OT: B-36 Crash – Franklin Mountains 1953

[unihorn]

Something made me think of the tragic B-36 crash into the Franklin Mountains in El Paso in 1953.

This massive, unusual aircraft was built in Ft. Worth:

I've hiked to the crash site several times.

Anyone have any stories related to the crash?

Here's an excellent, related blog:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/davetz...sh-franklin-mountains-1953/amp/?client=safari

 

[alvinosports]

I heard about it, but are there still remains of the crashed plane on the crash site ?

 

[unihorn]

I heard about it, but are there still remains of the crashed plane on the crash site ?

Lots of little pieces and a few larger pieces like a jet engine and landing struts -- photos in the link I posted.

It's quite a story. My dad was in class at EPHS when it hit the mountain. They heard it loudly, and tried to climb up there soon after, but were turned away by police.

 

[Miners1991]

Thanks for posting.

 

[allminer]

Great read, thanks.

 

[miner1liner]

Got another one for you youngsters. In 1947, we launched a V2 rocket from WhiteSands which went out of control and landed in the mountains of Juarez. Anyone of you around for that one?

 

[FiliUTEP]

Im no expert or pilot but how can a pilot crash into Franklin mountains? Unless it was some kind of mechanical failure? Its the only mountain how can the pilot not see the mountain?

 

[utep2step]

Got another one for you youngsters. In 1947, we launched a V2 rocket from WhiteSands which went out of control and landed in the mountains of Juarez. Anyone of you around for that one?

I read not to long ago former Nazi rocket scientists were held at Fort Bliss while they went through clearance (for lack of a better term). I didn't know a V2 was tested at White Sands? This world is damn lucky the Nazi's crumbled when they did because they were about to unleash that new weapon, which the allies had no answer for and somewhat unsure if it existed at the time because it was top secret under Hitler.

 

[unihorn]

Im no expert or pilot but how can a pilot crash into Franklin mountains? Unless it was some kind of mechanical failure? Its the only mountain how can the pilot not see the mountain?

He overshot the runway, circled downtown, then flew north into the mountain. He was flying visually when visibility was bad (winter snow/dust storm), and he was too low being that close to the mountain.

He was either trying to return to Biggs to land and didn't account for the mountain, or he was bailing north to Alamogordo but didn't veer west enough.

 

[unihorn]

I read not to long ago former Nazi rocket scientists were held at Fort Bliss while they went through clearance (for lack of a better term). I didn't know a V2 was tested at White Sands? This world is damn lucky the Nazi's crumbled when they did because they were about to unleash that new weapon, which the allies had no answer for and somewhat unsure if it existed at the time because it was top secret under Hitler.

Yeah, well we were about to unleash a new weapon, too.

 

[UTEPDefense]

I read not to long ago former Nazi rocket scientists were held at Fort Bliss while they went through clearance (for lack of a better term). I didn't know a V2 was tested at White Sands? This world is damn lucky the Nazi's crumbled when they did because they were about to unleash that new weapon, which the allies had no answer for and somewhat unsure if it existed at the time because it was top secret under Hitler.

Werner von Braun, the man who is credited for planning the US Space Program, spent time living in El Paso/Fort Bliss with his German crew after World War 2. Per the clip below, they fired some V2 rockets from White Sands while here:

"Von Braun and his remaining staff were transferred to their new home at Fort Bliss, Texas, a large Army installation just north of El Paso. While there, they trained military, industrial and university personnel in the intricacies of rockets and guided missiles. As part of the Hermes project they helped to refurbish, assemble, and launch a number of V-2s that had been shipped from Germany to the White Sands Proving Grounds in New Mexico. They also continued to study the future potential of rockets for military and research applications. Since they were not permitted to leave Fort Bliss without military escort, von Braun and his colleagues began to refer to themselves only half-jokingly as "PoPs," "Prisoners of Peace."

http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Wernher_von_Braun

 

[FiliUTEP]

I heard that Area 51 has moved to El Paso any truth to that? I think i heard it here.

 

[unihorn]

I heard that Area 51 has moved to El Paso any truth to that? I think i heard it here.

I think some old timers around here were affected by the Trinity a-bomb and have since passed radioactive genes down. That, combined with the high levels of lithium in the water, makes for some strange happenings in these parts.

 

[allminer]

My 85 year old neighbor worked at White Sands under Von Braun. He told me a great story (too long to repeat here) about being slapped upside the head by Von Braun once while being observed working on one of his rockets. I love old timers with great experiences.