAF saw this as a means to achieve war aims through high-altitude bombing; for instance, destroying an invasion fleet by air long before it could reach U.S. shores. To achieve these aims, the Norden was granted the utmost secrecy well into the war, and was part of a then-unprecedented production effort on the same scale as the Manhattan Project. Carl L. Norden, Inc. ranked 46th among United States corporations in the value of World War II military production contracts. In practice it was not possible to achieve the expected accuracy in combat conditions, with the average CEP in 1943 of 370 metres (1,200 ft) being similar to Allied and German results. Both the Navy and Air Forces had to give up on the idea of pinpoint attacks during the war. The Navy turned to dive bombing and skip bombing to attack ships, while the Air Forces developed the lead bomber concept to improve accuracy, while adopting area bombing techniques by ever larger groups of aircraft. Nevertheless, the Norden's reputation as a pin-point device lived on, due in no small part to Norden's own advertising of the device after secrecy was reduced late in the war. In fact, this secrecy had already been compromised by espionage before the United States entered the war. As early as January 1941, the Germans introduced a lightened version of the Norden called the Carl Zeiss Lotfernrohr 7 as the primary bombsight for most Luftwaffe level bombers and the first of its bombsights to have gyroscopic stabilization.

[@Raaaahhhhbbbie]

One of my favorite memories from childhood was going to the Castle Air Museum with my dad and sister. I got a model of a B-17 which I still have today. Great video Juan!

[@billokeefe2078]

my first plane ride was on a repowered dragon test flight at newark nj airport in february 1953.i was 11 years old.my dad was checked out in the dragon, dc 2 and dc 3. WHAT A NOISY THRIL.

[@robertlafnear4865]

Born & Raised in Calif. and I had no idea about the exhibit... Thanks for sharing....Some of this stuff should be under cover and RESTORED, that summer sun has done some damage for sure.. Wonder why this plane has not been picked for "B-23" Key Fobs.... lots of GOOD LOOKING parts, hope this stays intact.

[@Code3forever]

I live by the Snake River, on the Oregon side, not too far from Payette and was not aware of this. I do find it interesting to see how the aircraft were like prior to the war and then see how fast they all advanced during the war, pretty much out of necessity. This is a great video and agree people should just look and take pics and leave the plane alone for future generations to see.

[@garyporter8153]

Thanks for the history lesson Juan. Now I have a project to do over the weekend....Learn what I can about this.

[@ericFJ]

jeeze, juan. roll back the hands of time for me, here.. Nantucket, 1968 & me and my dad in his stinson reliant. i still got a photo. :)

[@ericanderson4801]

The crew reported that the right engine was on fire before they landed. They went around once, then the engine caught fire and the set the plane down. They had mistaken the frozen lake for an airfield. (The joys of navigating in bad weather pre-GPS.)

[@ericanderson4801]

They were nearly out of fuel, and the pilot probably had the engines leaned out as far as they'd go. That probably combined with carb icing to cause severe engine backfiring, and that's what set the engine on fire. The flaps were frozen so they had to come in way too hot. That's how they ended up in the trees.

[@gregspohn1236]

lol. Juan with the scooter on the trail. Awesome plane and another great story. A miracle they all survived the crash then the lengthy rescue.

[@jeysonbraun4250]

There used to be a complete B-23 dragon on display at the old Quito, Ecuador airport. It had been converted to an airliner in the 50's. Not sure where it is now since the airport was closed down and moved but when i saw it in the 90's it was preserved by the airforce there along with a gloster meteor, B-25, and other planes....

[@dualoz7004]

juan, thanks for the tour. bet that power plant came with a master control unit vs. a carb. I've spun safety wire on 1820's, r2800's, r3350-42's, and even 4360's. and every one of em had a mcu, so you could turn em upside down and they'd still run. keep up the good work.

[@haroldishoy2113]

Thanks for this presentation and taking the trek to get into that remote location. I hope I am remembering correctly but there may be a B-23 bomber at the Joint Base Lewis-McChord field museum in Tacoma Washington.

[@cudathehawgjetfixer7520]

Most WWII wrecks that had survivor's where most likely salvaged by the recovery crews and those cut marks are most likely to cannibalize for other B-23's in need of rare parts during that time, because of only 38 being built that would make most usable parts highly sought after in the time of war especially the B-23 here in CONUS.

[@christinestill5002]

I opened your link. Just an amazing story that all the men survived. Amazing!

[@derekstocker6661]

Great video, very informative and such a rare bird too! Good to see you starting the aviation apprentice early too! Very well done programme, thanks for sharing with us warbird buffs.

[@moparchallenger749]

Derek Stocker Lucky kid Those shades😎👍

[@1973mre]

Just something so cool about the beginning of this video. The kid is super cool and what an experience

[@moparchallenger749]

1973mre Agreed Great family 👍

[@gittar]

My dad was an armement specialist and tailgunner on a B-25 in the Philippines during WWII. You should've heard his stories.

[@craigpennington1251]

That kid is going to be a Jet Jockey for sure. Wishing him and you all the best. Great video.

[@leroycharles9751]

Fascinating.Thanks for doing that.It looks like the souvenir hunters got a few cylinders off the right engine.

[@michaelsveneriksson4813]

Love the knowledge you have to give us a realistic picture of the late 30s aviation. Thanks for your effort.

[@mikeknecht9665]

Nice break from the OV News. Great stuff. Thanks for taking us with.

[@bidlymovies987]

Was up there in 1993. Nice too see so much is still left. Was disappointed back then someone had recently cut off the tailcone with a die grinder. Nice hike in there. About 22 miles roundtrip if I remember.

[@kurtak9452]

Great video Juan. There is a cool wreck of a F-102 at Lake Creek Alaska near Indian Creek....I can Take you there if you want to see it. Kurt

[@flyingfortressrc1794]

Great video Juan, cool to hear the history of this plane. I had no idea there were so few of them built. I remember seeing one at Pima Air Museum as a kid.

[@markspc1]

Nice video Juan. It was good to see that you are taking your children along in your adventures. Kids crow fast and if you don't stay close with them they grow up and find other interests. Also I was surprised to know that the crew of B-23 survived the crash. Good show.

[@poppopscarvinshop]

I bet the Forrest Service would Tan Your Hide if they caught anyone trying to take home a little souvenir! Great Adventure Juan, Thanks for Taking Us!

[@desertwanderer5597]

I don’t think they would care

[@nwscrew63]

My dad was a kid in McCall Id. when the crash happened, he did say it was armed with machine guns, and that in fact, the Air Force sent in a recovery team to retrieve any and all sensitive equipment shortly after the rescue. There were rumors that the machine guns were deep 6 in the lake.

[@gosportjamie]

I would imagine the crew of that aircraft may well have been completing their training prior to heading to the European theatre of war, and the fact that the pilot was killed in action the same year rather confirms it... From the position of the wreckage it would rather suggest that the pilot was attempting to ditch on the lake, or land on the ice if the lake was frozen, but clearly touched down too close to the shore and ended up sliding through into the trees. It's one hell of a tribute to the skill of the pilot that he put that down in such a decent shape that all of the crew survived and may well have walked out of the crash. Attempting a forced landing in a large plane is far from easy and attempting and completing successfully a forced landing on water is utterly remarkable. Just think about the miracle on the Hudson... You would imagine that a fair amount of cutting would have had to be done to remove the guns in the recovery operation due to the crash damage, so it's not all that surprising that large sections of the aircraft are now missing. It wouldn't surprise me if the recovery crew also removed the instrument panel as the gauges could potentially be refurnished and re-used in another aircraft, and maybe the pilot and co-pilot seats. By 1943, particularly on an aircraft used for training, it wouldn't be surprising if that aircraft had been retro-fitted with a Norden bomb sight to bring it into like with what the crew would find on the medium and heavy bombers they would be flying in action, and, although one imagines the bomb aiming position would have been fairly badly damaged in the landing, the sight would probably have been recovered to prevent it becoming a target for espionage, which may well explain why the bomb aiming position is pretty much missing, one would imagine that a lot of the front of the aircraft would have to be cut away to allow for the recovery of the sight due to the damage, and, at that time, the recovery crew wouldn't have taken much care over the aircraft when completing the recovery operation as, although an unusual and obsolete aircraft at the time, it was just an old, damaged aircraft. No-one at the time, especially with the pressure of war operations, would have given any thought to it becoming an extremely rare survivor. Certainly from damaged aircraft and crash sites in the UK, it's amazing what was recovered at the time for re-use or for keeping as spare parts to reduce the pressure on war production... Please, people, if you're going to visit any air crash site, but especially wartime ones like this, please remember that it is a memorial to the crew and to all air crew. Take nothing but pictures and memories, leave nothing but footprints...

[@Michael.Chapman]

Looking back on this older video-Pete is so young here… you couldn’t have been sent a more enthusiastic and aviation loving protege :-) A great adventure by the way!

[@Old_B52H_Gunner]

I went through my B52 Gunner school at Castle AFB over 40 years ago loved my time there.

[@billdewahl7007]

I just subbed to your channel recently and this came up on my suggested.... Ahhhh I'm dying at the little aviator making sure that props clear! What a cool kid!

[@jeffreyallen3796]

I love Castle AFB. I have not been there since I was 14.

[@taketimeout2share]

That kid had style already. I wonder where he got it from? Haha. Another top drawer upload. Thank you (4 years too late).

[@fultonarms]

The B23 at Castle was N880L which was operated by Rexall Drug stores as a corporate transport - the Lear Jet of the '50s then by LFE - Laboratory For Electronics and Jenney Flight Engineering as a flight test aircraft at Hansom Field, Bedford MA. I worked on it as a mechanic there until it was sold to fly fish in Alaska then through several owners until it finally was acquired by the Air Force museum at Castle who began restoring it to military configuration but did not finish before the base closed. As a corporate aircraft it had a plush interior and many windows added as well as dual controls. You can see where the museum filled those windows back in with sheet metal. The also changed the airstair door back to a side opening door. In corporate service it did have wing boots. The wing is similar to a C47 or DC3 wing but has many flush rivets and a much larger fuel capacity along with structural differences. When an aileron got damaged a C47 aileron bolted right on. Some operators used a different, higher power R2600 engine for more performance.

[@blancolirio]

Thanks fulton!

[@fultonarms]

@@blancolirio It's quite possible that some parts were salvaged from the Loon Lake plane to restore the Castle plane to military configuration since most, if not all the B23s or UC67s? I think they became, were converted to executive transport post war. Howard Hughes operated one.

[@angelreading5098]

Cute young aviator,he is so lucky to have such a wonderful mentor.

[@RaoulThomas007]

Angel Reading When Pete gave the flight a thumbs-up, I knew it would be an excellent ride!

[@grahamstevenson1740]

Awesome that that the 'boneyard' has an Avro Vulcan there. I had no idea any were outside the UK.

[@AdvistaVideo]

Love your perspective, story and narrative in your videos. Keep up the good work.

[@SergioNayar]

Wow what a wonderful story Juan, I really enjoyed it a lot. Thank you so much!

[@redr1150r]

I found the story of this aircraft in Air Force archives many years ago. There is quite a survival story connected to this aircraft , of both crew and passengers. All survived this deep winter forced crash landing.

[@kencrossman8414]

What an awesome adventure you've taken us on, thanks.

[@j2b261]

Wow, Juan. I've been watching your videos every day as you put them up for the last couple of years. But I never looked back far enough to see this one. This is great! It's really spooky. I had never heard of a B-23 before.

[@rogerturner5504]

Thanks for Ry Cooder piece Juan!

[@keljackson7800]

"He can't get out of ground effect." Ha! What a great comment about that loon. Excellent video!

[@croquels1]

LOL!... spontaneous physics lesson!!

[@CharlieTechie]

Fascination video, thank for sharing Juan.

[@Arrowjock2]

Thanks for a very interesting video and story. Lucky blokes to survive the cold let alone the crash!

[@deanhowell6730]

This has been so much fun ,I can only imagine what it must be like Pete, thank for sharing

[@michaeldougfir9807]

My grandfather was a senior admin at Douglas Aircraft Co. He would have been interested in your report on the Dragon.

[@EricIrl]

I saw one of these flying at the Confederate Air Show in 1981.

[@rileycpo]

Pretty cool history there. Looks like a gorgeous hiking spot as well.

[@josephgardiner9866]

so adorable your helper. I love your videos. there are very informative I had discovered you on the recent footage you had seen of the Damned the Oroville Dam series what a excellent job you did for us I truly appreciate all you do. I am a truck driver and I understand that you're a pilot hopefully sometime if I ever make it out to California we should have coffee or perhaps maybe go out on a flight if you're still flying I would love to go for a ride in a Piper Cub better yet maybe an F-16

[@blancolirio]

Joe Gardiner let's go!

[@garycecil9561]

What a great video and history lesson, thank Juan Brown. Gary Cecil

[@mitchmarks500]

Started watching your Dam coverage, great job by the way, best out there. Stayed for your other interesting videos. Thanks

[@bthestigman9667]

The thing to remember the B17 was also pre WW2 and it had the Norden sight, the Army fitted Norden to the B18s for training B17 B24 crews so the B23 probable did have the sight.

[@briggsahoy1]

Great co-pilot you have with you. RB, Nova Scotia.

[@carloscortes5570]

Pete has grown so fast!! God bless him!! I hope I get to live long enough to see Pete's own flying you tube videos...won't be long,that's for sure!

[@gecsus]

I hope you have other historical crash sites to visit and document. I enjoyed this video a bunch. Thank you.

[@gmcjetpilot]

Looks like they made it for speed... bonus tour of outdoor aircraft display.

[@deanhowell6730]

I Love the Father your Are with all that i am! Thank you Sir and to you young Sir!

[@tomascharles5080]

Thanks for showing us the old airplane's.

[@MonkPetite]

The first part you found was probably a bit of the wing where the light was. It probably had been folded around a tree. It looks like that the wreck is robbed already.

[@SmittySmithsonite]

Great video! I'm a couple years late in discovering it, though. Pete is such a riot there at the controls - you got some awesome footage that you guys will cherish for years to come. Never knew this crash site existed! Another bucket list location I'll have to visit. I was surprised they let you in there on the bike - here in MA I've had to just about give up off-roading altogether, sadly, due to militant "no motorized recreation" enforcement, and incessant noise or erosion complaints from locals. I miss it badly! Looks like I might have to pack up and take my '84 Honda XL350R on a road trip West some day. Not sure I remember how to ride technical trails like that though! :) I guess my first step would be some new rubber ... to replace the 33 year old OE 50/50 tires! :D